Two bits of scholarship for every theme in the Odyssey

Odysseus:

Wilson: He is free, unlike his family - he has many choices and many identities

Griffin: He is forced to learn self control

Kleos:

Griffin: Odysseus is not the type to through away his life for glory

Jones: The Episode with Polyphemus is “Odysseus’ greatest triumph”, portraying “heroic self-revelation”

Disguise:

Griffin: The only way to win in a world of treachery

Jones: Odysseus must scheme and deceive due to the Suitors’ duplicity

Minor characters:

Griffin: Helen’s story in Book 4 anticipates Odysseus’ disguise later in the poem

Kelly: Nausicaa moves between helper and harmer

Leadership:

Mandzuka: Homer frees Odysseus of the responsibility over the deaths of his comrades and the suitors

Penelope:

Wilson: She is defined by her marital status

Griffin: Penelope shows herself to be like Odysseus through her “self control and guile”

Nimheallaigh: Penelope through her weaving is the ideal woman

The Suitors:

Wilson: “abusive” who try to force Penelope to remarry

Morrison: Penelope’s trick doesn’t say much for their intelligence

Telemachus:

Wilson: Penelope’s “moody son”

Jones: He learns as much from what other heroes tell him as he does from acting himself

The gods:

Wilson: Portray empowered femininity, not mortal women

Jones: Odysseus’ metis is his most important trait and puts him close to Athene, who acts as a surrogate father for Telemachus

Jones: The gods only help those worthy of it

Oikos:

Halverson: The household is more important to the plot than nostos

Jones: The household is central rather than the battlefield

Xenia:

West: the relationship between host and guest appears at first to be unequal

Walcot: Polyphemus is a terrible host

Civilisations:

Segal: Phaeacia is a fantasy, mortal but magical

Hall: Odysseus views the Cyclopes as Greek colonists would have viewed other civilisations

Recognition:

Schein: Through her recognition scene, Penelope is portrayed as just as heroic as Odysseus

Morrison: Through these scenes we see Odysseus as lord and master of the household

Fate:

Camps: Supernatural powers are at work everywhere

Griffin: The divine allows for Homer to explain the world and its events