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English 9 Honors
Literature: The Odyssey – Epic Poem by Homer
Historical Background (page 1040A and 1040B)
1. When were the Mycenaeans the dominant force in the Greek world?
2. On the map of ancient Greece, locate each of the following: CRETE, ITHACA,
MYCENAE, and TROY.
a. Which is the easternmost?
b. Which is the southernmost?
c. Which is the westernmost?
The Epic Form (page 1040F)
“Wow! That was EPIC!” When we say that something is EPIC, we typically mean
that it is majestic, impressively great, and/or of huge size. We also use EPIC to define
a long story told on a grand scale. During the Easter season, you may have watched
a classic Hollywood Biblical epic such as The Ten Commandments. Examples of more
recent epics include The Lord of the Rings and the Harry Potter saga (told over the
course of seven novels).
3. Write the textbook’s definitions of each term: EPIC EPIC HERO
4. What are the five typical traits (characteristics) of the epic hero?
(FOR DISCUSSION IN CLASS: Do you see the same traits in modern heroes of movies,
literature, or TV? Can you offer any examples? )
5. “Starting the story in media res…” What does this mean – and what effect does it
achieve?
6. a) What is an EPITHET?
b) What two examples of epithets does the text provide (both referring to
Odysseus)?
c) Answer if you can: By what epithets are Superman and Batman known?
7. What is an EPIC SIMILE – and what functions did it serve?
8. Vocabulary Words (page 1042)
Write each word, its part of speech, its definition, and the sample sentence provided
by the text for each word.
PLUNDERED
DISPATCHED
ASSUAGE
BEREFT
ARDOR
INSIDIOUS
English 9 Honors
Literature: The Odyssey – Epic Poem by Homer
Background for the Story: The Trojan War (page 1043)
9. In what way can The Odyssey be viewed as a sequel to The Iliad ? (Look at the
italicized sentence just beneath “The Trojan War” at the top of the page.)
10. According to Greek myth, how did Eris, the goddess of strife (disharmony), set in
motion the events that led to the war between Greece and Troy?
11. a) What did each of the three main goddesses – Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite –
offer to Paris, the son of the king of Troy, as bribes?
b) When Paris met Helen, of what city was she the queen – and what was her
husband’s name?
12. Why did all of the Greek rulers join with Agamemnon and set sail to battle Troy?
13. a) What obstacle kept the Greeks from being able to defeat Troy for ten years?
b) How did the Greeks eventually overcome that obstacle?
14. Look again at your answer to question 4. Which ONE of those traits seems to
best characterize Odysseus?
15. Although the Greeks did win the War at Troy, the gods made the voyage home
difficult for many of the Greek warriors. Why? (Which act in particular seems to
be one that would have greatly angered the gods?)
16. CHARACTERS (page 1046)
Write down each name AND the brief description given for each character.
ALCINOUS
TIRESIAS
ODYSSEUS
POSEIDON
TELEMACHUS PENELOPE
ATHENA
LAERTES