Summary 1
Book 11 of the novel The Odyssey is about Odysseus going
to the underworld. In Book 10, Circe had told him he had to go to
Hades to talk to Tieresas, so he goes. Circe is in love with
Odysseus and she wants to help him but first he has to go to
Hades before he can go home. First Odysseus agrees to make
sacrifices of cows and lambs. Elpanor tells Odysseus that he got
drunk and fell of Circe’s roof. He needs Odysseus to bury him.
Odysseus talks to his mom, who I think had died of grief while
waiting for Odysseus to come home. Then, Odysseus promised to
bury him so that his unhappy spirit can rest. He talks to Tireseas
after giving him some blood. Tiresias warns Odysseus about
sailing to the island of Thrinacia and not to eat the cattle of Helios.
This proves that gods take revenge on people who don’t follow
the rules. He tells him about the destruction of his ship and crew.
He also foreshadows that he will kill all the suitors. Next,
Odysseus has to make sacrifices to Poseidon. If he wants to get
home. Teiresias tells Odysseus that you will die of old age. That is
what book 11 of the Odyssey is about when Odysseus goes to the
underworld to talk to Elpenaor, Terisias, and his mom.
Comment [s1]: Author?
Comment [s2]: Unnecessary detail; wrong book
Comment [s3]: transition
Comment [s4]: out of order
Comment [s5]: transition
Comment [s6]: direct quote
Comment [s7]: Analysis
Comment [s8]: Direct quote
Comment [s9]: transition
Comment [s10]: incomplete sentence
Comment [s11]: Spelling
Comment [s12]: end of the chapter?
Focus areas
Opening sentence
Details
Understanding
Closing sentence
Transitions
Language usage
Summary 1
Summary 2
Summary 2
In Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, Book 11 describes
Odysseus’ trip to the underworld. First, because he is aware of his
obligations to the gods and the kingdom of the dead, Odysseus
makes the necessary sacrifices to appease the spirits of the
underworld. He begins by slaughtering his best cow and lamb in
an effort to draw the spirits to him. As the spirits crowd around
him, Odysseus orders his men to continue to offer the animal
flesh to the queen of the underworld, Persephone. Odysseus
himself wards the spirits away from the blood of the sacrificed
animals until Tiresias, the prophet Circe directed him to speak
with, appears. One of Odysseus’ lost men, Elpenor, however,
approaches him first. Clearly moved by the sight of his dead
comrade, Odysseus weeps and asks Elpenor why he is in Hades.
Elpenor recounts the tale of his death, which occurred when he
drank too much, and then fell off of Circe’s roof. Moreover,
continues Elpenor, his body has been left unburied. He pleads
with Odysseus to go back to Circe’s island to give him a proper
funeral so that his soul may be at rest. Odysseus, demonstrating
his keen loyalty to his men, agrees to do so. While waiting for
Tiresias to appear, Odysseus continues to guard the sacrificial
blood and then sees the ghost of his mother; he sadly cannot
speak to her, though, because he must speak with Tiresias first. At
that moment, the prophet does appear, drinks of the blood, and
begins to speak to Odysseus. Tiresias foretells what lies ahead for
Odysseus and his crew as they attempt to make it home. Tiresias
wisely advises Odysseus and his men to avoid eating the cattle of
the sun god, or else face destruction of the ships and crew. If and
when that happens, warns Tiresias, Odysseus will be brought
home by a foreign crew, and find trouble waiting for him at home.
Even so, Odysseus will be able to take revenge on the suitors and
reclaim his rightful place. Finally, Tiresias tells Odysseus he will
need to make further sacrifices to the gods, including Lord
Poseidon, in order to end his troubles. As the book closes, Tiresias
predicts that Odysseus will live a long and peaceful life.
Comment [s13]: transition
Comment [s14]: transition
Comment [s15]: transitional phrase
Comment [s16]: transition
Comment [s17]: transition
Comment [s18]: transition
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Comment [s21]: transition