The story begins ten years after the end of the trojan war, the subject of the iliad. As the two men approach the castle, eumaeus warns odysseusthebeggar that someone might hit or mock him just for the fun of it, and odysseus replies that he can withstand any humiliation after his years of wandering. Home english literature classic books the odyssey book xxiv navigate here introduction book i book ii book iii book iv book v book vi book vii book viii book ix book x book xi book xii book xiii book xiv book xv book xvi book xvii book xviii book xix book xx book xxi book xxii book xxiii book xxiv. Telemachus instead tells her to make a sacrifice to the gods to help them with their revenge. The suitors, horrified, plead for mercy, blame antinous for their wrongdoings, and offer to repay all they have stolen. Homer opens the odyssey with an invocation to the muse of epic poetry and asks for her guidance in telling the story of a man who has experienced many twists and turns of fate and has suffered many hardships. This lesson will summarize book 1 of homers ancient epic poem the odyssey. Book i athena inspires the prince sing to me of the man, muse, the man of twists and turns driven time and again off course, once he had plundered the hallowed heights of troy. The trojan war is over, but odysseus still has not made his way home. Chapter summary for homers the odyssey, book 2 summary. Numerous suitors mill about the castle, hoping to win the hand of penelope, odysseuss beautiful wife.
Home english literature classic books the odyssey book xiv navigate here introduction book i book ii book iii book iv book v book vi book vii book viii book ix book x book xi book xii book xiii book xiv book xv book xvi book xvii book xviii book xix book xx book xxi book xxii book xxiii book xxiv. It also describes the insolence of the young nobles in ithaca led by antinous and eurymachus who, in the absence of odysseus, live. However, zeus warns that odysseuss journey home will not be easy. The odyssey study guide contains a biography of homer, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Find summaries for every chapter, including a the odyssey chapter summary chart to help you understand the book. Next section books 1720 summary and analysis previous section books 912 summary and analysis buy study. Plato on rhetoric and poetry stanford encyclopedia of.
Summary and analysis book 2 telemachus sets sail summary when the assembly gathers the next day, wise old aegyptius points out that the group has not met in session since king odysseus left for the trojan war some 20 years before. Find summaries for every chapter, including a the odyssey chapter summary chart to help. The poet invokes the muse to help him tell the story of odysseus. Circe is helpful once more, providing supplies and warnings about the journey t book 12. Telemachus excuses himself from eumaeus to see his mother, and instructs him to lead odysseus to town so he can beg. With newborn day to gladden mortal sight, and gild the courts of heaven with sacred light. He angrily notices the maidservants as they sneak out to meet their lovers among t.
Master and dog recognize each other right away, but at. Telemachus leaves odysseus at eumaeuss hut and heads to his palace, where he receives a tearful welcome from penelope and the nurse. Home english literature classic books the odyssey book xv navigate here introduction book i book ii book iii book iv book v book vi book vii book viii book ix book x book xi book xii book xiii book xiv book xv book xvi book xvii book xviii book xix book xx book xxi book xxii book xxiii book xxiv. A rude beggar named arnaeus irus for short wanders into the palace. All of the greek heroes except odysseus have returned home. Penelope gets odysseuss bow out of the storeroom and announces that she will marry the suitor who can string it and then shoot an arrow. The suitors agree to stop plotting to kill telemachus, but while they feast they continue to make fun of. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 book 10 book 11 book 12 book book 14 book 15 book 16 book 17 book 18 book 19 book 20 book 21 book 22 book 23 book 24 themes all themes fate, the gods, and free will piety, customs, and justice cunning, disguise, and selfrestraint memory and grief glory and honor.
We learn that poseidon, god of the sea, holds a grudge though we dont know exactly why against odysseus and is making the guys voyage home a pretty difficult one. The king kicks the table and scatters the food on the floor, and the food mingles with antinouss blood. Find a summary of this and each chapter of the odyssey. The odyssey books 1617 quiz the odyssey books 1820 summary the odyssey books 2122 summary the odyssey summary the odyssey quotes the odyssey important characters the odyssey quiz literature literature summaries homer facts. The odyssey by homer books 1920 summary and analysis.
However, the war ended 20 years earlier and odysseus still hasnt returned back to his home. The name of this chapter book is portents gather, and it is aptly named. The difference here is that the challenge in the odyssey requires less magic and more skill and physical strength. Other motifs are the disguise of the hero, the battle for the bride, revenge upon interlopers, maturation of the heir apparent, and restoration of a king to his rightful reign. She was, as christopher marlowe would write more than 2,000 years after the creation of the odyssey. Athena cloaks odysseus and telemachus in darkness so that no one will see them as they walk through the town.
When the suitors retire for the night, telemachus and odysseus remove the arms as planned. Penelope retrieves odysseus great bow from the storeroom and her maids bear axe heads into the main hall. The odyssey study guide, july 28, 2016, accessed april 19, 2020. Home english literature classic books the odyssey book xxii navigate here introduction book i book ii book iii book iv book v book vi book vii book viii book ix book x book xi book xii book xiii book xiv book xv book xvi book xvii book xviii book xix book xx book xxi book xxii book xxiii book xxiv. Homers epic poem the odyssey tells the story of odysseus, greek hero of the trojan war, and his adventures at sea during his travel home. As they speak, odysseus notices an old dog lying neglected in the dust and dung. The odyssey begins on the island of ithaca, in the castle of odysseus, a great hero of the trojan war. At the manor, penelope tearfully embraces her son and asks what news he learned. The odyssey books 1720 summary and analysis gradesaver. He reveals himself to be the longabsent king of ithaca. The odyssey books 2124 summary and analysis gradesaver. He insults odysseusthebeggar when they meet on the grounds, and antinous decides to pit them against each other so that the suitors can enjoy the fight.
He is being held captive on the island ogygia by the. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the odyssey and what it means. Athena is also reminded that she must continue aiding telemachus in his journey home, particularly when it comes. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Remote work advice from the largest allremote company. Their plans are underway, but odysseus worries about the coming fight with the suitors. Athena once again asks zeus to assist odysseus, and zeus decides to send hermes to help him break free of his captivity by the lustrous calypso. Summary odysseus spends a restless night worrying about the impending battle. Odysseus shoots antinous through the throat just as the suitor is about to take a sip of wine. Check out part ii of homers the odyssey video sparknote. Odysseus, the reader is told, is the only greek survivor of the trojan war who has not yet returned home or died trying. The odyssey books 16 summary and analysis gradesaver.
He meets up with the fugitive theoklymenos in town and brings him home, where they. Home english literature classic books the odyssey book xxiii navigate here introduction book i book ii book iii book iv book v book vi book vii book viii book ix book x book xi book xii book xiii book xiv book xv book xvi book xvii book xviii book xix book xx book xxi book xxii book xxiii book xxiv. Homers simile in describing the tearful reunion of odysseus and telemachus cries burst from both as keen and fluttering as those of the great taloned hawk 2578 recalls the symbolic association odysseus had with a hawk in book xv. By the time homers audience encounters odyssey 23, odysseus has revealed his identity to his son. Ion is depicted as superb at making the iliad and odyssey. Odysseusthebeggar pulls up his rags to reveal a powerfullooking body, and irus is filled with fear. The odyssey by homer book 1 summary and analysis youtube. What is the importance of odysseuss bed in homers odyssey. Quick and easy odyssey synopsis, analysis, and discussion of major characters and themes in the epic poem. Athena travels to sparta, where she finds telemachus and pisistratus, nestors son.
Summary true to his word, odysseus returns to aeaea for elpenors funeral rites. Book 1 the first book informs the reader of the imprisonment of odysseus on calypsos island, ogygia, in the tenth year after the trojan war. Homers epic poem the odyssey tells the story of odysseus, greek hero of the trojan war, and his. Home english literature classic books the odyssey book xxi navigate here introduction book i book ii book iii book iv book v book vi book vii book viii book ix book x book xi book xii book xiii book xiv book xv book xvi book xvii book xviii book xix book xx book xxi book xxii book xxiii book xxiv. The saffron morn, with early blushes spread, now rose refulgent from tithonus bed.
1409 1518 1559 706 1107 587 584 540 587 650 783 1222 487 32 57 1195 590 612 1194 1326 1581 814 1139 385 220 1426 1495 522 1642 1147 652 1588 526 811 846 443 1293 1211 1260 218 1489 299 250 787 876 1052 75