Table of Contents
What is the summary of The Odyssey?
The Odyssey is Homer’s epic of Odysseus’ 10-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War. While Odysseus battles mystical creatures and faces the wrath of the gods, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus stave off suitors vying for Penelope’s hand and Ithaca’s throne long enough for Odysseus to return.
What was the main character trying to accomplish in Odyssey?
While The Odyssey is not told chronologically or from a single perspective, the poem is organized around a single goal: Odysseus’s return to his homeland of Ithaca, where he will defeat the rude suitors camped in his palace and reunite with his loyal wife, Penelope.
How did Odysseus try to get out of going to the Trojan War?
When the Trojan War began, Odysseus tried to avoid participating. An oracle had told him that if he went to war, he would be away for 20 years and would return a beggar. So Odysseus pretended to be mad and sowed his fields with salt instead of seeds.
What did Odysseus want to do in the Odyssey?
Like other Homeric heroes, Odysseus longs to win kleos (“glory” won through great deeds), but he also wishes to complete his nostos (“homecoming”). He enjoys his luxurious life with Calypso in an exotic land, but only to a point. Eventually, he wants to return home, even though he admits that his wife cannot compare with Calypso.
What are some character traits of Odysseus?
Odysseus has the defining character traits of a Homeric leader: strength, courage, nobility, a thirst for glory, and confidence in his authority. His most distinguishing trait, however, is his sharp intellect.
How did Odysseus win over Nausicaa in the Odyssey?
He is also a convincing, articulate speaker and can win over or manipulate his audience with ease. When he first addresses Nausicaa on the island of Scheria, for example, his suave, comforting approach quickly wins her trust.
Why did Odysseus shout his name back to Polyphemus?
Odysseus’s men row away as quickly as they can, and they appear to have almost certainly made their escape. However, Odysseus wants the hero’s glory for having bested the giant beast. He shouts his name back to shore so that whenever anyone asks Polyphemus who blinded him, the Cyclops will be able to tell them that it was Odysseus.