modern scholarship

Question 1

what does Guy Davenport say about the difference between the odyssey and the iliad?

Answer 1

the iliad is a poem about force; the odyssey is a poem about the triumph of mind over force

Question 2

what does Jasper Griffin say about Homers language and the difference between narrative and direct speech?

Answer 2

uses a different style and vocabulary in speech vs narrative
helps us make a judgement of characters through their words and interactions

Question 3

what does C.M Bowra say about odysseus’ heroism

Answer 3

ultimately fairytales and unheroic
odysseus is faced by inferiors or monsters

Question 4

what does Peter Jones say in relation to Oikos (the home/property/family)

Answer 4

the odyssey makes the household rather than the battlefield the centre of its world

Question 5

what does John Halverson say about Oikos in comparison to Nostos

Answer 5

oikos is a central dominating issue and more sharply focussed on theme than nostos

Question 6

according to E. V. rieu what do eumaeus and eurycleia represent

Answer 6

what the palace used to be like and will be like again when it’s master is restored

Question 7

what does james morrison say about odysseus learning from his mistakes?

Answer 7

there are costs to revealing your name choosing to conceal it might have benefits

Question 8

on what occasion does Peter Jones believe odysseus best presents his metis?

Answer 8

in his triumph over polyphemus

Question 9

what does C.M Bowra say about Odysseus solo accomplishments

Answer 9

at the crisis of his fortunes odysseus has to act alone

Question 10

what does C. M Bowra say about odysseus stupidity paving the way for resourcefulness

Answer 10

his need for cunning is enforced by his own recklessness

Question 11

what does richard jenkins say about odysseus journey towards community

Answer 11

odysseus’ journey from Ogygia to ithaca to his kingdom to his house to his bedroom is also a journey from isolation towards an ever closer community

Question 12

what is the marriage bed a symbol of according to griffin?

Answer 12

the solidity of their relationship; it cannot be moved

Question 13

what does barbara clayton say about odysseus verbal skills and physicality

Answer 13

compensated for his lack of physical impressiveness by means of verbal skills

Question 14

what does seth scheming talk about homers presentation of penelope alongside odysseus

Answer 14

reverses normal male female roles and values the heroism penelope had to develop

Question 15

what does finley say about penelope being a key motivator

Answer 15

is a key to unity in the poem

Question 16

what does griffin say about the maturation of telemachus

Answer 16

the young man in the process of achieving adult status, asserting himself for the first time both with the suitors and with his mother

Question 17

what does Nicole smith say about Telemachus development

Answer 17

presenting him as weak and powerless in the beginning only to have him slay one of his tormentors in the end

Question 18

what does Peter Jones say about odysseus revenge

Answer 18

whatever one may think of the severity of odysseus revenge o greek would have argued that he did have a right to take it

Question 19

what does James morrison say about the suitors regard for xenia

Answer 19

the suitors are terrible guests and clearly violate the code of xenia

Question 20

what does peter jones say about odysseus men compared to the suitors

Answer 20

the gluttonous slaughter of the cattle should remind us of the loathsome suitors, and it is this connection that leads us to have minimal sympathy for them

Question 21

what does Peter jones say about how gods helping mortals is a positive?

Answer 21

it is tempting to say that Athene’s continuing presence diminishes the stature of Odysseus. But it is important to emphasise that in homer, the gods help onlv those who are worthy of it

Question 22

what does Peter Jones say about Athene as a surrogate father figure?

Answer 22

Athene effectively acts as a surrogate father for Telemachus, something Homer is explicit about when he has Telemachus tell Mentes/Athene ‘sir you have spoken to me out of the kindness of vour heart like a father talking to his son

Question 23

where does emily wilson say female empowerment exists

Answer 23

not in the mortal world but in that of the gods

Question 24

what does richard jenkins say about types of women in the odyssey

Answer 24

nausicaas maidenly tendresse in contrast to calypso
athene’s sexless affection and penelope’s wifely stoicism

Question 25

what does charles taylor say about calypsos character

Answer 25

she had saved him from the sea and nursed him brought him back to health and she had loved him

Question 26

what does peradotto say about calypso and inequality

Answer 26

(when hermes comes to ogygia) calypsos response lays bare the assymetry in the norms of sexual conduct governing males and females

Question 27

what does peradotto say about the suppression of women and calypso in society

Answer 27

representing a revolt against a system whose order is made to depend on the suppression of female sexual desire in a way that is not expected of males

Question 28

what does andre michalopoulos say about calypsos character

Answer 28

it was her sensuality not his that kept him prisoner

Question 29

what does Lilian E Doherty say about the duality of Athenes gender identity

Answer 29

Athene presides over two spheres that are otherwise strictly confined to opposite genders: weaving and warfare