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The Odyssey | Study Guide

Homer

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Course Hero. "The Odyssey Study Guide." Course Hero. 28 July 2016. Web. 28 Sep. 2023. <https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Odyssey/>.

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Course Hero. (2016, July 28). The Odyssey Study Guide. In Course Hero. Retrieved September 28, 2023, from https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Odyssey/

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Course Hero. "The Odyssey Study Guide." July 28, 2016. Accessed September 28, 2023. https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Odyssey/.

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Course Hero, "The Odyssey Study Guide," July 28, 2016, accessed September 28, 2023, https://www.coursehero.com/lit/The-Odyssey/.

The Odyssey | Infographic

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Check out this Infographic to learn more about Homer's The Odyssey. Study visually with character maps, plot summaries, helpful context, and more.

the-odyssey-homerOdysseusKing of IthacaFamilyIthacansGods AthenaGoddess of wisdomPoseidonGod of the seaHermesMessenger ofthe godsZeusKing of the godsCirceGoddess of magicCalypsoNymphPenelopeQueen of Ithaca and wife of OdysseusPrince of Ithacaand son of OdysseusFather of OdysseusTelemachusLaertesAntinousSuitor of PenelopeEurymachusSuitor of PenelopeEumaeusSwineherdPhiloetiusCowherdEurycleiaNurse206006 “feet”55 feetYears Odysseus is away from Ithaca, 10 in Troy and 10 journeying homeMen who set sail for Ithaca—all perished except OdysseusMetrical units each line has in dactylic hexameter, the meter used in the poemEstimated length of the Ithacan ships, which were light and canoe-likeOdyssey by the NumbersBook 1, Lines 1–3ing to me of the man, Muse, the man of twists and turns / driven time and again off course...Little is known about the life of the blind poet Homer, to whom we attribute Iliad and Odyssey. This is partially because poems were passed down orally in Homer’s day and adapted to their telling. Nevertheless, Homer and his work had a great influence on ancient Greek society and continue to fascinate modern readers.HOMERC. 9TH–8TH CENTURY BCEThemesHubrisOdysseus and Penelope both face temptation as they try to remain loyal; Odysseus is lured by sirens and goddesses, but Penelope stays true.The hero’s tragic flaw; excessive pride leads him to taunt the gods, who send obstacles to prolong his journey.Stories of homecoming throughout the tale are capped by Odysseus’s eventual heroic return to reclaim his kingdom, home, and family.TemptationHomecomingHelps OdysseusHinders OdysseusCopyright © 2016 Course Hero, Inc.Sources: BBC, Encyclopaedia Britannica, Business Insider, The Guardian, Smithsonian Magazine, University of PennsylvaniaOVERVIEWOgygiaHeld captive by the alluring nymph Calypso in a 7-year love affairIthacaDisguised as a beggar, he kills Penelope’s suitors and is reunited with his wife and son The Long Journey HomeUnderworld Visits dead war heroes and learns how to return to Ithaca11. THRINACIA3. ISLAND OF THE LOTUS EATERS5. AEOLIA6. TELEPYLOS9. SIRENS13. SCHERIA2. ISMARA7. 8. 12. 4. Odyssey is one of the oldest adventure tales, enthralling readers with the clever hero Odysseus’s 10-year journey home after a long war in Troy.10.AeaeaHis crew turned to pigs by the witch-goddess Circe, he lives in luxury with her for a yearIsland of the CyclopsDisplays his cunning and blinds one of Poseidon’s sons, Polyphemus1. TROY2. ISMARA14.Homer725-675 BCEGreekEpic PoemAuthorYear PublishedOriginal LanguageOdysseyScylla and CharybdisNavigating between the two monsters, he manages to escape destructionAdventureMain Characters
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