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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. Where does Calypso find Odysseus to tell him the news of his ordered release in Book 5?

2. According to Halitherses in Book 2, how long will Odysseus be gone before he returns to his friends and family?

3. Why doesn't the other Cyclops help Polyphemus in Book 9?

4. What does Poseidon call to disrupt Odysseus' easy passage to Phaecia?

5. What does Aeolus give Odysseus in Book 10?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why does Odysseus tell Polyphemus his true name?

2. Recount the most recent part of Odysseus' story of woe, as told in Book 7.

3. Enumerate Telemachus' problem - why has he called the leaders of Ithaca together?

4. Describe Odysseus' bed.

5. What does Nestor tell Telemachus of Odysseus during Telemachus' visit in Book 3?

6. What relationship do the Phaecians have with the gods?

7. What kind of hospitality does Telemachus offer the old man in Book 16?

8. What does Hercules serves as a reminder for/about?

9. Why is Eurymachus' offer of recompense not enough for Odysseus?

10. Describe Nausicaa's character.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

As one of the first epic poems of the Western world, The Odyssey is the model from which scholars have dissected and labeled other poems that have followed. Identify the poetic conventions of the epic poem, providing examples from the text to support its use as the model.

Essay Topic 2

Even though women are afforded very little in terms of respect, if goddesses did not aid Odysseus, he would not have made it home. Reconcile the disparity between their importance to his survival and the view of women in Ancient Greece.

Essay Topic 3

The Odyssey contains a dark side; Odysseus faces many monsters, a witch, and the underworld. What do these elements symbolize and why are they important for Odysseus to experience? Use the text to support your answer.

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