The Plot of the Odyssey Flashcards
Book 1
“As Aristotle tells us, Homer is unique in comparision as he concentrates on ONE moment only within a complete epic cycle as he focuses on the moment of Odysseus’ return twenty years after he had left his wife Penelope and their newborn Telemachus…” - Peter Jones
“The more one thinks about it, the more difficult it becomes to envisage an Odyssey which did follow a purely temporal sequence.” - Peter Jones
Key events
It has been 10 years since the Trojan war ended and all the heroes, but Odysseus have gotten home. Odysseus is on Calypso’s Island, Ogygia. Back in Ithaca, Penelope is fending off suitors who want her hand in marriage and Telemachus thinks Odysseus is dead.
At a council of the gods Athene asks Zeus to allow Odysseus to return home and Zeus agrees, and Athena goes down to Ithaca in disguise. She tells Telemachus to find his father. Phemius, the bard plays a song about Grecian warriors homecoming. Penelope cries over it and Telemachus rebukes her and orders the suitors to leave. They do not.
Key characters
Book 2 - unprescribed
Telemachus calls the assembly and criticises the Suitors. Antonious in turn criticises Penelope. Zeus sends and omen and Telemachus secretly leaves with Antonious disguised as Mentor.
Book 3 - unprescribed
Telemachus visits Nestor in Pylos. Gets no news of Odysseus
Book 4 - unprescribed
Telemachus visits Helen and Menelaus. Recounts Odysseus’ exploits in Troy and tell him he is still alive. Telemachus leaves for Ithaca. The Suitors plan to ambush him on his return
Book 5
Key events
Zeus sends Hermes to order Calypso to release Odysseus. she reluctantly agrees and does a speech on Men VS Women standards. Odysseus builds a raft and leaves. Poseidon destroys his raft and Ino gives him an anti-drowning shawl
Key characters
Book 5 lines 282 -300 - exciting piece of narrative -
*The opening description shows Poseidon’s anthropomorphism
*Inner rivalries between the gods
* The gods were not always on Odysseus’ side
* Chaotic imagery eg “the stormy blasts of wind”
* Homer shows what Poseidon is capable of
* Odysseus is capable of fear – humanises him for the audience.
Book 6
Key events
Odysseus washes up on the lands of the Phaeacians. Athena sends a dream to Nausicaa saying she should go to the river to wash some clothes and find Odysseus there. They Meet and she directs him the palace. She says not to accompany he for fear of scandal
Key characters
Book 7
Key events
Odysseus is direct to the palace by a disguised Athena. Odysseus marvels at the splendour of the gardens and palace. Odysseus goes into the hall and begs Arete for help. King Alcinous promises him transport home (xenia). Arete recognises his clothes and asks who he is, but Odysseus evades. They all go to bed
Key characters
Eurymedusa
Book 8
Key events
The Phaeacian assembly agrees to take Odysseus home and everyone goes back to the palace for a banquet. The bard, Demodocus, entertains them. Alcinous see that is that Odysseus is upset and suggests an athletic contest. Odysseus is challenged and hurls the discus the furthest. Alcinous introduces some dancing and Demodocus sings of the affair of Ares and Aphrodite. There is more dancing, gifts, and feasting. Odysseus weeps at a song about Troy. Alcinous asks who he is.
Key characters
Book 9
Key events
Odysseus reveals his identity and tells the story of his adventures. The Cicones, the Lotus eaters, and Polyphemus, the cyclopes. He blinded Polyphemus but yells his name out and since Polyphemus is the son of Poseidon, he asks his dad to get revenge on Odysseus. That is where the grudge comes from.
Key characters
Book 10
Key events
Odysseus arrives at Aeolus and stays for a month. Leaves with a magic bag of wind. Ithaca was within sight when the crew opened the bag and sent them by hurricane back to the Aeolus who this time sends them away. They arrive at Telepylus where the Laestrygonians destroy eleven of the ships. Odysseus ship escapes and washes up on Aeaea, the home of Circe who turns the men into pigs. With the help of Hermes’ moly, Odysseus resists her magic and gets her to turn the crew back to men. The crew stays there for a year. Circe tells Odysseus they have to go to the Land of the Dead. As they leave, Elpenor falls off a roof and dies.
Key characters
Book 11
Key events
Odysseus goes to the Land of the Dead and carries out the rituals described by Circe. He meets Elpenor who asks to be buried, Teiresias, who tells him of his future, and his mother, who answers his questions about his family. Odysseus is ready to stop his tale, but Arete and Alcinous want him to continue. He continues and talks about the encounters with Agamemnon, Ajax and Achilles among other heroes and villains.
Key characters
Book 12
Key Events
The crew returns to Circe’s palace and bury Elpenor. Circe warns Odysseus of the dangers of the way home. the crew go through Cylla, and Charybdis and 6 crewmembers are eaten but they get through. They reach Thrinacie, where the men eat the cattle of the sun gods. Zeus destroys their ships at the requests of Helios. Odysseus is the sole survivor and gets washed up on Calypso.
Key characters
Scholar
“Ever since we met Odysseus in Book 5, we have seen that he possesses the qualities of self-control, endurance and heroism that he will now need in abundance (on his return to Ithaca).” Peter Jones
Book 13
Key Events
Odysseus tales end and laden with gifts, he sets sail for home. He is asleep when the Phaeacians leave him on Ithaca. Poseidon wants to punish the Phaeacians for transporting Odysseus, encircling their city with mountains while Zeus tries to stop him. Odysseus wakes up not knowing where he is, but Athena reveals herself and helps him to plan his return to the palace. She then goes to Sparta to get Telemachus back to Ithaca
Key characters
Book 14 - unprescribed
Odysseus goes to see Eumaeus the swineherd. Eumaeus laments the absence of his master and tells of his disgust at the behaviour of the suitors. He shows perfect xenia.
Book 15 - unprescribed
Telemachus leaves Sparta and returns to Ithaca safely slipping past the murderous suitors. Meanwhile, Eumaeus tells Odysseus his story
