Odyssey Moden Scholarship

Question 1

Peter Jones: Oikos

Answer 1

The oikos is central to everything. The odyssey makes the household, instead of the battlefield, the centre of its world.

Question 2

Peter Jones: Eumaeus

Answer 2

Eumaeus is the idea of order in the face of the collapse of authority in the palace

Question 3

Jones: Penelope

Answer 3

Penelope herself is at conflict with herself- should she remarry or stay faithful? Odysseus can solve all these conflicts

Question 4

Jones: three ways of seeing Odysseus

Answer 4

The loyal husband who wants to return home, an eternal wanderer with a passion fro new experiences, and an anti-hero, mean, selfish, using deceit to achieve immoral ends

Question 5

Jones on the fantastical element of the odyssey:

Answer 5

It blends the everyday with fantastical elements. Argues this is done by having supernatural figures show traits linking them to the ordinary world; calypso and her xenia, Polyphemus’ shepherding etc.

Question 6

Jones: Zeus

Answer 6

Describes Zeus in the poem as a “god of human justice”

Question 7

Jones: Athene and Odysseus

Answer 7

The relationship between Athene and odysseys is “unique in homer for the closeness of relationship it depicts between god and mortal”

Question 8

Jones on Athenes presence in the Odyssey

Answer 8

“It’s tempting to say that Athene continuing presence dismisses the stature of Odysseus, but it is important to emphasises hat in Homer the gods only help those who are worthy

Question 9

Jones on Odysseus’ deceit

Answer 9

Argues that his disguises and deceptions are all means to a justifiable and suitably heroic end

Question 10

Jones on the Homeric perspective of the slaughter of the suitors

Answer 10

“Whatever one may think of the severity of Odysseus’ revenge, no Greek would have argued that he did not have the right to take it.”

Question 11

C.M. Bowra: Odysseus reckless + cunning

Answer 11

“His need for cunning is reinforced by his own recklessness” sort of an oxymoron; he needs to be smart because he often does stupid things

Question 12

Bowra: Penelope

Answer 12

“The key to the unity of the poem” like Telemachus, she’s there at the beginning, middle and Ned, but unlike Telemachus she’s a key motivator for others, both Odysseus and the Suitors.

Question 13

Griffin: Zeus

Answer 13

‘Zeus is ultimately responsible for the protection of the helpless, beggars and suppliants and good kings in distress. Sinners are, in the end punished; the final triumph of Odysseus us a triumph of good over evil’

Question 14

Griffin: justice

Answer 14

Justice is both done and seen to be done in the odyssey