Odyssey Scholarly Arguments

Question 1

Helen Whittaker

Answer 1

Arete is problematic as she’s a merge between the real world and the fairy tale world.

Question 2

Emily Wilson

Answer 2

Calypso is a model of female power

Question 3

Victoria Pedrick

Answer 3

Zeus protects supplicants, the bad xenia of suitors justifies their murder and justifies Odysseus
ignoring their pleas for mercy.

Unlike xenia there is no reciprocation of gifts. Supplicants are equal.
Gods addressed in supplication are prayed for.

Question 4

Norman Austin

Answer 4

Digressions are both thematically and dramatically relevant to the structure of the poem.

Question 5

Rick Newton

Answer 5

Wits and intelligence are superior to physical strength.

Question 6

Walter Burket

Answer 6

There’s a parallel between Hephaestus and Ares’ narrative and Euryalus and Odysseus’. Demodocus’
song gives hints to Odysseus about the suitor’s slaughter.

Question 7

Richard Jenkins

Answer 7

In the main body of the narrative, Homer presents Odysseus as a heroic warrior much like the Iliad.
However, in Odysseus’ narrative, he presents himself much more like a folk trickster figure.

Question 8

Stefani Voicu

Answer 8

We get a lot of ideas about Greekness by the Greeks image to other cultures (Otherness).