The Odyssey
Odysseus's Journey
#1: Troy- Illium
This is the first place Odysseus goes when he journeys from home. He is in Troy fighting the Trojan War.
#2: Ismarus- Circones
The next place Odysseus travels to after Troy. He is with his men on the ship and they sacked the city of Circones.
#3: Lotus-Eaters
Odysseus's next stop after sailing from Circones. His men are on the island and eat the fruit of the Lotus-eaters. This causes them to not want to leave the island, but Odysseus makes them leave.
#4: Polythemus
Polythemus (the cyclops) is offended by Odysseus because he shows up uninvited to his house. Odysseus blinds the cyclops and tricks him, but later tells him his name out of pride.
#5: The Underworld
Odysseus goes to the Underworld to find out information. He talks to Elepenor, Tiresias, Anticlea, Agamemnon, Achilles, and Ajax.
#6: The Sirens
Odysseus goes back to Circe's island and he is warned about the Sirens, so he knew to put bees wax in his ears to prevent from hearing the Sirens. Since Odysseus wants to hear the Sirens, he has his men tie him to the ship so that he can't get off the boat.
#7: Scylla/Charybdis
While Odysseus and his men are sailing they come across the Scylla Charybdis and a whirlpool on each side of the ship. It puts them in danger, and six of his men are eaten by the Scylla and Charybdis.
#8: Helios Island
Odysseus and the rest of his men go to Helios island and while Odysseus is asleep, his men kill the cattle. This is where he looses the rest of his men because Zeus killed them as a punishment.
#9 : Odysseus returns home
When Odysseus makes it home, he isn't recognized by anyone and is treated with great disrespect like a beggar. He kills all of the suitors with the help of his son, Telemachus.
Here is a picture that shows Odysseus's journey: http://celgallery.blogspot.com :
The Main Characters
Odysseus
King of Ithaca
Telemachus
Odysseus's son
Penelope
Odysseus's wife, Telemachus's mother
Athena
Goddess of Wisdom, skills, and warfare
Antinous
Leader of the suitors
Polyphemus
The Cyclops that imprisoned Odysseus
Themes
-Marital Fidelity: Penelope stays faithful to Odysseus after all of the years that he was away
-Honor: This is one of the main themes throughout the story (Odysseus was usually welcomed with gifts)
-Hospitality: Many different hosts throughout the story were very welcoming and offered their guests gifts
-Human will Vs. Divine Will: Even though the gods tried to make things happen, they didn't always succeed because the humans have some control.
Literary Devices
-Epic simile: an extended figurative end scattered throughout the Odyssey
-Epithet: short two to three phrases that are used repeatedly to describe a character
-Kenning: similar to epithets but replace the noun itself