Odyssey Study Questions
BOOK ONE
1. What gods are keeping Odysseus from home, and what are their reasons?
2. What does the poem tell us about events and issues to come?
3. Where is Odysseus being held captive?
4. What advice does Athena give Telemachus about his father and the suitors?
5. What is going on in Odysseus' house while he is away? What are some of the
ways the suitors are taking advantage of Odysseus' house and belongings?
6. Describe the character of Telemachus and Penelope. Describe the relationship
between the two.
7. How is the issue of justice raised?
BOOK TWO
1. Why does Telemachus call together the assembly?
2. How do the suitors respond to Telemachus' speech?
3. How did Penelope scheme to avoid being married to one of the suitors? How
was the plan revealed after three years? What is she weaving on her loom? What
does all this tell us about her character?
4. What purpose do the two eagles serve?
5. What did Halistherses prophesy about Odysseus' fate? What did people think
about this?
6. How do the suitors react to Telemachus' decision to go and find his father?
7. Where is Telemachus journeying to?
8. Do you think Telemachus is acting wisely and maturely or cowardly when he
ignores the suitors' jokes and secretly leaves? Explain.
BOOK THREE
1. Describe some ways in which Telemachus is like his father. How did Nestor
describe him? How does Nestor treat Telemachus?
2. What does Telemachus learn from Nestor about his father?
3. What caused Nestor and his ships to be parted from Odysseus? What does
Nestor tell Telemachus about after they sacked Troy?
4. What happened to Agamemnon when he returned from Troy? Why was
Aegisthus' murder of Agamemnon so horrible?
5. What is the importance of Nestor's stories about the returns (nostoi) of other
heroes?
6. When does Telemachus realize Athena is at his side? What does he do after he
finds out?
7. When Telemachus leaves Pylos in a chariot, where is he headed?
BOOK FOUR
1. Whom does Telemachus plan to visit in Lacedaemon (Sparta), and what does
he hope to learn?
2. What does the Old Man of the Sea (Proteus) say has happened to Ajax and
Odysseus?
3. What happened to Menelaus on his way home?
4. What does Helen put in the men's drinks and why?
5. Does Helen seem happy to be back home with Menelaus? Compare her
character in the Odyssey with her portrayal in the Iliad.
6. When the suitors discover that Telemachus has left, what do they plan to do?
7. Who informs Penelope about the suitors' plan to kill Telemachus? What else
does she learn about her son?
BOOK FIVE
1. What is Zeus' plan for Odysseus to return home?
2. Which god delivers the message to Calypso that she must set Odysseus free?
3. How does Calypso react to Zeus' order? What were her accusations of the
gods?
4. Describe the help Calypso provides for Odysseus as he prepares to set out. In
what does he set sail?
5. How is Odysseus' ship destroyed? Which god still hinders his way home?
Why?
6. Who came to Odysseus' aid when he was perishing in the sea? How does she
help?
7. Book five provides our first meeting with Odysseus. How is he described? Is
he a sympathetic character? Compare this depiction of him to earlier descriptions
of him. What's the difference? Note that earlier descriptions of him are all seen
through the eyes of others who knew him (not through the eyes or voice of the
narrator).
BOOK SIX
1. What dream does Athena send to Nausicaa? Why was it such a big deal for
Nausicaa to wash the clothes?
2. How does Odysseus meet and greet Nausicaa? What hopes does he pray for
Nausicaa? From his comments, what can we infer about the importance of
marriage (to him)?
3. How do Nausicaa and the maids react to Odysseus? Why did they not run?
4. Describe Nausicaa. What assumptions can you draw about proper roles for
women in this society?
5. Why doesn't Nausicaa want Odysseus to accompany her to the palace? Who
does Nausicaa advise him to seek out?
BOOK SEVEN
1. How does Odysseus make it to the palace unseen?
2. How does Alcinous receive him? Describe Alcinous' hospitality.
3. King Alcinous points out one of his daughter's faults by saying that she should
have brought Odysseus home with her. What was Odysseus' response?
3. Describe Arete. Who is she, and what kind of power does she have in her land
and in her house?
4. Describe the relationship between Arete and Alcinous.
BOOK NINE
1. What was the Cyclops' name?
2. How would you characterize the Cyclops? Is he god fearing like mortals?
3. How does the Cyclops greet Odysseus and his men? What does he do to them?
Is he justified in any way? How do Odysseus and his men break the rules of
xenia too?
4. How does Odysseus outwit the Cyclops? Explain all parts of the plan (for
example, why don't Odysseus and his men kill Polyphemus while he is
sleeping?).
5. When the Cylcops tries to pursue Odysseus, what does Odysseus say his name
is? Why does Odysseus taunt him?
6. What does the telling of this story (by Odysseus himself) say about his
character?
BOOK TEN
1. Who were the inhabitants of Laestrygonia and what were they like?
2. How long does Aeolus entertain Odysseus? What gift did he give to
Odysseus? How did Odysseus and his men get blown back to Aeolus' island
when they were within sight of home?
3. Who is Circe? How does Odysseus avoid her spell? Who help him? What does
she do to Odysseus' men? How does Odysseus remedy the situation?
4. Where does Circe tell Odysseus he has to journey?
BOOK ELEVEN
1. Who is the first spirit to visit Odysseus? What request does Elpenor make of
Odysseus?
2. Who are some of the people that Odysseus meets in Hades?
3. What does Odysseus learn of his family from his dead mother?
4. How did Agamemnon die? Who does he blame for his troubles on earth? What
does the dead Achilles say about death?
5. What does the Theban prophet Teiresias tell Odysseus?
6. Why does Homer include such a long description of the souls of the dead
women?
7. Even though Agamemnon is bitter about his wife and women in general, what
does he say about Penelope?
BOOK TWELVE
1. After leaving Hades, why do Odysseus and his men return to Circe?
2. Which path does Circe recommend to Odysseus on departure?
3. What does Odysseus warn his men not to do on the island of the sun-god?
How do his men anger the sun-god? Are they justified in any way?
4. How did Odysseus and his men resist the singing of the Sirens?
5. Who or what are Scylla and Charybdis? How do they hinder O's journey?
How many are lost?
6. What is the purpose of all these stories of Books 9-12? How does Odysseus
characterize himself in telling these stories? What are the underlying themes?
BOOK THIRTEEN
1. How does Odysseus end up on Ithaca?
2. What punishment does Poseidon bring upon the Phaeacians? What did Zeus
recommend that Poseidon do instead of his first plan of destroying the ship and
raising mountains around their city?
3. Who does Athena disguise herself as?
4. How do Athena and Poseidon try to outwit each other? What story does
Odysseus tell to Athena about himself? What do they scheme to accomplish?
4. Why did Athena spread a mist around Odysseus' homeland?
5. Why did Athena tell Odysseus not to reveal himself? What kind of disguise
did she give him?
BOOK FOURTEEN
1. Is there any truth (or similarities to it) to the long story Odysseus offers to
Eumaeus? Are there any similarities to his real story? Who is Eumaeus?
2. Why does Eumaeus think Odysseus is a liar? What does Eumaeus not believe
and why?
3. How does Odysseus test Eumaeus' reverence for xenia? How does Odysseus
acquire the cloak from Eumaeus?
4. How has Eumaeus taken care of Odysseus' property while he was away?
5. What does Odysseus tell Eumaeus will happen within the month?
6. What qualities and morals does Eumaeus possess?
BOOK SIXTEEN
1. How did Odysseus react to seeing his son finally after twenty years?
2. What is Telemachus' reaction when Odysseus finally reveals his true identity?
3. What plot do Telemachus and Odysseus create for the suitors?
4. Who do they plan to tell that Odysseus is home?
5. What does Odysseus tell his son to do with the weapons of the suitors?
6. What is the suitors' new plan for settling their dispute with Telemachus? What does
Antinous suggest, and how does this cause conflict?
7. Why does Telemachus have Eumaeus journey to the house to tell his mother of this
return?
8. Meanwhile, what kind of shape is Laertes in? Who is he anyway? And why doesn't
Telemachus send news to him that he has returned home?
9. Is Medon, the herald, really a loyal servant of Odysseus?
BOOK SEVENTEEN
1. What does Melanthius say when he sees Odysseus and Eumaeus? How did Odysseus
react? How is Melanthius the opposite of Eumaeus?
2. Where does Telemachus tell Eumaeus to bring Odysseus?
3. What was the purpose of Odysseus begging for scraps from each of the suitors?
4. What does Odysseus learn of Antinous through his experiment? How do the other
suitors feel about Antinous striking Odysseus?
5. What does the simile of the lion and fawns mean?
6. What news regarding Odysseus does Theoclymenus tell Penelope?
7. What does Penelope promise the beggar in return for information about Odysseus?
8. How does Telemachus treat his mother in this book? Why doesn't he tell her about
Odysseus' return?
9. Why doesn't anyone recognize Odysseus? What (or who) does "recognize" him
outside the palace door? Who is Argus and what then happens to him?
BOOK EIGHTEEN
1. Who does Odysseys fight with at the beginning of the book, and why? What is
the outcome?
2. What does Odysseus say to the suitors to stir up trouble? How does the
relationship between Odysseus and the suitors change after the Irus incident?
Why did Odysseus reveal his strength to the suitors in this fight?
3. What does Odysseus say about the gods? What does this say about the society
at the time?
4. What did Penelope announce to the suitors? How did Athena aid Penelope
before her announcement? Why do you think Athena makes Penelope lovely to
everyone's eyes even though she has no wish to look beautiful? Why is what
Penelope said important to Odysseus?
5. Odysseus gets into another fight with Eurymachus. What was it about?
Amphinomus broke up this one by suggesting what?
6. Discuss the conversation between Melantho and Odysseus.
7. What does Telemachus say at the end of this book?
8. What does Odysseus tell Penelope about her and her son's future?
BOOK NINETEEN
1. What does Odysseus say during his interview with Penelope? How does
Odysseus convince Penelope that he (as the beggar) has met her husband? How
does he describe her?
2. What is the dream Penelope had about her husband? Why would Penelope tell
a stranger this story?
3. How does the nurse Eurycleia recognize Odysseus? Do you read any
symbolism into the foot-washing scene? How is it telling of Penelope's insistence
on xenia?
4. What does Odysseus ask of Eurycleia to help him in his plan?
5. What is Penelope's plan now for choosing a husband? What competition does
she propose to help her choose one of the suitors?
BOOK TWENTY-ONE
1. How did Odysseus acquire the bow that will be used in the contest?
2. How does Telemachus do when he tries to string the bow? Why does
Odysseus prevent his son from winning the contest?
3. Why don't the suitors want Odysseus to try and string the bow? Why is it
ironic? What harsh words does Penelope make about the suitors' reputation?
Why would Penelope not marry the beggar if he did string the bow, considering
she promised to do just that?
4. Why does Telemachus order his mother to leave the hall? How does she react?
How is she described and spoken to by Telemachus? How does this reflect Greek
society at this time?
5. What two loyal servants does Odysseys seek help from and why? What are
their names and their jobs on the estate? How does Odysseus test them before he
reveals himself to them? What proves to the swineherd and the cowman that it
really is Odysseus? What plans does Odysseus give to them? How is their
participation in Odysseus' plan an extension of xenia?
6. How do the suitors do when they try to string the bow? Who is the first to try
and what does his failure and words foreshadow?
7. What sign does Zeus send after Odysseus strings the bow?
BOOK TWENTY-TWO
1. How do the suitors try to shuffle the blame in order to save their lives?
2. What is Odysseus' rationale for justice? What options does he give the suitors?
3. Who was the first killed by Odysseus? After Antinous was killed, how did
Eurymachus try to bribe Odysseus? Which suitor is stealing items from the storeroom?
4. In what form/disguise does Athena appear in battle? How did she urge on
Odysseus and Telemachus?
5. Whom did Telemachus convince his father to spare in repayment for past
kindness? This being Telemachus' first fighting, how do you think he did? How
does this scene show that Telemachus is capable of taking control? How does this
scene show Telemachus growing into his identity?
6. How does Odysseus punish his disloyal female servants?
6. What is done to Melanthius?
BOOK TWENTY-THREE
1. How does Penelope react when Eurycleia tells her that Odysseus is home? Is
this reaction a surprise to you? Is it reasonable?
2. Why does Telemachus push Penelope to go to her husband?
3. How does Penelope discover that it really is Odysseus? How does she test
him? Note that she now is acting like him--he tested many people before
accepting them and their help, and now she is doing the same.
4. Why did Odysseus get so angry when Penelope mentioned moving their bed?
What is the story of the bed?
5. What is their reunion like?
6. After Penelope and Odysseus share their stories, what does Odysseus tell her
he still needs to do?
BOOK TWENTY-FOUR
1. Why does the final book begin with Agamemnon’s story yet again?
2. What is the irony in Agamemnon’s questions to the suitors?
3. What parts of the death plot Amphimedon tells of are wrong or that he
couldn’t know?
4. What is Agamemnon’s conclusion about women?
5. Why does Odysseus try to play a joke on Laertes?