Part One
1. If you were one of Odysseus shipmates, how would you feel about him? Is he foolhardy or a reliable leader? Do you all agree?
- If I was one of Odysseus' shipmates, I believe he's a reliable leader. He believes that himself and his crew will make it back home to Ithaca. He is also the many reasons the crew got out of tough situations/ obstacles.
2. The Odyssey was used as part of Greek children's education for centuries after the poem was written down. How could the adventure with the Lotus Eaters teach us about the temptation to forget our troubles by dropping out of society?
- The adventure with the Lotus Eaters teach us that the desire his men eating the flowers represent to give up. Its like if you forget your problems, your life would be simple. But it would be boring and uneventful. We need challenges in our lives to make life more enjoyment and sustenance. The Lotus Eaters adventure educate us that we shouldn't avoid our problems to make our life simple. We should have these challenges and its stronger to face them.
3. How does Odysseus describe the Cyclopes' way of life? Contrast their customs with those of an ideal human community. (Be sure to think about the significance of the cannibalism.)
- Odysseus describes the Cyclops' way of life as a horrid monster. He thinks that the cyclops' life is wrong. It was considered a role to show kindness to visitors. But the cyclops' are cannibalistic giants who eat humans, don't show hospitality and Odysseus thinks its wrong.
4."Nobody" in Greek is outis, which sounds like Odysseus. In this episode, how does Odysseus show that he is clever with language? What curse at the end of this adventure foreshadows trouble?
- Odysseus is clever with what he's going to do. He knew that if he told his real name to Polyphemus, then he will take revenge on him on his name. When Odysseus admits his name is outis, his plan went well when the crew and Odysseus stab him in his eye and he cries out for "nobody". But, Odysseus had the mistake to admit his real name to Polyphemus. This foreshadows problems to his journey back home to Ithaca. Polyphemus prays to Poseidon to make it difficult for Odysseus to get home.
- If I was one of Odysseus' shipmates, I believe he's a reliable leader. He believes that himself and his crew will make it back home to Ithaca. He is also the many reasons the crew got out of tough situations/ obstacles.
2. The Odyssey was used as part of Greek children's education for centuries after the poem was written down. How could the adventure with the Lotus Eaters teach us about the temptation to forget our troubles by dropping out of society?
- The adventure with the Lotus Eaters teach us that the desire his men eating the flowers represent to give up. Its like if you forget your problems, your life would be simple. But it would be boring and uneventful. We need challenges in our lives to make life more enjoyment and sustenance. The Lotus Eaters adventure educate us that we shouldn't avoid our problems to make our life simple. We should have these challenges and its stronger to face them.
3. How does Odysseus describe the Cyclopes' way of life? Contrast their customs with those of an ideal human community. (Be sure to think about the significance of the cannibalism.)
- Odysseus describes the Cyclops' way of life as a horrid monster. He thinks that the cyclops' life is wrong. It was considered a role to show kindness to visitors. But the cyclops' are cannibalistic giants who eat humans, don't show hospitality and Odysseus thinks its wrong.
4."Nobody" in Greek is outis, which sounds like Odysseus. In this episode, how does Odysseus show that he is clever with language? What curse at the end of this adventure foreshadows trouble?
- Odysseus is clever with what he's going to do. He knew that if he told his real name to Polyphemus, then he will take revenge on him on his name. When Odysseus admits his name is outis, his plan went well when the crew and Odysseus stab him in his eye and he cries out for "nobody". But, Odysseus had the mistake to admit his real name to Polyphemus. This foreshadows problems to his journey back home to Ithaca. Polyphemus prays to Poseidon to make it difficult for Odysseus to get home.
Part Two
1. Do you think Odysseus has changed since he started on his adventures? Explain your responses to Odysseus as a hero.
- I don't think Odysseus has changed. Odysseus has stayed clever and wise for the past 20 years. He still is in The Odyssey.
2. What simile in lines 1031 - 1032 describes the feelings of Odysseus and his son as they embrace after and his son as they embrace after twenty years? How would you describe exactly what the father and his son are feeling here?
- This simile, "And cries burst from both as keen and fluttering as those of the great taloned hawk" describe that they are happy and relieved to see each other after 20 long years. They're obviously feeling jovial and overjoyed with seeing each other.
3. Dramatic Irony refers to a situation in which readers or the audience knows more than the characters. Where in the scene in the swine-herd's hut do we get a great sense of dramatic irony?
- As the audience, we know that Odysseus is dressed as a beggar. His son, who is brought to the swine-herd's hut, doesn't know that his father is in the same hut as him. This is referred as dramatic since they haven't seen each other for 20 years. They finally get to see each other. Odysseus and Telemachus are very overjoyed after they find out.
- I don't think Odysseus has changed. Odysseus has stayed clever and wise for the past 20 years. He still is in The Odyssey.
2. What simile in lines 1031 - 1032 describes the feelings of Odysseus and his son as they embrace after and his son as they embrace after twenty years? How would you describe exactly what the father and his son are feeling here?
- This simile, "And cries burst from both as keen and fluttering as those of the great taloned hawk" describe that they are happy and relieved to see each other after 20 long years. They're obviously feeling jovial and overjoyed with seeing each other.
3. Dramatic Irony refers to a situation in which readers or the audience knows more than the characters. Where in the scene in the swine-herd's hut do we get a great sense of dramatic irony?
- As the audience, we know that Odysseus is dressed as a beggar. His son, who is brought to the swine-herd's hut, doesn't know that his father is in the same hut as him. This is referred as dramatic since they haven't seen each other for 20 years. They finally get to see each other. Odysseus and Telemachus are very overjoyed after they find out.