Questions for The Odyssey

Books I, IX-XI (pp. 27-38, 137-184)

What do you think "man of many ways" means? (bk i, ln 1; p. 27)

Zeus says that the mortals put all the blame on the gods, but that really it is the mortals who cause their own problems? Is Zeus right? Why or why not? (bk i, ln 33-35; p. 28)

What does Zeus mean when the says that Odysseus is "beyond all other men in mind"? (bk i, ln 66; p. 29)

What do you think Telemachos means when he says, "Nobody really knows his own father"? (bk i, ln 216; p. 32)

Why do you think Athene disguises herself as mortal (the stranger) to speak to Telemachos? (bk i, ln 100-320; pp. 30-34)

What does the phrase, "lying upon the god's knees" mean? (bk i, ln 267, 401; p. 34, 37)

Why do you think Odysseus is often called "crafty"?

Did Odysseus have any valid reason to sack the city of the Kikonians, kill their people and take their wives and possessions? Why or why not? (bk ix, ln 39-46, p. 138)

What kind of people are the Cyclopes? Why do you think Odysseus criticizes them for being this way? (bk ix, ln 105-115; p. 140)

Odysseus says that the Cyclops' mind is "lawless." What does he mean by this? (bk ix, ln 189; p. 142)

Odysseus says he wants to go home, to see his wife and son and yet he decides to spend more time away from them (not to mention risking his men's lives) by going to investigate the country of the Cyclopes. Why does he do this? Do you think he truly wants to go home? Why or why not?

Why do you think Odysseus is able to remain outwardly calm after his companions are killed by the Cyclops? (bk ix, ln 256, 302, 347; pp. 144, 145, 146)

Why does Odysseus taunt Polyphemos the first time? Do you think he should have done this? Why or why not? (bk ix, ln 475-479; p. 149)

Why does Odysseus taunt Polyphemos the second time? Do you think he should have done this? Why or why not? (bk ix, ln 502-505; p. 150)

What is the result of this? (bk ix, ln 530-534; p. 151)

On a symbolic level, what might the reason be for Odysseus needing / wanting to tell the Cyclops his name?

Odysseus almost makes it home, but he falls asleep and his men open the bag of winds. Why does Odysseus fall asleep at this crucial moment and is it his fault that he does so? Explain. (bk x, ln 20-45; pp. 152-153)

Why do you think Odysseus contemplates suicide after this incident? (bk x, ln 49-53; p. 153)

What do lines 189-193 in book x mean (These are the words of Odysseus to his men.)? (p. 157)

Odysseus and his men are seasoned warriors. They've seen lots of death and destruction (the war at Troy lasted 10 years) and been the cause of it in some instances. So why do you think they so often wail and cry and lament at their various misfortunes?

Eurylochos says that it was by Odysseus'"recklessness" that the six men died at the hands of the Cyclops. It this true? Why or why not? Why do you think Odysseus wants to kill Eurylochos after he says this? (bk x, ln 431-435; p. 163)

Why have the men lost the spirit they first had when they left Ithaka? (bk x, ln 460-465; p. 164)

Odysseus rarely shows any fear. Why do you think he is afraid when Circe tells him he must go to the "house of Hades"? (bk x, ln 490-500; p. 165)

Why do you think that it is important to Elpenor that he be remembered after his death? (bk xi, ln 71-76; p. 170)

Teiresias tells Odysseus that he might make it back home if he can contain his and his companion's desire. Why do they have trouble doing this? (bk xi, ln 104-105; p. 171)

Why do you think Penelope is willing to wait so long for Odysseus even though she had not heard from him for 20 years? (bk xi, ln 181-183; p. 173)

What does Homer mean by calling the old of Laertes "harsh"? (bk xi, ln 196; p. 173)

What does Odysseus's mother tell him is the reason for her death? (bk xi, ln 202-203; p. 171)

Why do so many of the gods have children with mortals?

Arete says Odysseus' mind is "well balanced"? What does she mean by this? Do you think this is true? (bk xi, ln 337; p. 171)

Achilleus says in book xi, lines 488-491 (p. 180):

O shining Odysseus, never try to console me for dying,
I would rather follow the plow as thrall to another
man, one with no land allotted him and mot much to live on,
than be a king over all the perished dead.

What does he mean by this? Why does he feel this way?

What does "The War God rages at all, and favors no man" mean? (bk xi, ln 537; p. 182)

What is similar about the torments of the four heroes: Orion, Tityos, Tantalos and Sisyphos? (bk xi, ln 572-600; p. 183)

In The Illiad Achilleus addresses these words to Odysseus:

I hate that man like the very Gates of Death
who says one thing but hides another in his heart.

Do you think that this is what Odysseus does? Why or why not?

What do like about Odysseus? What do you dislike about him?

What do you think about the story so far?

Books XII, XIII, XVII, XIX (pp. 185-209, 253-269, 282-297)

Why are the songs of the sirens so difficult to resist? (bk xii, ln 192-200; p. 190)

Odysseus says that is was by his "courage and counsel" and "intelligence" that they escaped the Cyclops. Then he says, "I think that all this will be remembered / some day too." Why is being remembered so important to Odysseus? (bk xii, ln 209-213; p. 190):

Why didn't Odysseus tell his men about Skylla? Should he have told them? (bk xii, ln 22-225; p. 191):

Why does Odysseus go to the island of Helios even when he knows he should not? (bk xii, ln 277-303; p. 193):

Why are the men willing to kill the cattle of Helios even though they know they might face death because of it? (bk xii, ln 279-293; p. 194):

Are the men responsible for their own deaths? Why or why not?

Why does Zeus allow Poseidon to kill the Phaiakians after they leave Odysseus on Ithaka? (bk xiii, ln 146-183; pp. 202-203):

Why do you think Odysseus lies to Athene when he first meets her? (bk xiii, ln 256-286; pp. 204-205):

Do you think Athene's description of Odysseus is valid? (bk xiii, ln 291-301; pp. 205-206):

Why doesn't Odysseus trust Athene when she tells him he is on Ithaka? (bk xiii, ln 324-328; p. 206):

How much help has Athene given Odysseus up to this point?

Note: It is important to remember as you read Book XVII that Odysseus has already revealed himself to Telemachos.

Penelope is often referred to as "circumspect Penelope." What do you think this means? (bk xvii)

Why is Telemachos often referred to as "thoughtful Telemachos"? (bk xvii)

Why doesn't Odysseus reveal himself? What is he waiting for? (bk xvii)

What does the state of Argos, Odysseus' dog, tell you about the state of his house? (bk xvii, ln 290-305; p. 261):

What do you think "For Zeus of the wide brows takes away one half of the virtue / from a man, once the day of slavery closes upon him" means? (bk xvii, ln 322-323; p. 261):

Do you think the death of Argos signifies anything in the story? If so, what? (bk xvii, ln 326-327; p. 261)

What does Odysseus learn about the suitors by begging from them?

Why do you think Penelope attaches so much significance to the sneeze of Telemachos? (bk xvii, ln 541-545; p. 255):

In what ways are Penelope and Odysseus similar? Different?

Why does Melantho resent Odysseus in the form of a beggar? (bk xiv, ln 66-69; p. 284)

How is Penelope's weaving a web similar and/or different to Odysseus weaving his stories? (bk xiv, ln 137; p. 285)

Odysseus is often called "resourceful Odysseus." What does this mean?

Why does Odysseus continue to deceive Penelope about his identity? (bk xiv)

Why do you think Homer tells us the story of Odysseus and the boar? (bk xiv, ln 405-465; pp. 292-294)

If the geese in Penelope's dream are the suitors, as Odysseus says, why does she love to watch them and mourn their death? (bk xiv, ln 535-550; p. 284)

Books XXI-XXIII (pp. 309-344)

What is the significance of the contest of the bow? What is Penelope saying to the suitors by having this contest? (bk xxi, pp. 301-318)

Why does it bother Eurymachos that he cannot string the bow? (bk xxi, ln 249-255; p. 315):

Why does Antinoos suggest that they take a break and offer sacrifices to Apollo? (bk xxi, ln 259-268; p. 316):

Why are the suitors so afraid that the stranger (Odysseus) will be able to string the bow? (bk xxi, ln 320-329; p. 317):

Why do you think Odysseus kills Antinoos first? (bk xxii, ln 10-14; p. 321)

Why won't Odysseus be merciful to the suitors? Should he have been? (bk xxii, ln 60-67; p. 322-323)

Why is Athene helping Odysseus instead of the suitors?

In book xxi, lns 146-147 we are told that Leodes "disapproved of all of the suitors" and their "excesses," yet when he begs for mercy from Odysseus, Odysseus still kills him. Why? (bk xxii, ln 310-334; p. 329)

Why does Odysseus say the suitors died? Is he right? (bk xxii, ln 413-417; p. 332)

Do the maidservants deserve to be hanged? (bk xxii, ln 469-473; p. 333)

Why is Melanthios killed far more brutally than any of the suitors? (bk xxii, ln 473-476; p. 333)

Why doesn't Penelope believe that Odysseus has arrived? (bk xxiii, ln 1-70; p. 335-337)

Why does it take so long for Penelope to be sure that Odysseus is Odysseus?

Why is Odysseus hurt to hear that the bed he built had been moved? (bk xxiii, ln 1-70; p. 335-337)

What is the significance of the construction of Penelope's and Odysseus' bed? (bk xxiii, ln 183; p. 340)

In some stories Athene is responsible for giving the olive tree, sometimes referred to as Morios ("Tree of Fate"), to the Greeks. With this in mind what is the significance of the of construction of the bed? What might this mean?

Do Penelope and Odysseus make a good match? Why or why not?

Did you like The Odyssey? Why or why not?

What do you think are the main themes and ideas in this poem?

Why do you think this poem has so greatly influenced Western Civilization and to this day remains so well-known?

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