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Part I ODYSSEY and Epic Information

Total questions: 16

Worksheet time: 8mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is elevated style, AND why do epic poets use it?

a)

more sophisticated vocabulary/because they knew nothing else

b)

more sophisticated vocabulary/because they were writing about serious subjects

c)

language related to the region of the epic's setting/so more people would understand it

d)

language children could understand/so more people would understand it.

2.

What does an epic hero NOT need to succeed?

a)

a faithful wife

b)

strength

c)

courage

d)

cunning

3.

Who occasionally intervenes either to simplify or to complicate the hero's life?

a)

the temptress

b)

his wife

c)

god/goddesses

d)

villain

4.

Why does the poet begin IN MEDIAS RES?

a)

to make the epic abnormally complicated

b)

to confuse the characters

c)

to capture the audience's attention

d)

to show off his story-telling skills

5.

Why does the epic poet invoke a muse? **TWO ANSWERS**

a)

to give him inspiration

b)

to prevent him from getting off-track

c)

to show that he is god-like

d)

to have someone to blame for mistakes

6.

Who is "Nohbody"?

a)

the Cyclops

b)

Odysseus

c)

one of Odysseus's men

d)

Poseidon

7.

With what does the Odyssey begin? **TWO ANSWERS**

a)

IN MEDIAS RES

b)

an invocation to a muse

c)

the villein's curse

d)

the appearance of a god or goddess

8.

How might we describe the Cyclops as a host?

a)

cruel and harsh

b)

uncaring and detached

c)

welcoming and warm

d)

kind and sensitive

9.

Who is upset with Odysseus?

a)

Poseidon

b)

Athena

c)

the first mate of his ship

d)

his wife

10.

Even though Polyphemus had been warned about Odysseus, he said he did not expect Odysseus to so

a)

so small

b)

so clever

c)

so strong

d)

with so many others

11.

The lotus flower is dangerous because it make those who eat it do everything BUT

a)

fall asleep

b)

lose inner will

c)

forget whom they are

d)

want more lotus flower

12.

Polyphemus' attitude toward Odysseus is best described as

a)

fearful

b)

pitying

c)

scornful

d)

admiring

13.

Odysseus tells the Phaecians that he is know for being

a)

crafty

b)

optimistic

c)

honest

d)

devoted to the gods

14.

As Odysseus' men row out to sea after escaping Polyphemus, they are again endangered by the fact that Odysseus

a)

has them rowing too slowly

b)

will not leave silently

c)

hurries the departure

d)

goes in the wrong direction

15.

The other Cyclopes do not come to Polyphemus' aid because

a)

they cannot hear him

b)

cannot move the doorway stone

c)

fear Odysseus

d)

they think that nobody is bothering him

16.

What makes the gods so concerned about Odysseus?

a)

he never learns from his mistakes

b)

he has not been faithful to his wife

c)

he drinks too much

d)

he has made Poseidon angry