Name: ___________________
Block: _______
Study Guide Questions: Book 1 – Invocation
1. Who does the narrator call on to help him tell the story?
2. The Odyssey occurs ____ years after the Trojan War.
3. Odysseus sought to stay alive and ______ his __________ home.
4. What does the narrator say destroyed Odysseus’ shipmates?
5. What traits does the narrator identify in Odysseus?
What do those trait say about Odysseus?
Critical Thinking: Answer the following in complete sentences.
6. Define Epic
7. Define Epic Hero.
8. Define Epic Simile.
9. Define Epithet.
Study Guide Questions: Book 5 – Calypso, the Sweet Nymph
1. The goddess _________ holds Odysseus captive for _______ years.
2. _______ sends Hermes to tell Calypso to release Odysseus.
3. Why did Calypso has keep Odysseus on her island?
4. What is Odysseus’ reply when Calypso asks him if his wife is better than she?
Why does he reply in this manner?
Study Guide Questions: Book 9 – New Coasts and Poseidon’s Son
1. Odysseus is the son of ____________.
2. Where is Odysseus’ home?
3. At this point how many years has Odysseus been away from home? (See notes over
lines 18-26 in textbook)
4. Soon after leaving Troy, Odysseus and his crew land near ______________ and raid
the ________________.
5. Odysseus loses _____ men and is driven back out to sea, where he is delayed by a
___________.
6. What happens to the men who eat the Lotus?
How does Odysseus keep them on the ship?
7. What is the profession of the Cyclops?
8. Describe what Odysseus says about the rock used to seal the Cyclops' cave.
9. Why doesn’t Odysseus kill the Cyclops?
What does he plan to do to the Cyclops?
10. What is the Cyclops immediate response after Odysseus carries through with his
plan?
11. How does Odysseus’ lie about his name pay off?
12. How do Odysseus and his men get out of the cave?
13. Why is the Cyclops surprised when he learns Odysseus’ true identity?
14. What did Odysseus and his men do in celebration of their escape?
Critical Thinking: Answer the following in complete sentences.
15. What is your impression of the Cyclops?
How might you treat him if you met him?
16. Why do you think Odysseus lies about his ship?
17. Do you think Polyphemus prayer for a curse will be answered?
Why or Why not?
18. Describe an event in pop culture, another text, or a movie that you could compare
anything in Book 9 to? How/Why?
Study Guide Questions: Book 10 – The Grace of the Witch
1. Odysseus and his men next visit __________ the ______________ king.
2. What two gifts does Aeolus give them?
3. What action by the crew causes them to end up back at the same island again?
4. How do the Laestrygones interfere with their journey home?
5. What is unusual about the animals outside of Circe’s hall?
6. What happens to the men after they drink Circe’s magic potion?
7. Eurylochus begs Odysseus to _____________________________.
8. How does Hermes prepare Odysseus’ for his meeting with Circe?
9. How long did Odysseus and his men stay with Circe?
10. Where does Circe say Odysseus must visit?
Study Guide Questions: Book 11 – The Land of the Dead
1. What does Odysseus do to “assauge the nations of the dead”?
2. Who does Odysseus encounter first in the Land of the Dead?
What does he ask of Odysseus?
3. Summarize what Tiresias sees in Odysseus’ future.
Study Guide Questions: Book 12 – Sea Perils and Defeat
1. How does Circe suggest that Odysseus and his men escape the lure of the Sirens?
2. What are Sirens?
What specific danger do they represent?
3. What is Scylla?
What danger does it present?
4. What is Charybdis?
What danger does it present?
5. How do Odysseus and his men end up escaping the Sirens?
6. How does Odysseus help his men overcome their fear and regain control of the
ship?
7. Why doesn’t Odysseus tell his men about Scylla?
8. How and why is Odysseus’ ship destroyed?
Critical Thinking: Answer the following in complete sentences.
9. Explain the epic simile in lines 193-197.
10. Why do you think epic poems use epic similes?
11. What do you think makes Odysseus’ an epic hero? Why?
Study Guide Questions: Book 16 – Father and Son
1. Which goddess appears before Odysseus to assure him he has arrived home?
2. The goddess disguises Odysseus as an ____ _____ to take the ____________ in
his home by surprise.
3. Athena removes Odysseus’ disguise so his son, _______________, will know
who he is.
4. What does Odysseus face at home?
What is his plan?
Study Guide Questions: Book 17 – The Beggar at the Manor
1. What does the disguised Odysseus ask?
What is Eumaeus’ response?
2. What is the lesson of Book 17?
Study Guide Questions: Book 21 – Test of the Bow
1. Which two suitors are rude and demanding?
2. What contest does Penelope propose?
What is the prize?
3. What 2 servants does Odysseus enlist to help him?
4. How does Odysseus prove to his servants who he is?
5. To what does the narrator compare Odysseus stringing his bow?
6. What sign was given as the bow was strung and by whom?
7. What is Telemachus preparing for at the end of this book?
Critical Thinking: Answer the following in complete sentences.
8. What do you think Odysseus’ plan might be?
Study Guide Questions: Book 22 – Death in the Great Hall
1. Who does Odysseus kill first?
Why?
2. At first the suitors think that Antinous’s death is _______________.
3. What reasons does Odysseus give for killing the suitors?
4. How does Eurymachus try to save himself and the remaining suitors?
5. Who killed Amphinomus?
How?
6. What does Telemachus suggest may help their fight?
7. Which goddess helps Odysseus win the battle with the suitors?
What does she do to help Odysseus and Telemechus?
Critical Thinking: Answer the following in complete sentences.
8. Why do you think Odysseus refused Eurymachus’s offer?
9. Why do you think Athena waits for Odysseus and Telemachus to prove themselves
before giving her full aid?
Study Guide Questions: Book 23 – The Trunk of the Olive Tree
1. How has Athena changed Odysseus’ appearance?
2. Why is Penelope so hesitant to accept Odysseus?
3. The bed is their secret ____________, which represents their love.
4. Why does Penelope request that the bed be moved?
What is the secret?
5. How does Penelope explain her caution to Odysseus?
Critical Thinking: Answer the following in complete sentences.
6. Summarize the major events of Odysseus’ journey from the beginning. (At least 7
sentences)