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A06 - Kaleidoscope

1
Epic Poem

The Odyssey
Homer

Intro
The Odyssey, is one of the greatest stories ever told. It was written by the ancient Greek poet,
Homer. He is credited with the two epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey. Homer is revered
from ancient times and his influence has lasted till date. Many works of art, literature,
sculpture, and films have been inspired by the legendary works of this Greek poet.
The given text is the first 20 lines of Book 1 (435 lines) of the epic that comprises 24
books of varying sizes.

Essay 1
1. Describe the tragedy of Odysseus.
Odysseus, the hero of Homer's epic poem The Odyssey, is king of Ithaca. He is the
son of Laertes and Anticleia, and father of Telemachus by his wife, Penelope.
According to Homer, Odysseus is a man of outstanding wisdom and shrewdness,
eloquence, resourcefulness, courage, and endurance. He accomplishes the capture of Troy by
means of the wooden horse. He is returning home after the historic Trojan war.
During the return voyage, Odysseus wanders between Troy and Ithaca almost nine
years. He first arrives at the land of the Lotus-Eaters. With great difficulty, he rescues some
of his companions from their lotos-induced lethargy. Then, Odysseus encounters and blinds
Polyphemus the Cyclops, a son of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea. Then, he escapes by
clinging to the belly of a ram.
Odysseus, then, loses 11 of his 12 ships to the cannibalistic Laistrygones and reaches
the island of the enchantress Circe. There, he has to rescue some of his companions whom
she had turned into swine. Next, he visits the Land of Departed Spirits, where he speaks to
the spirit of Agamemnon and learns from the Theban seer Tiresias how he can expiate
Poseidon's wrath.
Then, Odysseus encounters the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, and the Cattle of the
Sun. His companions, despite warnings, plunder the cattle for food. He alone survives the
ensuing storm and reaches the idyllic island of the nymph Calypso. After almost nine years,
Odysseus finally leaves Calypso and arrives in Ithaca.

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Short Answer
Answer the following questions in two or three sentences:

1. Whom does the narrator of The Odyssey invoke in order to inspire him to tell the story?
The narrator of The Odyssey invokes the divine Muse of epic poetry in order to
inspire and guide him to tell the story.

2. Why won't Calypso let Odysseus leave the island of Ogygia?

Calypso, the goddess, won’t let Odysseus leave the island of Ogygia because she
wanted Odysseus to be her husband.

3. What does Athena predict for Odysseus?

Athena predicts that Odysseus is still alive and that he will soon return to Ithaca.

4. What is the reason that Poseidon did not pity Odysseus?

Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, did not pity Odysseus because the latter blinded
his giant son, Polyphemus. Another reason is that Odysseus fought for the Greeks in the
Trojan war, while Poseidon favoured the Trojans.

Paragraph
II. Answer the following in a paragraph:

1. Write a paragraph on Odysseus's life before reaching Ithaca.

Before reaching Ithaca, Odysseus is held captive by a nymph, Calypso. Odysseus and
his crew are laden with experience and have undergone various trials and tribulations.
Athena, the Greek goddess of war, comes to his rescue and favours him. Zeus spares
Odysseus from the wrath of Sea-God Poseidon. Athena predicts that Odysseus is still alive
and that he will soon return to Ithaca. She tells Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, to see if his
father is still alive. The news brings relief to both Penelope and Telemachus who are
tormented by the suitors of Penelope. Athena suggests that Telemachus should avenge his
father by killing the suitors who dishonour the state.

2. What happened to all the companions of Odysseus after the destruction?

Tiresias instructs Odysseus not to touch the cattle of Helios, but Eurylochus persuades
the hungry and mutinous crew to kill and eat some of the god’s cattle. He says that it is better
to die from the wrath of gods than to die of hunger. As punishment, Odysseus’ ship is
destroyed. All of his crew, including Eurylochus, are killed in a storm sent by Zeus. Six of his
companions are killed by Scylla. The rest are killed by a thunderbolt that destroys the ship
because they ate Helios’s cattle.

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3. Why did all Gods pity Odysseus?

At a divine council on Mount Olympus, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, pleads with
her father, Zeus, to take pity on Odysseus and allow him to return home. It is Odysseus’
undying loyalty to his wife that causes Athena to take pity upon him. She calls him a “poor
mournful man”, and helps him to fulfil his steadfast desire to return home. Odysseus is also a
loyal worshipper. He shows her respect and makes sacrifices to her when she shows him
kindness. Like many Greek heroes, he understands the importance of having a patron god on
his side. Zeus spares Odysseus from the wrath of the sea god, Poseidon.

4. Write a note on the opening lines of The Odyssey.

The Odyssey begins with an invocation to the Muse of the epic poetry. The poet is a
vessel for the goddess's song. A combination of human error and divine will has delayed
Odysseus's and his crew's homecoming. Athena favors Odysseus, for some reason, and has
made it her mission to ensure his safe return. Odysseus's fate hangs on Zeus's decision. At a
divine council on Mount Olympus, Athena, the goddess of wisdom, pleads with her father,
Zeus, to take pity on Odysseus and allow him to return home. Zeus spares Odysseus from the
wrath of the sea god, Poseidon. He also sends a messenger to order Calypso to release
Odysseus from captivity: here, the gods interfere directly with Odysseus's life.

Prepared by:
Prof. MURUKAN BABU C.R.
(formerly) Associate Professor of English
Panampilly Memorial Govt. College
Chalakudy

email: mbabucr@gmail.com

https://www.youtube.com/@MurukanBabu