Odysseus

Book 5: Calypso and Odysseus' Escape

Question: Where is Odysseus at the start of Book 5?

Answer: He is trapped on the island of Ogygia with the nymph Calypso.

Question: Which god orders Calypso to release Odysseus, and how does she react?

Answer: Zeus sends Hermes to tell Calypso to let Odysseus go. She resents the gods' double standards but ultimately obeys.

Question: How does Odysseus leave Ogygia?

Answer: He builds a raft with Calypso’s help and sets sail toward Ithaca.

Question: What natural obstacle does Odysseus face on his journey from Ogygia?

Answer: Poseidon, still angry at Odysseus, sends a storm to wreck his raft.

Question: Who helps Odysseus survive Poseidon’s storm?

Answer: The sea goddess Ino (Leucothea) gives him a magical veil that keeps him afloat.

Book 6-7: Nausicaa and the Phaeacians

Question: Who finds Odysseus after he washes ashore in Scheria?

Answer: Nausicaa, daughter of King Alcinous.

Question: What advice does Nausicaa give Odysseus?

Answer: She tells him to approach Queen Arete first, as she holds influence over the court.

Question: How do the Phaeacians treat Odysseus?

Answer: They welcome him and offer hospitality, though they do not yet know his identity.

Book 8-9: The Phaeacians and the Cyclops

Question: What entertainment does Odysseus witness in Scheria?

Answer: Athletic games, dancing, and a bard’s song about the Trojan War.

Question: How does Odysseus reveal his identity to the Phaeacians?

Answer: He weeps when the bard sings about the Trojan War, prompting King Alcinous to ask who he is.

Question: What story does Odysseus begin telling in Book 9?

Answer: His journey from Troy, including the encounter with the Cyclops Polyphemus.

Question: How does Odysseus outsmart Polyphemus?

Answer: He gets Polyphemus drunk, blinds him, and escapes by hiding under sheep.

Question: What mistake does Odysseus make after escaping the Cyclops?

Answer: He taunts Polyphemus and reveals his real name, leading the Cyclops to curse him with Poseidon’s wrath.

Books 10-12: Circe, the Underworld, and the Sirens

Question: What happens when Odysseus and his crew land on Aeaea?

Answer: Circe turns some of his men into pigs.

Question: How does Odysseus resist Circe’s magic?

Answer: Hermes gives him a magical herb called moly.

Question: What crucial information does Circe give Odysseus?

Answer: He must visit the Underworld to seek advice from the blind prophet Tiresias.

Question: Who does Odysseus meet in the Underworld?

Answer: Tiresias, his mother Anticleia, and fallen Greek heroes like Achilles and Agamemnon.

Question: What warning does Tiresias give Odysseus?

Answer: He must not harm Helios' sacred cattle on Thrinacia.

Question: How do Odysseus and his crew avoid the Sirens?

Answer: They plug their ears with wax, while Odysseus listens while tied to the mast.

Question: What two dangers do they face after the Sirens?

Answer: Scylla (a six-headed monster) and Charybdis (a deadly whirlpool).

Question: What happens on the island of Thrinacia?

Answer: Odysseus’ crew disobeys him and kills Helios’ cattle, resulting in their doom.

Books 13-16: Odysseus Returns to Ithaca

Question: How does Odysseus return to Ithaca?

Answer: The Phaeacians provide him with a ship and treasure.

Question: Who helps Odysseus disguise himself upon arrival?

Answer: Athena disguises him as a beggar.

Question: Who is the first person Odysseus reveals himself to?

Answer: His loyal swineherd Eumaeus.

Question: How does Athena help Odysseus and Telemachus reunite?

Answer: She orchestrates their meeting in Eumaeus' hut.

Books 19-21: The Beggar in the Palace & the Bow Contest

Question: How does Penelope test Odysseus (disguised as a beggar)?

Answer: She asks about Odysseus' appearance and weeps at his descriptions.

Question: What sign confirms Odysseus' identity to Eurycleia, the old nurse?

Answer: She recognizes a scar on his leg.

Question: What challenge does Penelope propose for the suitors?

Answer: Whoever strings Odysseus' bow and shoots an arrow through 12 axe heads will marry her.

Question: How do the suitors react when the beggar (Odysseus) attempts the challenge?

Answer: They mock him, but he succeeds effortlessly.

Books 22-24: The Battle and Resolution

Question: How does Odysseus reveal his identity in Book 22?

Answer: After winning the bow contest, he kills Antinous, the leading suitor.

Question: How does Odysseus defeat the suitors?

Answer: With Telemachus, Eumaeus, and Athena’s help, he slaughters them all.

Question: What punishment does Odysseus give to the disloyal maids?

Answer: He orders them to clean the hall and then executes them.

Question: How does Penelope test Odysseus after the massacre?

Answer: She tells him she moved their bed, knowing only the real Odysseus would understand it’s immovable.

Question: How does the epic end?

Answer: Athena intervenes to prevent further bloodshed, ensuring peace in Ithaca.

Themes & Symbolism

Question: What does Odysseus' scar symbolize?

Answer: His past identity and the trials that shaped him.

Question: What theme is emphasized by Odysseus' journey home?

Answer: The struggle between fate and human effort (perseverance).

Question: How does The Odyssey depict hospitality (xenia)?

Answer: Good hosts (Phaeacians, Eumaeus) are rewarded, while bad hosts (suitors) are punished.

Question: What is the significance of Odysseus’ disguise?

Answer: It highlights intelligence over brute force.

Question: How is Penelope a match for Odysseus?

Odysseus (The Protagonist)

Question: Who is Odysseus?

Answer: The King of Ithaca, known for his intelligence, cunning, and resilience. He struggles to return home after the Trojan War.

Question: What qualities make Odysseus a hero?

Answer: His intelligence, strategic thinking, endurance, and ability to adapt to different situations.

Question: How does Odysseus' intelligence help him?

Answer: He tricks the Cyclops, deceives the suitors, and uses disguises to achieve his goals.

Question: What flaw does Odysseus struggle with?

Answer: His hubris (excessive pride), as seen when he taunts Polyphemus, causing Poseidon’s wrath.

Athena (The Goddess Who Aids Odysseus)

Question: How does Athena assist Odysseus?

Answer: She helps disguise him, gives him guidance, and convinces Zeus to free him from Calypso.

Question: Why does Athena favor Odysseus?

Answer: She admires his intelligence, bravery, and strategic thinking, qualities she values.

Question: What form does Athena take to guide Telemachus?

Answer: She often appears as Mentor, an old family friend of Odysseus.

Telemachus (Odysseus’ Son)

Question: What role does Telemachus play in The Odyssey?

Answer: He grows from a passive boy into a confident man ready to help his father reclaim Ithaca.

Question: What is Telemachus' major journey in Books 1-4?

Answer: He travels to Pylos and Sparta to seek news of Odysseus.

Question: How does Telemachus prove his maturity?

Answer: He takes part in the suitors’ massacre and helps Odysseus plan his revenge.

Penelope (The Loyal Wife)

Question: How does Penelope remain faithful to Odysseus?

Answer: She delays remarriage by weaving and unweaving Laertes’ shroud.

Question: How does Penelope test Odysseus?

Answer: She asks about their bed, which only the real Odysseus would know cannot be moved.

Question: What qualities does Penelope share with Odysseus?

Answer: Intelligence, patience, and the ability to deceive when necessary.

The Suitors (Antagonists in Ithaca)

Question: Who is the leader of the suitors?

Answer: Antinous, the most arrogant and disrespectful.

Question: How does Eurymachus differ from Antinous?

Answer: He is more deceitful and manipulative but equally disrespectful.

Question: Why do the suitors want to marry Penelope?

Answer: They seek power over Ithaca, not just her hand in marriage.

Question: How does the suitors’ behavior contrast with Odysseus?

Answer: They are greedy and dishonorable, while Odysseus is strategic and just.

Eumaeus (The Loyal Swineherd)

Question: Who is Eumaeus?

Answer: Odysseus’ faithful swineherd who helps him reclaim the palace.

Question: How does Eumaeus show loyalty?

Answer: He offers hospitality to Odysseus (disguised as a beggar) and fights alongside him.

Question: Why is Eumaeus important to the theme of loyalty?

Answer: He represents the contrast between faithful servants and disloyal ones like Melanthius.

Eurycleia (The Loyal Nurse)

Question: How does Eurycleia recognize Odysseus?

Answer: She sees the scar on his leg while washing his feet.

Question: How does she help Odysseus after recognizing him?

Answer: She keeps his identity a secret and helps identify disloyal maids.

Poseidon (The God Who Opposes Odysseus)

Question: Why does Poseidon hate Odysseus?

Answer: Odysseus blinded his son, Polyphemus.

Question: How does Poseidon hinder Odysseus?

Answer: He sends storms and obstacles to prevent his return.

Calypso (The Nymph Who Holds Odysseus Captive)

Question: How long does Odysseus stay with Calypso?

Answer: Seven years.

Question: Why does Calypso let Odysseus go?

Answer: Zeus orders her to release him, despite her desire to keep him.

Nausicaa (The Phaeacian Princess)

Question: How does Nausicaa help Odysseus?

Answer: She gives him clothes and guides him to her father, King Alcinous.

Question: What is Nausicaa’s attitude toward Odysseus?

Answer: She is kind and possibly romantically interested in him.

King Alcinous and Queen Arete (The Phaeacians)

Question: What role do the Phaeacians play in Odysseus’ journey?

Answer: They provide him with the final ship to return to Ithaca.

Question: How does Odysseus reveal his identity to the Phaeacians?

Answer: He cries during the bard’s song about Troy, leading Alcinous to question him.

The Underworld Figures (Book 11)

Question: Who is Tiresias, and what advice does he give Odysseus?

Answer: He is a blind prophet who warns Odysseus not to harm Helios’ cattle.

Question: How does Odysseus’ mother, Anticleia, die?

Answer: She dies of grief while waiting for his return.

Question: What warning does Agamemnon give Odysseus?

Answer: He warns him to be cautious when returning home, citing his own betrayal by his wife Clytemnestra.

Scylla & Charybdis (Deadly Monsters)

Question: What is Scylla?

Answer: A six-headed monster that snatches sailors from ships.

Question: What is Charybdis?

Answer: A massive whirlpool that swallows entire ships.

Question: How does Odysseus survive Scylla and Charybdis?

Answer: He follows Circe’s advice and chooses Scylla, losing a few men but saving the ship.

The Cattle of Helios (Thrinacia)

Question: What mistake does Odysseus’ crew make on Thrinacia?

Answer: They kill Helios’ sacred cattle despite being warned.

Question: How does Zeus punish the crew?

Answer: He destroys their ship with a thunderbolt, killing everyone except Odysseus.

Final Characters in Ithaca

Question: Who is Melanthius, and what happens to him?

Answer: He is a disloyal goatherd who supports the suitors and is brutally executed.

Question: Who are the disloyal maids, and what is their fate?

Answer: They are suitors’ lovers and are hanged after cleaning the bloodied palace.