1. by Homer

2. Homer

3. Conflict with a god
POSEIDON = god of the sea.
Roman name: Neptune.
Also called Earth-shaker.
Symbols include trident and
fish

4. Odysseus’ World
An ancient map

5. Introduction
Few stories are as revered as Homer’s ageless tales of
courage and perseverance. The Iliad and The Odyssey
strike at the heart of man’s struggle for truth, namely
his desire for greatness and his mortal limitations.

6. An Old & Beloved Story
 Papyrus fragment
with lines from Homer's Odyssey,
Early Hellenistic, 285–250 B.C.
Greek, Ptolemaic
Gift of Egypt Exploration Fund,
1909 (09.182.50)

7. Ancient Fragments
from Homer’s Odyssey

8. A Nostos Story
 Trojan War finally over
after ten-year siege
 Odysseus wants to go
home, live in peace
 Before reaching Ithaka,
he offends Poseidon.
 Poseidon wants Odysseus
to suffer, be humbled

9. A New Way of Life
 Odysseus sees limits of courage,
strength
 Must fight monsters, magic
differently
 Must live by wit, trust instincts
 Must test words, actions; assess
loyalty
 Odysseus persists, becomes
better – because of obstacles

10. Other Transformations
 Odysseus’ absence
transforms wife and son
 Penelope becomes pillar
of strength
 Telemachos finds
courage, strength,
wisdom

11. Moral Lessons
 Importance of duty, honor
 Love, hope, faithfulness tested
 Redefines the Greek leader
 Purpose of suffering,
perseverance
 Movement from impassioned
warrior to honorable king

12. The Telemachy

13. Odysseus’s Dilemma
 Where is Odysseus when
The Odyssey begins?
 Why is he there?

14. Telamachos, Odysseus’ Son
 Where is Telemachos?
 How old is he?
 What is he like?
 What is his life like?
 Why does Homer initially
focus on Telemachos?

15. Coming of Age

16. Rites of Passage: Stages
 Separation from mother
 Learning about father
 Heroism, leadership,
character
 Personal obstacles
 Tests of courage,
faithfulness

17. Rites of Passage continued
 Rejoin the
community
 Join company of men
 Ready to stand beside
Odysseus
 To fight, to reign

18. Symbolism

19. Hospitality and the Orderly Society
 Indicates right relationship between
gods, men
 Zeus honors hospitality
 First part of meal offered to gods
 Builds trust
 Shared meal, no suspicion, get
acquainted

20. Blessings of Hospitality
 Acknowledges class
 Second portion offered to
guests
 Guests seated according to
rank in society
 Brings blessing and honor
 Host can afford gifts, shares
his wealth

21. Benefits of Hospitality
 Protection
 Nestor and Menelaos
offer:
 Guidance
 Support
 Truth

22. Hospitality & the Disorderly Society
“A disordered society cannot celebrate a proper
feast; the host will not offer thanks to the gods,
the guests will not know their rankings, and they
will compete for a share of the food rather than
sharing.”
- Peter Leithart, Heroes in the City of Man (165)

23. Journal
 What sort of “hospitality” has
Telemachos seen at home?
 What does he learn about the
orderly society as he observes
various feasts and celebrations
in the home of Nestor and
Menelaos?
 Why is this so important?

24. Nestor and Menelaos

25. Journal
 How do the journeys to Pylos
and to Sparta help
Telemachos to mature?

26. Telemachos learns from Nestor & Peisistratos
 Nestor:
 Hospitality
 Generosity
 Peisistratos:
 Another young man
 A prince, a leader of men

27. Challenging Telemachos
 Telemachos hears stories
about Odysseus.
 What do the stories
reveal about Odysseus’s
character?
 How do the stories help
Telemachos?

28. Telemachos learns from Menelaus
 Hospitality, generosity
 Helen’s gifts
 Restraint, moderation
 Biggest challenge?
 Delay? Advice: “Acquire
wealth”?

29. Menelaos and the
Old Man of the Sea
Why does Menelaos
talk about the Old
Man of the Sea?
How would this story
help Telemachos?

30. Guests Who Don’t Know When to Leave

31. Who are the suitors?
 Treacherous liars
 How do we know about their character?
 Neglect their own kingdoms
 Why?
 What do the suitors want?

32. Attacking the Laws of Hospitality
 A king’s wealth should be shared.
 Promotes loyalty; tied to political power
 Attacking a man’s property is attacking him.
 Possessions = reflect glory, hero’s reputation
 How are the suitors eroding Odysseus’ power?

33. The Ideal Greek Woman

34. Circumspect Penelope
 Peter Leithart calls Penelope a
“human Athene” (166).
 Is this an accurate
description?
 How is Penelope the “ideal
Greek woman”?
 Do difficulties help Penelope
develop her character?
 How is Penelope like a “pillar”?

35. Journal
 Think about Penelope,
Clytaemnestra and Helen.
 Compare and contrast these three
women.
 How does Penelope feel about
power and fame?
 Penelope takes some pleasure in
the suitors’ attention.
 Why?

36. Symbolism

37. The Loom
• Loom = woman’s instrument
• Sword , spear = man’s
instruments
• An image of fate and destiny
• Penelope weaves shroud, not
wedding veil
• Penelope weaves “web” of
deceit

38. Theme

39. Kalypso: “Hidden”
 How does Kalypso tempt
Odysseus?
 She wants Odysseus to co-rule
her island.
 Why is this a problem?
 Is a hidden hero the same as a
dead hero?

40. Importance of Immortality
 Greek heroes want immortality – gained through
fame.
 Why does Odysseus reject Kalypso’s offer?
 Opposite of Achilles’ choice
 Gift vs. Reward for courage and endurance?
 Odysseus prefers to suffer for “true” immortality. Why?

41. An Overly Ordered Society

42. Problems with Phaiakian Society
 Hospitable – but not to foreigners
 Isolated, proud
 Fast ships – but for what purpose?
 Athletes: boxers, wrestlers,
runners; not warriors
 What might we infer about
Phaiakian society?

43. What do the Phaiakians Value?
 A life of comfort
 Clean clothes, soft beds
 Feasts, music, dancing
 Is this society too
civilized?

44. Journal
 The Phaiakians are not
challenged by war or by
difficulty.
 Can a society develop if it is
never challenged? Can it
progress? Explain.

45. Kleos: Fame through Song
 Odysseus not immediately identified – Why not?
 Phaiakians know he is Trojan War hero (8.244-50)
 Identifies himself only when they notice he is crying
 Significance of song?

46. Phaiakian Aid
 Phaiakians agree to help Odysseus get home
 Phaiakian city dedicated to Poseidon
 Irony?

47. “Son of Pain”

48. Obstacles and Lessons
 Temptation to renounce his
heroic calling
 What does Odysseus want?
 Penelope vs. the heroic return
 Why does Poseidon strip past
glories from Odysseus?
 What does Odysseus learn from
suffering?

49. Learning to Fight in a New Way

50. Taking the Long
Way Home
Obstacles
and
Lessons

51. Odysseus’ Journey
How does this map
emphasize the
wanderings of
Odysseus?

52. Blown About by
Every Wind
Note the sequence of
Odysseus’ travels.
How is this similar to
the wanderings of the
Israelites when they
traveled through the
wilderness?

53. Why must Odysseus fight monsters?
 “No man’s land”
 Unfit for man
 Tests
 Facing death
 No victory through
force

54. Kikonians
 First encounter after Trojan
War
 Odysseus’ men attack first;
killing, enslaving Kikonians
 Odysseus wants to leave; men
want celebration
 Odysseus’ ability to lead?
 Delay = Kikonians defeat
Odysseus

55. Lotus Eaters
 Eating to forget
 Why are they dangerous?
 How are Lotus Eaters like
the suitors?
 How do they tempt
people?
 How is “forgetfulness”
similar to death?

56. Cyclopes
 Orderly society?
 Work? Law? Government?
Community?
 Isolation
 Myopic
 How are the Cyclopes like
the suitors?

57. Polyphemos
 Greatest of the Cyclopes
 Son of Poseidon
 Scoffs at hospitality
 How does Odysseus
respond?
 Why is this a problem?

58. Escape from the Cave
 What does Odysseus
learn about himself?
 What does Odysseus
need to learn?

59. Aiolos
 Describe guest-host
relationship
 How does Odysseus lose
Aiolos’ gift?
 How is this incident
related to trust?

60. Laestrygonians
 What are these people
like?
 How do they treat
Odysseus’ men?
 How are they similar to the
suitors?
 Who is more barbaric?

61. Odysseus’ Men
 Are Odysseus’ men honorable? Courageous?
 Do Odysseus’ men respect the laws of hospitality?
 Is Odysseus responsible for their behavior?

62. Circe: Appearance vs. Reality
 Circe appears to be a “typical” Greek
woman.
 How does her appearance conflict
with reality?
 Result:
 Possible mutiny. What does
Odysseus learn?
 Where does Circe tell Odysseus he
must go? Why?

63. Facing the Abyss

64. A Map of the Underworld

65. A frightening
journey
The Underworld

66. Odysseus meets Teiresias

67. Surprise Encounters
 Why is Odysseus surprised
to see Elpenor ?
 What does Elpenor want?
 Why is Odysseus surprised
to see Antikleia?
 What does Odysseus learn
from Antikleia?

68. Women in the Underworld
 Odysseus interviews
several women in the
Underworld.
 What pattern emerges in
these stories?
 What does Odysseus learn
from them?

69. Agamemnon
 Warns Odysseus to be
careful
 Should Odysseus heed
Agamemnon’s warning?

70. Journal
 Compare/contrast Odysseus and
Agamemnon
 Parallels:
 Agamemnon = ?
 Clytemnestra = ?
 Aegisthus = ?
 Orestes = ?

71. Achilles
 Long life of obscurity vs.
short, glorious life
 Achilles’ regret
 Why is Achilles’ statement
such a surprise?
 Why does Odysseus need
to hear this?

72. The Abyss
 Odysseus faces death
and “the abyss”
 Why is this a life-changing
moment?
 Why must Odysseus
make this journey
alone?

73. A Friendlier Encounter?

74. Back to Circe’s Island
 Why does Odysseus return to
Circe’s island?
 What does this suggest about
Odysseus?
 Has he changed?
 How does Circe help Odysseus?

75. Calculated Losses

76. The Sirens: A Subtle Danger
 Land around Sirens’ rock like
a battlefield
 Sirens sing about Trojan War
 Heroes want to hear about
their success.
 Temptation?
 Song reminds Odysseus of
warrior past. Problem?

77. Odysseus and the Sirens
 Odysseus drawn to Sirens
– resists temptation.
Why?
 What does this passage
suggest about
community?
 Is Odysseus a new man?

78. Skylla
 How does Skylla “disguise”
herself?
 Why does Odysseus choose
Skylla over Charybdis?
 How is Skylla similar to the
suitors?
 What does Odysseus learn?

79. Skylla and Odysseus’ Ship

80. Learning Lessons the Hard Way

81. Helios’ Cattle
 Why are Helios’ cattle special?
 Describe the warning.
 Can gods determine what is
holy/unholy?
 How many warnings did
Odysseus have?
 Where is Odysseus when his
men disobey?

82. Charybdis
 “Swallows” the ship, “spews it up
again”
 Eating imagery.
 Charybdis does not “digest”
anything fully.
 How is Charybdis like the
suitors?
 What does Odysseus learn?

83. Trials and Refuge – for Odysseus AND for Telemachos

84. Telemachos and the Fugitive
 Why does Telemachos offer the fugitive protection?
 What does this suggest about Telemachos?
 How has Telemachos matured?
 How does the fugitive encourage Telemachos?

85. The Journey Home
What does it mean for
Odysseus to go
“home”?
How does his journey
change him?

86. Sleep
 Why does Odysseus sleep on the voyage home?
 What might this sleep symbolize?
 Has he been in a dream-like state?
 How has his life been like a nightmare?

87. A New Kind of Hero
 Odysseus must become new kind of hero
 What does that really mean?
 Old hero = ?
 New hero = ?

88. A New Kind of Society
 What kind of society will Odysseus establish?
 How will this society differ from Troy?
 How will it differ from present Ithaka?
 What qualities, skills will Odysseus need?

89. Friend and Mentor

90. Eumaios’ Story
 Who is Eumaios?
 Where did he come from?
 Why is he in Ithaka?
 What do we know about
his life?
 Why is he called the
“noble” swineherd?

91. What does Telemachos learn
from the Swineherd?
 How does Eumaios’ background help him mentor
Telemachos?
 Why does Telemachos calls the swineherd “father”?
 In what way is the swineherd a father figure?

92. The Hospitality of Eumaios
 Eumaios offers:
 Protection
 Respect
 How will these things help restore the kingdom?
 Contrast Eumaios’ behavior to the suitors’ behavior

93. What is real?

94. Encountering Eumaios
 Why does Odysseus go to
Eumaios first?
 Consider Eumaios’ reaction
to the old beggar.
 Why isn’t Eumaios fearful or
suspicious?
 What does this say about the
swineherd?

95. Odysseus: The Old Beggar
 Why does Athena make
Odysseus look lowly?
 Does this disguise expose the
suitors’ nature?
 Are they more guilty because
they abuse a beggar?
 Is Odysseus’ wrath justified?

96. Delayed Identification
 “Is Odysseus alive? Dead?”
 Was hidden on Kalypso’s
island
 Now hidden from Penelope
 A warrior/king hidden from
the suitors
 Significance?

97. Odysseus’ Name: “Son of Pain”
 Does Odysseus abandon the
warrior image?
 What kind of king does he
become?
 What kind of father does he
become?
 What kind of husband does he
become?
 Is he a type of healer?

98. Reunited for a Greater Purpose

99. Anagnoresis
 Moment when a character makes a critical discovery
 Includes recognition of a person AND of what that he
represents (justice, stability, love, etc.)
 Includes hero's sudden awareness of a situation, or his
insight into a relationship

100. Recognition & Revelation
 Common in epic literature
 Where do we see
anagnoresis in The
Odyssey?
 This story contains a
progressive revelation.
 What does Odysseus learn
about himself in these
scenes?

101. Believing is Seeing?
 Look at 16.194-8.
 Telemachos refuses to believe Odysseus is his father.
 What does Telemachos expect to see?
 Why does Telemachos need to look beyond physical
appearances?

102. A Single Family Line

103. One Son Each: Implications?
 Each man in Odysseus’ family had only one son (16.114-21).
 “…the son of Kronos made ours a single line” (16.117-8).
 Arkeisios –» Laertes
 Laertes –» Odysseus
 Odysseus has a sister, but he is the only son.
 Odysseus –» only Telemachos

104. The Hope of the Kingdom?
 What happens to the kingdom if Odysseus dies?
 How will Ithaka change if a suitor comes to power?
 A truly honorable man will accept responsibility and
fulfill his duty.
 What does this mean for Odysseus?
 What does this mean for Telemachos?

105. A Relationship Developed through Trials

106. Odysseus & Telemachos:
Facing the Enemy
 Odysseus and Telemachos are seriously outnumbered.
 108 suitors + servants: a total of 118 men
 Telemachos chooses to fight alongside his father.
Significance?

107. Journal
 As they prepare to face their
enemies, Odysseus and
Telemachos realize that they
must rely on the gods. Why is
this so important?
 What lessons has Odysseus
learned on his journeys that
will help him in this fight?

108. A Question of Trust
 Read 16.301-7.
 Why can’t Odysseus tell anyone about his problem?
 Eumaios?
 Laertes?
 Penelope?

109. Telemachos:
Becoming a Man of Honor
 Telemachos watches the suitors abuse his father
(17.489-92).
 How does Telemachos demonstrate self-control?
 How will this prepare Telemachos to rule?

110. Journal
 Briefly describe how
Telemachos has changed
since Book 1.

112. Penelope’s Temptation
 Will Penelope forget Odysseus,
Telemachos upon remarriage?
 Is Penelope’s heart divided?
 The suitors say that “[she] does not refuse
the hateful marriage, nor is she able to
make an end of the matter…” (16.126-7).
 Do the suitors have a right to be upset?
 Is Penelope a “pillar” at the close of the
book?

113. A Mixed Character

114. The Test

115. Leading the Suitors:
Antinoös & Eurymachos
 Why is Antinoös dangerous?
 16.435-449
 17.65-6
 17.394-5
 17.404
 17.446-9
 17.462-5
 What about Eurymachos?

116. Melanthios: A Treacherous Servant
 How does Melanthios reflect his master’s insolence?
 Compare/contrast his behavior with the swineherd’s
behavior.

117. Telemachos’ Intervention
 Read 22.355-60.
 How does Telemachos intervene to save lives?

118. Odysseus’ Darker Side
 Odysseus slaughters his enemies.
 How does he deal with the suitors’
families?
 How does this experience shape his
character?
 What sort of bearing will this have
on his reign?