1/12 The Odyssey Review

Describe at least 2 things you know about the author of The Odyssey.

Answer explanation

Homer was thought to be a blind man who orally told stories, including The Odyssey. There are rumors that he did not actually exist!

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CCSS.RL.7.4

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For the 10 years before The Odyssey begins, Odysseus and his men have been...

Answer explanation

Odysseus and his men spend 10 years fighting in the Trojan War, which the epic tale, The Iliad, is all about. The Odyssey takes place on their way home after winning the war.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.9

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What best describes Odysseus when the audience is first introduced to him?

• Sad, weepy, homesick

• Strong, brave, heroic

• Angry, hostile, violent

• Happy, joyful, elated

Answer explanation

When we first meet Odysseus, he's crying on a beach because he misses his family and home in Ithaca.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.9

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The nymph, Calypso, held Odysseus hostage for 7 years because...

• She was punishing him for messing with the gods

• He wanted to be there because he loved her

• She was in love with him

• She didn't know how to get him back to Itacha

Answer explanation

Calypso was in love with Odysseus and forced him to have a physical relationship. He just wanted to go home to his wife, Penelope.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.9

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Who tells Calypso to free Odysseus from her island?

• Zeus

• Hermes

• Athena

• Poseidon

Answer explanation

Hermes, the messenger god, delivers Zeus's message to release Odysseus. It was Athena's idea to release him, since he had been stranded there for 7 years and she thought his punishment from Poseidon should be over.

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CCSS.RL.7.4

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After Calypso helps Odysseus build a raft, he spends 21 days at sea before washing up on shore. Who helps him on this island?

• No one helps him because he looks very disheveled.

• The king, Alcinous

• The local townspeople

• The king's daughter, Nausicaa.

Answer explanation

Nausicaa and her friends were doing laundry in the water when Odysseus washes up. She gives him clothing and brings him to her father, the king.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.9

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What does the king do when he meets Odysseus?

• He hosts a party with great food, music, and sporting events

• He tells Odysseus to leave the island and shuns him for looking so ragged

• He insults Odysseus

• The king was not there when Nausicaa brought Odysseus into the palace

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CCSS.RL.11-12.9

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Why does Odysseus receive help wherever arrives, no matter how worn down he looks?

Answer explanation

The ancient Greeks believed in xenia: being kind to strangers for fear that it could be a god in disguise.

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What happens at the discus competition?

• Odysseus happily watches the villagers compete

• Odysseus is challenged to throw the discus, and he wins by a landslide

• The villagers get bored of the discus and switch to a different event

• There was no discus competition.

Answer explanation

The villagers originally made fun of Odysseus, but when he threw the discus further than they had ever seen, they knew he was more than an old beggar.

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CCSS.RL.11-12.9

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King Alcinous asks Odysseus to tell his story. He starts by explaining the Island of the Lotus Eaters. Eating the lotus flower makes it so...

• you never want to return home

• you become a cannibal

• you want to throw yourself into the sea

• you turn into a pig

Answer explanation

The lotus flowers are very similar to the field of poppies in the Wizard of Oz. They put the person in a trance so you never want to leave.

Tags

CCSS.RL.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.7.5

CCSS.RL.8.4

CCSS.RL.9-10.10

CCSS.RL.9-10.9