Term
|
Definition
| The main character and King of Ithaca. The Odyssey is the story of his journey home from the Trojan War. He is married to Penelope. He is the father to Telemachus. He is brave, loyal and clever. He encounters many supernatural beings and hardships. After the Trojan War he is prevented from returning home by Poseidon for many years. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The faithful, loyal wife of Odysseus. She patiently waits 20 years for his return. He is Homer's example of the perfect Greek wife and mother. She remains faithful to Odysseus despite the suitors. She postpones marriage to one of the suitors by saying that she will choose the spouse after she weaves a funeral shroud for Laertes, but each night she unravels it, thus preventing its completion. She also tests Odysseus, not sure that it is him when he is disguised as a beggar, by telling him that she moved their bed, which is impossible because it is attached to a tree. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Son of Odysseus and Penelope. He was an infant when Odysseus left to fight in the Trojan War. He embarks on a journey to find out if Odysseus, his father, is alive. He is courageous, steady, and fights the suitors with his father. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The evil leader of the suitors. He is the first one Odysseus kills when he returns to Ithaca (Book XXII). He is a cruel, greedy, and hyppocritical villain, always attempting to justify his evil behavior by distorting the motives or acts of others. He mistreats Odysseus (disguised as a beggar), constantly harasses Telemachus and Penelop, and plans the murder of Telemachus. Is proud of his deeds. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A servant of Odysseus (the chief swineherder). He has remained loyal to Odysseus throughout his master's 20 years absence. He and Philoetius help Odysseus fight the suitors. He is intelligent, loyal and compassionate. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An old woman servant who was a devoted nurse to both Odysseus and Telemachus. She recognizes Odysseus on his return to Ithaca from an old scar he received from a boar. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The second most important suitor. He is an evil coward. he tries to blame Antinous for all the suitors actions. He is the second suitor killed by Odysseus.He offers Odysseus cash for his sins. Unlike Antinous, he is unable to accept the blame for his deeds. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The favorite beggar of the suitors. He is cruel to Odysseus when Odysseus is disguised as a beggar.He is severely beaten by Odysseus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Odysseus' father. He lives on a farm some distance from Odysseus' palace. He is old and lives alone but is in good shape despite his age. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A serving maid at Odysseus' home. She is disloyal by becoming the mistress of Eurymachus (a suitor) in his absence. She is hung by Odysseus when he returns to Ithaca. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A servant of Odysseus (The chief goatherder) who has betrayed Odysseus in his absence by helping the suitors. He attacks the disguised Odysseus and helps the suitors when Odysseus fights them. He is executed by Odysseus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| King of Sparta. He was a comrade of Odysseus during the Trojan War. It was the abduction of Helen, his wife, that cause the Trojan War. He is the brother of Agamemnon. He is angry when Telemachus tells him about the acts of the suitors, but doesn't help Telemachus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| King of Pylos. He fought at Troy with Odysseus. he is known for his wise counsel. Telemachus visits him in Book III and suggests that he vist Menelaus (King of Sparta). Nestor's son accompanies Telemachus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A loyal servant (chief cowherder)to Odysseus. He and Eumaeus((the Chief Swineherder) help Odysseus fight the suitors. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A famous, blind, dead Greek prophet. Odysseus goes to Hades to talk to his spirit. Tiresias has the ability to see the future. He tells Odysseus his future. He also tells him how to make peace with Poseidon by offering a sacrifice in a place where the ora is a foreign and unknown object. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Goddess of Wisdom. Daughter of Zeus. She helps Odysseus by intervening with the other gods to bring Poseidon into line and letting Odysseus go home. Odysseus is her favorite mortal. She influences and helps bothy Odysseus and Telemachus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Messenger of the gods. Son of Zeus. He prepares Odysseus for Circe. He is sent by Zeus to order Calypso to release Odysseus. He also takes guides the souls of the suitors to Hades. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The God of the heavesn adn the supreme god - King of all the gods. He is the keeper of Fate. He allows Odysseus to leave Calypso's island. He lets Athena help Odysseus. He also destroys Odysseus' crew for killing the golden cattle of Hyperion. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A mortal who is the Keeper of the winds. He lives on a floating island. He places all of the bad winds in a bag and gives them to Odysseus to help him get home faster. Ithaca is within sight when the ship's crew opens the bag and lets the winds out. The crew thought the bag was full of treasure. the ship is blown far away by the storms within the bag. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A beautiful sea nymph who tries to make Odysseus her husband. She holds him captive for 9 years. She offers him immortality if he will stay with her forever. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A violent whirlpool that id directly across from Scylla. Odysseus must pass between it and Scylla to get home. After he passes it the crew makes Hyperion mad because they ate his golden cattle. Zeus destroys the ship and the whirlpool devours all the crew except for Odysseus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| An enchantress who turns Odysseus' crew into pigs. Odysseus becomes her temporary lover, and she later helps him on his journey home. |
|
|
Term
| Hyperion and Helios (son of Hyperion) |
|
Definition
| The Sun God. He is angry with Odysseus because his crew ate some of his golden cattle. Hyperion has Zeus kill the crew for eating the cattle. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A group of mortals who eat the Lotus plant, which is a narcotic. It is a lethargic drug that takes away any desire to return home. Some of Odysseus' men taste some and remain on the island. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Son of Poseidon. A Cyclops (one-eyed giant). He traps Odysseus' men in a cave and eats a couple of them. Odysseus gets him drunk with wine. While he is sleeping, Odysseus blinds him and escapes. After he is blinded, Polyphemos begs Poseidon to punish Odysseus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| God of the Sea. Father of Polyphemus, a Cyclops. He seeks revenge against Odysseus for blinding his son, Polyphemus. He tries to prevent Odysseus from reaching home. The other gods wish Odysseus to return home and Poseidon must give in. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A six-headed, twelve-armed monster that Odysseus must go by to get home. She eats six of Odysseus' men. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Beautiful maidens that lure sailors to their deaths with an irresistible song. The bewitched sailor jumps overboard to go to them, but is killed ont he rocks surrounding the island. Odysseus fills his crew's ears with wax to save them from temptation. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| One of the chieftains of Ithaca who speaks at the Assembly during Book II. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The king of Mycenae and the leader of the Achaean expedition to Troy. He is one of the dead souls whom Odysseus speaks with in Hades (in Book XI). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The king of Phaeacians. He is the husband of Arete and the father of Nausicaa. He is generous, kind, and a good-humored ruler and father. He makes teh return of Odysseus to Ithaca possible by lending him a ship and crew. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Odysseus' mother. She is dead. Odysseus encounters her in Hades (in Book XI). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The queen of Phaeacians. She is the wife of Alcinous and the mother of Nausicaa. She is understanding and kind. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A blind bard who entertains at the banquets in the palace of Alcinous (the king of the Phaeacians). His songs are about the Trojan War upset Odysseus and cause him to reveal his identity to the Phaeacians. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A young seaman in the crew of Odysseus who dies in an accident on Circe's island (in Book X). Odysseus encounters his soul in Hades (in Book XI). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The father of Antinous (the evil leader of the suitors). He manifests the same rashness and disloyalty exhibits by his won when he leads a band of Ithqacans to attack Odysseus and his party (in Book XXIV). He is killed in this fight by Laertes (Odysseus' father). |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| One of the young Phaeacian noblemen in Book VIII. He taunts and challenges Odysseus to a contest but realizes his error and apologizes. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| One of Odysseus' officers. He is a unimaginative and sober person who wisely avoids Circe's palace in Book X but also slaughters Hyperion's cattle in Book XII. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The soothsayer of Ithaca who, at the Assembly in Book II, is uneeded when he gives stern warnings of the future consequences of the suitors' acts. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta. She is the cause of the Trojan War. The war started because the Achaens were trying to get her back from Troy. she is sympathetic to the problems of others. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Herald of Ithaca. He remains loyal to Odysseus even though he has to serve the suitors. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A loyal friend of Odysseus who tutors Telemachus (son of Odysseus). It is under his guise that Athena (Goddes of Wisdom) often appears to humans. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The daughter of King Alcinous (King of the Phaeacians) and Arete. She is the first to encounter Odysseus when he lands on Phaeacia. She takes him to the palace. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| The son of King Nestor. He accompanies Telmachus on his journey to find news of Odysseus. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A soothsayer from Pylos who comes to Ithaca with Telemachus and tells the suitors of their impending doom. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| A sea nymph who helps Odysseus reach the island of Phaeacia. when Poseidon causes a devastating storm to prevent Odysseus from reaching the island, Ino lends him her veil for protection from the furies of the storm. |
|
|
Term
| What genre does the Odyssey fall into? |
|
Definition
| An epic. A traditionally long story that tends to be in poem form. |
|
|
Term
| The subject matter of an epic comes from three categories, what are they? |
|
Definition
| 1) It tells the deed of a hero, 2) it reflects the values and goals of a society, and 3) it is a blend of epic and truth. |
|
|
Term
| Who is the hero in The Odyssey? |
|
Definition
| Odysseus, King of Ithaca. |
|
|
Term
| What were the deeds of the hero in The Odyssey? |
|
Definition
| The struggle of Odysseus to return to his home in Ithaca. |
|
|
Term
| What are some of the values of Greek society and how did it differ from the societies that Odysseus met? |
|
Definition
| The values and goals of the Greek society were hospitality and kindness. The Odyssey talks about how the Greek crews were shocked at the lack of civility on the island of the Cyclops and their lack of hospitality and kindness. |
|
|
Term
| What are some true parts of The Odyssey. |
|
Definition
| The parts that talk about actual cultures that existed such as cannibals and Ciconians were true parts of the story. |
|
|
Term
| What are some made up or fake parts of The Odyssey? |
|
Definition
| The parts of The Odyssey that talk about Gods and non-mortals are not true. |
|
|
Term
| Which war did Odysseus leave home to fight? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Why won't Calypso, the sea nymph, let Odysseus leave her island? |
|
Definition
| She wants to make Odysseus her husband. |
|
|
Term
| Why is Poseidon, the God of Sea, angry with Odysseus? |
|
Definition
| Because he blinded his son, Polyphemus, a cyclop. |
|
|
Term
|
Definition
| Zeus, King of all the gods. |
|
|
Term
| Who is sent to order Calypso to release Odysseus? |
|
Definition
| Hermes, messenger of the Gods. |
|
|
Term
| Why are there suitors in Odysseus' home? |
|
Definition
| They want to marry Odysseus' wife, Penelope. |
|
|
Term
| Why won't the suitors leave? |
|
Definition
| Penelope must select one of the suitors to marry. |
|
|
Term
| Who tells Telemachus that he needs to assert himself as a man, tell the suitors to leave, and to seek out information about his father? |
|
Definition
| Athena, the goddess of wisdom. |
|
|
Term
| Where is Telemachus' first stop on his journey to find his father? Who does he meet there? |
|
Definition
| He goes to Pylos. He meets King Nestor. |
|
|
Term
| Where is Telemachus' second stop on his journey. Who does he meet there? |
|
Definition
| He goes to Sparta and meets King Menelaus. |
|
|
Term
| What do the two kings tell Telemachus about Odysseus. |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Who plots to ambush and kill Telemachus while he is at sea? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| What does Calypso give Odysseus to help him lever her island? |
|
Definition
|
|
Term
| Who destroys Odysseus' boat by starting a violent storm? |
|
Definition
| Poseidon, the god of sea. |
|
|
Term
| Theme 1: Involves the relationship between Gods and Man in The Odyssey? |
|
Definition
| In The Odyssey there are several different types of relationships between Gods and man. Sometimes they fight, for example when Poseidon is angry at Odysseus for blinding his son, Polyphemos and takes revenge by creating storms so Odysseus can't get home to Ithaca. Sometimes the Gods are predators and man is their prey. Example, Scylla, Polyphemos and Charybdis want to eat man. Sometimes Gods help man. Example: Circe gives advise to Odysseus and Athena helps Odysseus and his son Telemachus. |
|
|
Term
| Theme 2: Involves man's nature and how he is portrayed in The Odyssey. |
|
Definition
| Men are portrayed as wild and uncontrollable such as the suitors and the Odysseus' crew on the island of Circe. Some men are portrayed as smart, skilled, and powerful such as Odysseus and Telemachus. |
|
|
Term
| Theme 3: Involves woman's nature and how it is portrayed in The Odyssey? |
|
Definition
| Women are portrayed as crafty, intelligent and sneaky. Penelope is portrayed as loyal and the perfect Greek wife and mother. Many of Odysseus' maids are portrayed as disloyal and cruel. |
|
|
Term
| Theme 4: Involves the laws of the Gods? |
|
Definition
| The Gods have many unwritten laws such as never to slaughter Hyperion's golden cattle because they are sacred. Some Gods, like the Cyclops lack civililization. Each Cyclops laws down the law for his own cave and that is the onlylaw obyed. |
|
|
Term
| Theme 5: Involves the view of order and chaos in The Odyssey? |
|
Definition
| When Odysseus is gone, the suitors turn his island into a site of anarchy. When he returns, peace is restored. There is much more chaos on Circe's isalnd twhen the men party. There is no order on the island of the Cyclops, each Cyclops rules his own cave and law for his family. |
|
|
Term
| Theme 6: Involves Odysseus' attitude towards Ithaca, his homeland. |
|
Definition
| Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus yearns for his home. He struggles all the time to return to his home. |
|
|
Term
| Theme 7: Involves the idea of the journey of discovery. |
|
Definition
| Telemachus embarks upon a journey to discover if his father is alive. During Odyseus' journey, he learns many things, including his entire future from the prophet Tiresias. |
|
|
Term
| What does Odysseus disguise himself as when he returns to Ithaca and why? |
|
Definition
| A beggar so he can find out what the situation is at home. |
|
|
Term
| How does Eurycleia, an old woman servant who was a nurse discover that Odysseus is the beggar? |
|
Definition
| Penelope has told her to wash the beggar's feet and Eurycleia recognizes Odysseus' scar on his leg. |
|
|
Term
| What is the contest Penelope plans for the suitors to win her hand in marriage? |
|
Definition
| The winner must be able to shoot one arrow through 12 axe handles. This is something that previously only Odysseus could do. |
|
|
Term
| How does Penelope test the beggar to prove that he is Odysseus? |
|
Definition
| Penelope tells the beggar that his bed has been moved. Odysseus is outraged because it is made from an olive tree that grows through the center of the palace and cannot be moved. This is a secret that only Penelope and Odysseus know. His knowledge of the bed assures Penelope that it is Odysseus. |
|
|
