View a FREE sample

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

Short Answer Questions

1. How long do Odysseus and his men stay with Circe in Book 10?

2. While Telemachus is in Lycaedaemon, what plan do the suitors devise to punish Telemachus for leaving?

3. In Book 6, what instructions does Nausicaa give her maids regarding Odysseus?

4. What does Nestor tell Telemachus about his relationship with Odysseus?

5. Athene instructs Nestor to help Telemachus on the next leg of his journey. What does he supply?

Short Essay Questions

1. In Book 17, why does Telemachus sit amongst Odysseus' old friends when he returns home?

2. Is the punishment of the slave maids in Book 22 just and reasonable?

3. Why does Telemachus take advice from Mentes, a relative stranger to him, in Book 1?

4. What does Eumaeus think will happen to the old man if he approaches the suitors for work? Why?

5. Why does Odysseus tell Polyphemus his true name?

6. Describe the behavior of the suitors at the assembly in Book 2.

7. Odysseus tells his men about the Sirens. Why doesn't he share Circe's information and advice about Scylla and Charybdis?

8. In Book 17, what more is discovered about Antinous through his actions towards the beggars?

9. How is Odysseus discovered by the maids of Phaecia?

10. Is the ending satisfying to readers? Why or why not?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The word odyssey is synonymous with journey. Explain why this is an appropriate title for the poem.

Essay Topic 2

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.

Essay Topic 3

The poem ends abruptly because there needs to be an explanation for peace. How does the ending demonstrate this society's belief in the rule of law? Without the intervention of the immortals, would the conflict continue?

(see the answer keys)

This section contains 914 words (approx. 4 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample