The Odyssey Study Questions--Written by YOU; not in any particular order.

Books 1-2

1.  What does Penelope do to prolong the time until she must marry one of the suitors in Book One?
2.  Why do the suitor want to kill Telemachus and his father?
3.  Which god was the only one who didn't like Odysseus?
4.  How is the dawn personified?
5.  During Zeus' council, who wants to help Odysseus?
6.  How does Athena inspire Telemachus?
7.  Why does Poseidon hate Odysseus?
8.  What was Telemachus' response to Athena's advice?
9.  How are Telemachus' and the suitors' views about Penelope different?
10.  What do the Olympians plan to do about Poseidon when he finds out they want to help Odysseus?
11.  What does Athena as Mentes advise Telemachus to do?
12.  According to Antinous, when will Penelope's suitors leave?

Books 3-5

1.  How does Nestor know Odysseus?
2.  Name two of Nestor's friends who died in the war.
3.  Who killed Aegisthus and why?
4.  What do King Nestor and his son require Telemachus and Mentor to do before they visit?
5.  How do people of this time treat strangers?  What does the term Xenia mean?
6.  How did Odysseus disguise himself when he was in Troy?
7.  What were the Pylonians doing when Telemachus arrived?
8.  Who accompanies Telemachus on his journey?
9.  Where has Meneleus been?  Why did he go?
10.  What does Helen put in the wine?
11.  Which god helped the Acheans in the war?  Which god messed up the war?
12.  What did the prophet say?
13.  What is ironic about the way Nestor talks about Athena?
14.  What did Nestor give Telemachus for the journey to Sparta?  Why?
15.  What is taking place when Telemachus arrives at Meneleus' palace?
16.  What happened when Penelope fell asleep?
17.  What did Nestor, his family, and Telemachus sacrifice, to whom, and why?
18.  Who is sent to tell Calypso to release Odysseus?
19.  What did Poseidon do to delay Odysseus?
20.  Who rescued Odysseus from Poseidon's storm and how?
21.  What did the seer tell Meneleus he should have done before leaving?
22.  Give an example of Xenia from Books 4-5.
23.  When Calypso gives Odysseus a raft to sail away from the cave, why does Odysseus initially reject the offer?
24.  What does Odysseus do instead of taking the raft?
25.  How does the beginning of Book 5 repeat that of Book 1?
26.  What does Zeus decree will happen to Telemachus?
27.  What is Calypso's reaction when Hermes asks her to release Odysseus?

Books 6-7

1.  Who does Nausicaa tell Odysseus to appeal to when he gets to her house?
2.  How does Odysseus try to win Nausicaa over?
3.  If Odysseu decided to stay in Phaeacia, what did King Alcinous suggest he do?
4.  What is special about the gods' mansions?
5.  How did the sailors not see Odysseus when he walked past?
6.  What does King Alcinous agree to give Odysseus?
7.  Why did Athena alter Odysseus' appearance?
8.  What does Queen Arete notice about Odysseus after eating?
9.  Why did Odysseus take the blame for not coming with Nausicaa and her maids?
10.  What does Nausicaa think of Odysseus?  Does her opinoin change?
11.  What does Echeneus tell Alcinous to do?
12.  How does Odysseus greet the queen?
13.  In lines 210-215 who do the men pour and drink wine to?

Books 8-9
1.  How was Odysseus showing off to the Phaeacians?
2.  What is the term for glory earned through heroic deeds? Give an example from the story.
3.  What is the term for excessive pride?  Give an example from the story.
4.  Name a use of dramatic irony in books 8-9.
5.  How was the name "Nobody" clever for Odysseus to use?
6.  What are the lotus eaters?  Why are they symbolic?
7.  What did Odysseus do that he should regret?
8.  What is interesting about the Cyclopes' fields?
9.  What trick does Odysseus use on the Cyclops in book nine?  
10.  What made Alcinous ask Odysseus to tell his story?
11.  What was the moral of the story told near the end of book eight?
12.  What was Odysseus' excuse for not wanting to play the games with the people of King Alcinous?
13.  After Laodamas challenges Odysseus, what is Odysseus' reaction?
14.  Do you think Eurylochus would have been a better leader than Odysseus?  Why or why not?
15.  How did the Acheans defeat Troy?
16.  How do hubris and kleos play in to Odysseus competing?
17.  Why do Alcinous and Odysseus respect Demodocus?
18.  What do the lotus blossoms do to those who eat them?
19.  What is the importance of the story about Ares and Aphrodite?

Books 10-11
1.  What does the prophet tell Odysseus?
2.  On page 263 it says Zeus hates a certain race.  What was it?  Why?  
3.  What did Hermes give Odysseus to protect him?  Do you think Hermes trusts Circe?
4.  Why does Circe send Odysseus to the underworld?
5.  How long does Odysseus stay with Circe?
6.  Do you think Odysseus' crew trusts him anymore?
7.  Name five people Odysseus meets in the underworld.
8.  Who warned Odysseus before he went to Circe's palace (told him instructions)?
9.  Who told Odysseus about his homeland, once he went to war?
10.  Circe turns Odysseus' crew into what?
11.  How was Odysseus able to get Circe to turn his crew back into men and release them?
12. How was Odysseus supposed to communicate with the dead?
13.  To whom did Odysseus speak most of all?
14.  Why did the ghost of Ajax not wish to come near Odysseus?
15.  Who do you think is right about feasting with Circe, Odysseus or Eurylochus?  Why?
16.  What does Elpenor ask Odysseus to do?
17.  After arriving at Aeaea, why do the members of the crew begin to cry?
18.  What does Odysseus' mother tell him?
19.  Is Odysseus a reliable narrator?
20.  Is Eurylochus the id, ego, or superego?
21.  Why is Achilles' visti while Odysseus is in the underworld important?

Books 12-14
1.  What does Circe warn Odysseus about with regard to the Sirens' voices?
2.  When they sailed by the Sirens, what did Odysseus have his crew to do him?
3.  When dawn came, where did the men go?
4.  What are the three challenges for Odysseus on the way home?
5.  Give an example of dramatic irony in Book 14.
6.  What did Odysseus make his crew say an oath about?  Did they keep it?
7.  Why was Odysseus mad after the Phaeacians dropped him off at Ithaca?
8.  How does Athena disguise Odysseus and why?
9.  Who do you think would be a better leader, Eurylochus or Odysseus?
10.  What does Odysseus think after waking up on an "unknown" island?  Why was it "unknown"?
11.  Why was the Sun God (Helios) mad at the crew?
12.  Where did Odysseus go when he arrived back at Ithaca?
13.  Why was he disguised?
14.  Circe gave Odysseus two choices of route to Ithaca.  Why does Odysseus choose the route he does?  Does hubris or kleos help him in his decision-making?
15.  Why does the crew eat the cattle?  Do they still trust Odysseus?
16.  How does the Swineherd help Odysseus?