Monday Class – Odyssey Reading Guide
Book 5
Harried 155
Spite 156
Pine 159
Quaked 161
Rove 164
Breakers 165
1. How does Calypso exhibit a balance of contradictions such as obedience vs. rebellion, while conversing with Hermes?
2. If Calypso was mortal, how would her thoughts and actions differ from now? How would Odysseus react from this?
3. Why does Calypso decide to let Odysseus go after holding him captive for seven years? Describe the relationship Calypso has with the Olympian Gods.
4. What kind of tone does Homer/ Robert Fagles use when Hermes first arrives to Ogygia and talks to Calypso? How does this tone change?
5. How does Calypso not wanting Odysseus similar or different to Odysseus missing his wife Penelope? 6. To what extent is Calypso right or wrong when she describes the Gods to Hermes?
7. How does Calypso use figurative language when she describes her plans of sending Odysseus home? Describe her perspective.
8. How is Odysseus’ decision regarding Calypso’s ultimatum an example of appetite vs. mind?
9. What strategy did Calypso use when she was trying to convince Odysseus to stay with her rather than return home? Why did Calypso think this strategy would work?
10. Refer to lines 228 to 229, where Calypso talks with Odysseus. How is figurative language used here? How do you think these lines will come into play in later scenes of Book 5.
11. In lines 237 to 246, what tone does Odysseus use towards Calypso when he replies to her ultimatum?
12. How does the concept of “Nostalgia” effect Odysseus’ decision on whether to stay on the Island or go home?
13. In classical Chinese philosophy (Daosim), the mind and the heart are the same. Is this the same for Odysseus? Does his decision reflect what he wants or what he thinks he should do?
14. What does Calypso's island, the sea, and Odysseus' home represent in relation to one another?
15. To what extent is Odysseus’ punishment too harsh or too mild?
16. If the Olympian Gods in the Odyssey were replaced by the Hindu Gods from the Ramayana, how would their actions in this current situation be similar or different?
17. Does Odysseus believe that the Gods/other factors control his fate, or does he believe that his decisions alone decide his outcome? Compare his belief with his actions.
18. Why does Ino take pity on Odysseus? What does this show about Ino?
19. How does Odysseus’ tone change with Ino once he is faced with Poseidon’s punishment 20. What type of figurative language is used in lines 407 to 408? Why is this type of language used? 21. Odysseus immediately begins to have a hard time once he leaves Calypso’s island. How does the setting of the sea contribute to his obstacles?
Book 6
Vocab:
1. gaily
2. chided
3. lithe
4. rapt
5. awe
6. seethed
Questions:
1. In line 23, the author writes, “But the goddess drifted through like a breath of fresh air” (Homer, 169). What does this quote foreshadow? What is the author trying to convey?
2. Why does Athena use “thesis” as an element of persuasion in order to get Nausicaa to go down the stream? (Using thesis, she criticized Nausicaa and made her feel bad about herself.
3. Was Athena violating the terms of Xenia by appearing in Nausicaa’s room while she was asleep? Why or why not?
4. Was Athena’s speech to Nausicaa similar to the one Utnapishtim had with Gilgamesh?
5. How does the word chided, in line 27, effect the tone of the passage?
6. Why does Odysseus not mention that he is a king to Nausicaa? Would that change how she would help Odysseus? Would she give more?
7. What does the way Odysseus bribes Nausicaa with compliments show about one getting what one wants in Greek culture? Or were the bribes for the sole entertainment of the readers?
8. Odysseus compares Nausicaa to Artemis, a goddess who is known for being a confident, beautiful individual who is not controlled by a man. Was this choice of comparison on purpose? What if he had compared her to Aphrodite, the goddess of love?
9. What does the way Odysseus “marvels” at Nausicaa and tells her she is more beautiful than anyone he has ever seen, show about Odysseus’s loyalty to Penelope? Is he still being loyal to Penelope if he has yet to have an affair with Nausicaa?
10.WasNausicaa so easily persuaded by Odysseus because she thought her dream meant something, or did she really want to help Odysseus?
11.How does Odysseus use Hubrous/Humility when he is praying to Athena? What does this reveal about Odysseus? (lines 355360)
12.How does the meaning of the word seethed affect the meaning of the passage? (line 364)
13.Why does Odysseus says, “Now hear my prayer at last, for you never heard me then,” (Fagles 178)? Does he honestly believe that Athena never heard his prayers? (lines 356357)
14.How are the lines “Grant that here among the Phaeacian people/ I may find some mercy and some love!” (Fagles 178) related to Xenia? (lines 359360)
15.Why is Athena in awe of Poseidon, her Father’s brother, even though she is in a disagreement with him? (line 364)
Book 8
Vocab
Gallant (195)
Rapt (194)
Throngs (196)
Faltering (197)
Yoked (208)
Vexed (209)
Questions
passage 1 (lines 40-110)
- How is the concept of Nostalgia shown when Odysseus cries about the story?
- Why does the king at first not confront Odysseus when he sees him crying?
- What is Alcinous’ tone when he announces the games and what does it display about his own feelings?
- How come Alcinous uses games to try and cheer up Odysseus? What does this show about ancient Greek society?
- How is the king’s caretaking role of Odysseus similar to Gilgamesh and Siduri? -
passage 2 (lines 115-260)
- How is Rama stringing the bow and Odysseus beating everyone in the games similar or different? How do the books show them as heroes through strength?
- Why is Odysseus reluctant to play in the games?
- How come Broadsea and Laodamas force Odysseus into participating by questioning Odysseus’s manhood? What does this reveal about human interaction?
- What can we infer about Greek society from the fact that all of the Greek sports test feats of combat?
- What is the importance of sports in Greek society?
passage 3 (lines 540-650)
- How is there a contradiction between what Odysseus is asking for and how he’s reacting/what he’s feeling?
- What does Demodocus’ blindness symbolize? Being blind does that give him a greater or lesser ability to craft images in his stories?
- What does Odysseus’ kindness to Demodocus reveal about Greek culture? What does it show about Odysseus’ Nostalgia and Epithet?
- Does Alcinous’ concern for Odysseus demonstrate good Xenia? Is Odysseus practicing good Xenia?
- Does Odysseus seek a long boring life or a short glorious life? How does he want to be remembered?
Book 9
Vocab:
Borne
Disembarked
Rallied
Sprawled
Scoundrel
Ewe
Thought Questions:
Passage 1: pg 214
● To what extent will the lotus have an effect on Odysseus considering his determination to go home and how long he has been away from home?
● How is the crew eating the lotus and example of appetite/mind?
● How does Odysseus’ leadership of his soldiers on the journey home compare to Rama’s leadership over the monkeys and bears when they were fighting Ravana?
● To what extent does Odysseus feel the same when he entered the island of the Ciccones compare to when Enkidu first went to Uruk?
● How is Odysseus’ determination to return home similar and different to Rama’s determination to rescue Sita?
● How does the story of Tantalus compare to the lotus that the crewmen wanted to have but Odysseus told them they must leave? Explain.
Passage 2: pg 223
● How do Odysseus’ actions in the cave represent symmetry/ a balance of contradictions?
● How does Odysseus’ actions towards the Cyclops rival that of the suitors to Telemachus?
● How would the story change if it was told by the Cyclops?
● How does Odysseus rallying his crewmen compare to Rama rallying the monkeys to battle in the Ramayana?
● Why does the author describe Odysseus stabbing the Cyclops’ eye in such great detail?
● To what extent does the Cyclops have a reason for eating Odysseus’ men?
Passage 3: pg 225
● What could Odysseus blurting out his identity at the last minute reveal about his character, especially under stress?
● If this passage was told from the point of view of the Cyclops, what would change and why? Explain.
● How does the stabbing of the Cyclops effect the rest of Odysseus’ return home?
● Why does Odysseus choose the biggest sheep for himself?
● Why did Odysseus taunt the Cyclops at the last moment?
● Do you think any gods were to blame for Odysseus coming in contact with the cyclops? If so, who and why?
● How does Gilgamesh’s determination to bring Enkidu back to life compare to Odysseus’ determination to escape the Cyclops and go home?
Book 10
Vocab
Rouse(24)
Mutter(39)
Sumptuous(123)
Squadron(145)
Clambering(303)
Potent(318)
Questions
Why does Aeolus help out Odysseus and his crew when Odysseus has done nothing for Aeolus?
2. Why is the crew so eager to find out what Odysseus is keeping from them?Why doesn't Odysseus share the contents of the bag with the crew?
3. How does the concept of Tantalus play a role in this passage while they are on the boat?How is it similar to when Gilgamesh had the flower and then lost the flower?
4. Why doesn't King Aeolus help them when they return back to his island?Does he fear some of the other gods like Poseidon?
5. What is the tone of lines 555-7?
6. Why are the giants so aggressive?
7. What is the significance of the girl in this passage?
8. How is the relationship between the crew and the giants the same as the relationship between Rama and Ravana? How is it different?
9. What effect does the figurative language in this passage have on the story?
10. How is the tone of this passage hopeful and depressing at the same time
11. Why does Hermes help Odysseus defeat Circe instead of doing it for him?
12. How does his relationship with Circe represent the idea of gods vs humans?
13. Were Odysseus’ men violating xenia? Do you think Hermes came to stop Odysseus from violating xenia?
14. Why does Hermes call Odysseus his "unlucky friend"? (Line 310)
15. How does Hermes know exactly what Circe will do to Odysseus?
Book 12
Vocab
1. Ravishing (page 277 lines 208 and 209)
2. Heaving (pages 276 lines 183-185)
3. Sheathed (page 279 lines 273 and 274)
4. Riven (pages 279 lines 268 and 269)
5. Anguish (page 282 lines 397)
6. Libations (page 282 lines 389 and 390)
Questions
Teaching Passage 1 (the Sirens) Thought Questions:
- Why does Odysseus want to be the only one to hear the Sirens voices, and what could that show about his character?
- Does the setting around him change the way he thinks about his journey home?
- How does Odysseus tone change from the beginning of the passage to the end?
- From when Circe told Odysseus about the warnings and the obstacles he would have to go through to get home, how did his thoughts change when he actually experienced it?
- How do the Sirens show the concept of tantalus? Why could the Sirens be a punishment from the gods?
- Odysseus is in a situation where sisyphus is taking place, how does this affect him and the choices that he makes?
- What could appetite vs mind have to do with Odysseus self control towards the Sirens?
- What would happen if Odysseus crew members disobeyed him and took out the beeswax or even untie and let Odysseus go when he begged?
- How do the Sirens qualities compare to the golden deer in the book Ramayana?
Teaching Passage 2 (Charybdis and Scylla) Thought Questions:
- What could the crew think about the path Odysseus was told to take? What does the dangerous path Odysseus has taken show about his character?
- Can the crew really trust Odysseus anymore because he let his own crew get eaten? How will the people of Ithaca react when Odysseus returns without a crew?
- How does the decision of going near Scylla and Charybdis show Odysseus leadership qualities?
- Why will Odysseus be punished by the gods for allowing his crew members to die?
- How does the fear of the crewmen getting killed compare to the short story of the little girl and the doctor?
- How does Odysseus tone of voice reflect the crew’s actions?
- Why did Odysseus use figurative language to emphasis the fact that he had to witness the crew getting eaten?
- How can the important decision that Odysseus must make, relate to the decision Sita made during the ordeal by fire?
Passage 3 (The cattle of the sun) Thought Questions:
- How does Lampetie’s reaction to the crews actions similar to how Athena thought of Odysseus when he broke the rules of Sanctuary?
- Because Odysseus’ crew disobeyed him and ate the cattle of the sun, how could that relate to the concept of Belly vs. Brain
- How could the setting of the lonely island relate to the crews decision?
- How does the Crew eating Lampeties cattle and Lampeties reaction relate to the concept of Hubrus/Humility?
5. If you were seeing this from the crews point of view, what would you be thinking?
Book 13
Vocab
Ardent: (Homer 21)
Reveling: (Homer 28-29)
Careering: (Homer 93)
Unmoored: (Homer 113)
Transgressors: (Homer 241-243)
Swineherd: (Homer 461)
Questions
Passage #1: (ZL) Poseidon talks to Zeus Lines 141-180
● What does Poseidon’s hesitation towards punishing Odysseus reveal about his character? How can this relate to the concept of balance of contradictions?
● Why does Poseidon see it fit that the people that are punished are people who performed kind actions, rather than directly punishing Odysseus?
● Why does Poseidon choose the type of punishment that he does?
● Is Poseidon punishing Odysseus out of his own anger or just because his son asked him to?
● Why does Zeus decide to help Poseidon plan the punishment of the Phaeacians?
● If Poseidon were mortal instead of immortal would he change the scale of his punishment? Why or why not?
● Does Poseidon feel the need to prove his worth to the other gods through the punishment of Odysseus?
Passage #2: Poseidon punishes the Phaeacians Lines 191-212
● How does the caving into the gods demands exemplify the dismal power of mortals compared to gods?
● Why does Poseidon not hold a grudge any more with the Phaeacians just because they sacrificed a multitude of cows?
● Why is their no sense of empathy for the suitors for breaking xenia, even though Odysseus broke Xenia when going into the Cyclops’ cave?
● What does Odysseus’ denial of actually being in Ithaca infer about Odysseus’ expectation against the reality?
● How does the experiences of Odysseus coming home to Ithaca compare to the experiences of Gilgamesh coming home to Ithaca?
● How does the experiences of Odysseus coming home to Ithaca compare to the experiences of Rama coming home to Ayodhya?
● Passage #3 (ZL) Odysseus talks to Athena Lines 440470
● Are Athena’s words and actions during this scene more comparable to those of a god, or those of a mortal? Why or why not?
● What do you think will result from Athena’s plan for Odysseus?
● If Athena were not with Odysseus, would he be at a loss rather than resourceful? Why or why not?
● Why is Athena so eager to help Odysseus?
● Why does Hera not support Odysseus in the way Athena does if they all fought on the same side of the Trojan War?
● What can Athena’s plan show about her character?
● What factor was able to change the relationship between Odysseus and Athena over time? Explain.