Odyssey Flashcards
Who wrote The Odyssey
Homer
What is the literary genre of The Odyssey
Epic poem
What is the name of Homer’s other famous epic
The Iliad
What war serves as the background for The Odyssey
The Trojan War
Approximately when was The Odyssey composed
Around the 8th century BCE
Which of the following is a major theme in The Odyssey a) The importance of wealth b) The power of fate and the gods c) The role of technology in warfare d) The beauty of nature Answer
b) The power of fate and the gods
What meter is The Odyssey written in a) Iambic pentameter b) Free verse c) Dactylic hexameter d) Prose Answer
c) Dactylic hexameter
Who is the protagonist of The Odyssey
Odysseus
Who is Odysseus’ wife
Penelope
Who is Odysseus’ son
Telemachus
What is the name of Odysseus’ home island
Ithaca
Which goddess helps Odysseus the most throughout his journey
Athena
Which god is Odysseus’ primary divine antagonist
Poseidon
What is the name of the Cyclops that Odysseus blinds
Polyphemus
Why does Poseidon curse Odysseus a) He disrespected Athena b) He killed a Trojan prince c) He blinded Poseidon’s son Polyphemus d) He stole gold from Olympus Answer
c) He blinded Poseidon’s son Polyphemus
Which enchantress turns Odysseus’ men into pigs a) Calypso b) Circe c) Sirens d) Charybdis Answer
b) Circe
How does Odysseus avoid the Sirens’ song a) He kills them before they can sing b) He plugs his crew’s ears with beeswax and ties himself to the mast c) He sails in the opposite direction d) He fights them with his sword Answer
b) He plugs his crew’s ears with beeswax and ties himself to the mast
What challenge does Penelope give to the suitors a) To sail to Troy and bring back proof of Odysseus’ survival b) To wrestle Telemachus and prove their strength c) To string Odysseus’ bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe heads d) To recite The Iliad from memory Answer
c) To string Odysseus’ bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe heads
Who is the leader of the suitors trying to marry Penelope a) Antinous b) Eumaeus c) Eurymachus d) Menelaus Answer
a) Antinous
What happens to the suitors in the end a) Odysseus forgives them b) They escape and take over Ithaca c) They are killed by Odysseus and Telemachus d) Athena turns them into animals Answer
c) They are killed by Odysseus and Telemachus
Which character warns Odysseus about the dangers of Scylla and Charybdis
Circe
How does Odysseus’ crew anger Helios the sun god
They kill and eat his sacred cattle on the island of Thrinacia
How does Zeus punish Odysseus’ men for eating the cattle of Helios
He destroys their ship with a thunderbolt drowning them all except Odysseus
Who keeps Odysseus captive on her island for several years offering him immortality
Calypso
What does Hermes give Odysseus to protect him from Circe’s magic
A magical herb called moly
Why does Odysseus visit the land of the dead (Underworld) a) To retrieve a sacred weapon b) To ask Tiresias the blind prophet for guidance on returning home c) To bring a fallen comrade back to life d) To challenge Hades for his soul Answer
b) To ask Tiresias the blind prophet for guidance on returning home
What does Tiresias warn Odysseus about in the Underworld a) That his wife is unfaithful b) That Poseidon will never forgive him c) That his journey home will be difficult and he must not harm Helios’ cattle d) That the suitors will kill him when he returns to Ithaca Answer
c) That his journey home will be difficult and he must not harm Helios’ cattle
Why does Odysseus initially hide his identity when he returns to Ithaca a) He fears the wrath of the gods b) He wants to test who remains loyal to him c) He has forgotten who he is d) He no longer wants to rule Ithaca Answer
b) He wants to test who remains loyal to him
Who is the first person in Ithaca to recognize Odysseus despite his disguise a) Penelope b) Telemachus c) His old nurse Eurycleia d) Antinous Answer
c) His old nurse Eurycleia
What final test does Penelope give Odysseus before accepting his identity a) She asks him to describe their wedding day b) She tells him to move their bed knowing it is immovable c) She asks him to string his bow once again d) She challenges him to solve a riddle only they know Answer
b) She tells him to move their bed knowing it is immovable
