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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who was it that first suggested Penelope and Telemachus should come back to Aiaia?

2. What does Circe name her son?

3. What does Telemachus do on his and Circe's travels in Chapter 26?

4. Who comes back to Aiaia with Telegonus after he leaves Ithaca?

5. What does the name Scylla mean?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is Circe's most significant act of transformation, which she preforms on herself in Chapter 27, meant to achieve?

2. Who does Telegonus bring back to Aiaia with him after visiting Ithaca?

3. In Chapter 24, what does Telegonus tell Circe he is surprised about having to do with her protective spell on Aiaia that keeps the gods out?

4. What happens to Telegonus on Ithaca?

5. Who is Odysseus's patron and why does she turn her back on him?

6. What does Penelope teach Telegonus to do that he had never been able to do before?

7. In Chapter 22, what does Telemachus tell Circe he and his mother, Penelope, had to endure while Odysseus was away at the wars?

8. How does Circe keep Telemachus safe as they face Scylla?

9. What happens to Circe during her pregnancy in Chapter 18?

10. What kind of a disposition does Circe's baby, Telegonus, have as an infant?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Circe speaks, in her first-person narration, of her own recklessness as the novel progresses. Choose two or three instances in which Circe takes risks or engages in what she herself cites as reckless behavior and write an essay about her motivations and the results of her actions.

Essay Topic 2

Write an essay analyzing the sources of the difficulties and tensions that arise between Circe and her son Telegonus as Circe raises him in exile with her on Aiaia.

Essay Topic 3

Why does Circe try to convince Medea to separate herself from Jason, and what does Medea's reaction to Circe's entreaties reveal about women's place in society at that time, even if they were deities? Write an essay explaining your answer, drawing on specific references from the text for support.

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 620 words (approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample