4. Describe themes in the epic and trace their development throughout the text.

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1 Alludes to what? What do Rick Riordan s novel The Lightning Thief, the Police song Wrapped around Your Finger, and Spongebob Squarepants all have in common? They all allude to Homer s epic poem, The Odyssey. In Rick Riordan s The Lightning Thief the main characters fall prey to lotus flowers, just as Odysseus and his men do. Wrapped around Your Finger refers to Scylla and Charybdis, two monsters that Odysseus must avoid on his journey home, and Spongebob Squarepants features a bag of winds and a diver resembling a Cyclops, a character that Odysseus meets on his journey. Why do we sometimes refer to a long winding journey as an odyssey? It alludes to Odysseus himself, of course. Be a Better Reader As you work through the study guide for The Odyssey, you will also practice these skills, which will help you when you read novels in the future, for school assignments or just for fun. 1. Describe the development of the main character. 2. Discuss how the plot develops throughout the epic. 3. Describe and analyze the role of setting in the epic. 4. Describe themes in the epic and trace their development throughout the text. 5. Cite textual evidence to support discussion of the epic. Behind the Scenes Homer s The Odyssey begins at the end of the Trojan War, a 10-year battle fought because Paris of Troy took Helen, the face that launched a thousand ships, from her husband, King Menelaus of Sparta. While Greek mythology and Homer s The Iliad credit the beginnings of the war to an argument between goddesses, one of which caused Helen to fall in love with Paris, the Trojan War may have been an actual historical event that occurred in the 12 th or 13 th century BCE. Excavations of a site near the Dardanelles in modern-day Turkey have uncovered ruins that correspond to the Greek historian Herodotus s accounts of the Trojan War. Regardless, Homer s epic is based on odes and stories told by generations of ancient Greeks. Get This! 1. Numerous words, literary works, and cultural touchstones refer to Homer s The Odyssey. Look for these allusions as you read. 2. Even though Homer s The Odyssey is long and tells a rather involved story, it is characterized as an epic, rather than a novel. Notice the aspects of it that make it an epic and think about how the style would differ if it were written as a novel.

2 The Plot On Odysseus s long, winding journey to Ithaca he experiences numerous dangers and distractions. As you read The Odyssey, fill in each element of Odysseus s wanderings. The (Sub)Plot Thickens The story of Telemachus opens the epic and creates a secondary plot in the epic. Fill in the elements of Telemachus s story from Books 1-4 of The Odyssey. In Books 13-24, the stories of Telemachus, Penelope, and Odysseus join together.

3 The Characters The Odyssey incorporates an enormous cast of characters, many who originated in Greek mythology, into the epic. Draw a picture of each character listed. Then describe each character s role in the epic in the box beneath each picture. Odysseus Telemachus Penelope Posiedon Polyphemus Circe

4 The Setting The setting of Homer s The Odyssey roams throughout the Mediterranean, Olympus, and Odysseus s home in Ithaca. To help the reader picture and stay engaged with the scene, Homer provides details about each setting. Use the spaces below to describe some of the settings in the epic. In the first column, type or write direct quotes from the epic phrases and sentences that are used to show what it s like in that location. In the second column, explain in your own words the scene the author is trying to convey to the reader. An example has been completed for you. Location in Text Direct Quotation from Text Scene Conveyed With that he rammed the clouds together... giving her up to the West to harry on and on. (Lines ) 1. Poseidon causes a storm that almost drowns Odysseus. (Book 5) 2. Odysseus and his men go in the Cyclops s cave. (Book 9) Poseidon rams the clouds together, causes high winds and lightning, and makes high, churning waves. 3. Odysseus enters the Kingdom of the Dead. (Book 11) 4. Odysseus and his men must evade Scylla and Charybdis. (Book 12) 5. Odysseus arrives in Ithaca. (Book 13) 6. Penelope s suitors gather and behave poorly at her home. (Book 20)

5 Tracking Themes What is Homer trying to say about each person s moral and ethical journey? The main themes in The Odyssey are related to the choices the characters face throughout the epic. See if you can identify and analyze those themes. Step 1: What parts of the plot seem related to a possible theme in the epic? (Think about the main conflict and how it get resolved or worked out.) Step 2: Which characters seem related to a possible theme? Which characters change, and what do those changes suggest about perseverance, loyalty, and temptation? Step 3: How does Homer use symbols to hint at the novel s themes? What objects, people, or places stand for something bigger in the story? Step 4: What does the epic s title suggest about the epic s theme? Why do you think Homer named his epic The Odyssey? Step 5: Write one or two of the novel s main themes in your own words.

6 Talk About It What do you think about The Odyssey? Could you identify with Odysseus, Telemachus, or Penelope? How did you feel about all the barriers Odysseus had thrown in his way? In the space below each question, write an answer based on your own experiences and your own understanding of the novel. Include some textual evidence or examples that helped you arrive at your answer. 1. Which main character Odysseus, Telemachus, or Penelope did you identify with the most and why? Textual Evidence or Examples: 2. How do you feel about all the barriers Odysseus had thrown in his way as he tried to get home? Do you feel that Odysseus deserved Poseidon s wrath or did he just have bad luck? Textual Evidence or Examples:

7 Represent! Show what you know about The Odyssey and its relevance to your life. Choose one of these projects to complete and share with your teacher, classmates, and others. Choice 1: Treasure Trove of Allusions Homer s epic poem The Odyssey forms a treasure trove of allusions for literature, movies, songs, words, and characters. Some of these are so ingrained in our culture that we do not even realize that they are based in an ancient Greek poem. Create a visual display or a Powerpoint presentation presenting allusions to the epic poem. Be sure to include the portion and lines of The Odyssey that each allusion references, as well as its literary or modern-day allusion. Challenge yourself to find at least 10, if not more, allusions spread across literature, movies, songs, words, and characters. Choice 2: Modern-Day Odysseus The story of a hero struggling to return home echoes across time and frequently reappears in literature and film. While the places Odysseus visits and the things he sees are firmly rooted in Greek mythology, they can easily be transposed into a modern-day context. What acts as Scylla and Charybdis, something to be avoided, today? Who wants revenge as Poseidon does? Imagine what a modern-day version of The Odyssey would look like. You may storyboard and update the entire epic or write a detailed version of an excerpt from the story. Whichever you choose, be sure to think about modern-day parallels to The Odyssey.