Bibliography
Course Hero. "The Odyssey Study Guide." Course Hero. 28 July 2016. Web. 8 June 2023. <https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Odyssey/>.
In text
(Course Hero)
Bibliography
Course Hero. (2016, July 28). The Odyssey Study Guide. In Course Hero. Retrieved June 8, 2023, from https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Odyssey/
In text
(Course Hero, 2016)
Bibliography
Course Hero. "The Odyssey Study Guide." July 28, 2016. Accessed June 8, 2023. https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Odyssey/.
Footnote
Course Hero, "The Odyssey Study Guide," July 28, 2016, accessed June 8, 2023, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Odyssey/.
Learn about characters in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey with Course Hero’s video study guide.
| Character | Description |
|---|---|
| Odysseus | The protagonist and hero of the book, on a long and arduous journey home from battle. Read More |
| Telemachus | Odysseus's son, who embarks on a journey of his own—from boyhood to manhood. Read More |
| Penelope | Odysseus's wife and Telemachus's mother, she has waited for her husband to come home for 20 years, fending off suitors who have taken over her home. Read More |
| Athena | The goddess of wisdom as well as battle and war, she watches over Odysseus and intervenes on his behalf to get him home safely. Read More |
| Zeus | The ruler of the gods, he is the father of Athena and the brother of Poseidon, as well as the god of wayfarers and hospitality. Read More |
| Poseidon | The god of the sea, who holds a grudge against Odysseus for blinding his son, the Cyclops Polyphemus. Read More |
| Achilles | A warrior friend of Odysseus who died in the Trojan War, he is visited by Odysseus in the Land of the Dead. |
| Aeolus | A master of winds, he gives Odysseus a magical pouch full of seafaring winds to help him on his journey. |
| Alcinous | The king of the Phaeacians, he hosts Odysseus in his kingdom and hears Odysseus's stories about his journey so far. |
| Amphinomus | One of Penelope's suitors, he stands out due to his kindness and reason. |
| Anticleia | Odysseus's mother, she meets him in the Land of the Dead and informs him of what has happened in his home. |
| Antinous | The leader of the suitors, he is the meanest and most antagonistic toward Odysseus when the latter appears in Ithaca in disguise. |
| Arete | The queen of the Phaeacians, she is wife of Alcinous and mother of Nausicaa. |
| Calypso | A nymph, or minor goddess, she kidnaps Odysseus when he lands on her island and keeps him there for seven years. |
| Circe | A minor goddess and sorceress, she falls for Odysseus and keeps him under her spell for a year. |
| Charybdis | This monster has the form of a whirlpool that Odysseus must face and survive. |
| Demodocus | A bard in Alcinous's court, he moves Odysseus to tears when he sings songs about the Trojan War. |
| Elpenor | One of Odysseus's men, he dies during the journey home and must be returned by Odysseus to Ithaca for a proper burial. |
| Eumaeus | A swineherd in Ithaca, he is loyal to Odysseus and aids him in the battle against the suitors. |
| Eurycleia | Odysseus's childhood nurse, she recognizes him by a scar he received as a child. |
| Eurymachus | One of Penelope's suitors, he tries to guide the behavior of other suitors through the power of persuasion. |
| Halitherses | A citizen of Ithaca loyal to Odysseus, he is skilled in reading omens. |
| Hermes | Son of Zeus, he is a messenger god Zeus sends to help Odysseus on occasion. |
| Laertes | Odysseus's father, he has been deeply affected by the disappearance of his son and is reunited with him at the end of the epic. |
| Menelaus | The king of Sparta, who fought with Odysseus in the Trojan War, he recounts his stories about Odysseus to Telemachus. |
| Mentor | A trusted member of Odysseus's household, Mentor is entrusted by Odysseus with teaching and guiding Telemachus while he is away at the Trojan War. |
| Nausicaa | The princess of the Phaeacians, she is the daughter of Alcinous and the first to discover Odysseus in their kingdom. |
| Nestor | The king of Pylos, who fought with Odysseus in the Trojan War, he recounts his stories about Odysseus to Telemachus. |
| Philoetius | A cowherd and loyal servant of Odysseus, he helps the hero exact his revenge on the suitors. |
| Polyphemus | Son of Poseidon, he is a one-eyed Cyclops who is blinded by Odysseus. |
| Pisistratus | Nestor's son, he accompanies Telemachus on his journey. |
| Scylla | This monster with six heads is another danger Odysseus must escape. |
| Sirens | Creatures that live at sea and are disguised as women, they lure sailors to their deaths by singing bewitching songs. |
| Tiresias | A blind prophet, he meets Odysseus in the Land of the Dead and warns him of what's to come. |
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