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The Odyssey Study Guide

by Homer

boy

The Odyssey: Infographic

Table of contents

Character Map
Odysseus Strengths and Weaknesses
Hero's Journey
Challenges

Character Map

Map characters of The Odyssey

Timeline in The Odyssey

Odysseus Strengths and Weaknesses

Main Flaws and Strengths of Odysseus and Scenes from The Odyssey

Main Flaws of Odysseus	Scenes from The Odyssey
Hubris: Excessive Pride	Odysseus revealing his name to Polyphemus and taunting him, leading to Poseidon's wrath. (Book 9)
Cunning: Dishonesty and Deceit	Odysseus disguising himself as a beggar and lying to Penelope about his identity, delaying their reunion. (Book 19)
Lack of Leadership: Indecisiveness and Timidity	Odysseus hesitating to leave Circe's island and return home, requiring his crew to intervene and motivate him. (Book 10)
Temptation: Disregard for Consequences	Odysseus succumbing to the temptation of Circe's offer to stay with her for a year, endangering his return journey. (Book 10)
Lack of Trust: Doubting and Suspecting	Odysseus doubting and suspecting the loyalty of his own wife, Penelope, leading him to test her with the bow competition. (Book 21)

Main Strengths of Odysseus	Scenes from The Odyssey
Intelligence: Quick-Witted and Resourceful	Odysseus devising a plan to blind Polyphemus and escape from his cave. (Book 9)
Bravery: Fearless and Determined	Odysseus leading his men in battles against the Cyclops, the Laestrygonians, and the suitors. (Book 9-24)
Perseverance: Enduring and Patient	Odysseus enduring years of trials and tribulations, from the Trojan War to his journey home, with the hope of returning to his family. (Throughout the book)
Loyalty: Devoted and Fidelity	Odysseus remaining faithful to his wife, Penelope, despite facing numerous temptations and obstacles. (Throughout the book)
Adaptability: Flexible and Versatile	Odysseus adapting to various situations and environments, from disguising himself as a beggar to infiltrating the suitors' palace. (Throughout the book)

Hero's Journey

Stage of Hero's Journey	Description	Example from The Odyssey
1. The Ordinary World	The hero's normal life before the adventure	Odysseus lives in Ithaca with his wife and son, ruling over his kingdom
2. The Call to Adventure	The hero is presented with a challenge or adventure	Odysseus is called to fight in the Trojan War
3. Refusal of the Call	The hero is reluctant to accept the challenge	Odysseus feigns madness to avoid fighting in the war, but is eventually exposed and joins the fight
4. Meeting the Mentor	The hero encounters a wise figure who gives guidance	Athena, the goddess of wisdom, frequently appears to Odysseus and advises him
5. Crossing the Threshold	The hero enters a new world or environment	Odysseus sets sail on his journey home, leaving behind the war and the safety of his kingdom
6. Tests, Allies, and Enemies	The hero faces challenges, meets new friends and enemies	Odysseus encounters many challenges and meets allies such as Circe and Athena, as well as enemies such as the Cyclops and Poseidon
7. Approach to the Inmost Cave	The hero approaches a significant challenge or obstacle	Odysseus approaches the challenge of returning home and facing the suitors who have taken over his kingdom
8. Ordeal	The hero faces a major obstacle or challenge, often life-threatening	Odysseus faces many life-threatening challenges such as the battles with the Cyclops and the suitors
9. Reward (Seizing the Sword)	The hero achieves the goal or receives a reward	Odysseus ultimately regains his kingdom and reunites with his family
10. The Road Back	The hero begins the journey back to the ordinary world	Odysseus sets sail with his crew to return home
11. Resurrection	The hero faces a final challenge, often a showdown with the villain	Odysseus faces a final showdown with the suitors and their leader, Antinous
12. Return with the Elixir	The hero returns to the ordinary world with something of value	Odysseus returns to his kingdom and family, having gained wisdom and experience on his journey

Challenges

Challenge	Overview of how Odysseus overcame it
Polyphemus the Cyclops	Odysseus blinds Polyphemus with a wooden stake and escapes with his men by clinging to the underbellies of the Cyclops' sheep.
The Island of Aeolus	Odysseus' men open the bag of winds thinking it contains treasure, causing them to be blown back to Aeolus' island. When they return, Aeolus refuses to help them again.
The Land of the Laestrygonians	Odysseus and his men are attacked by giant cannibals, and only Odysseus and a few men escape on their ship.
Circe's Island	Odysseus is able to resist the magic of Circe and eventually convinces her to turn his men back from pigs into humans.
The Underworld	Odysseus consults with Tiresias and other dead spirits to learn how to get home and what obstacles he will face.
The Sirens	Odysseus has his men plug their ears with beeswax and has himself tied to the mast so he can hear the Sirens' song without being lured to his death.
Scylla and Charybdis	Odysseus chooses to face Scylla and loses six men rather than risking losing the whole ship to Charybdis.
The Cattle of the Sun God	Against warning, Odysseus' men eat the cattle of the Sun God and are killed as punishment. Odysseus survives but faces the wrath of the gods.
Calypso's Island	Odysseus resists the temptation to stay on the island forever and instead builds a raft to escape.
Phaeacians	Odysseus tells the story of his journey to the Phaeacians, who then offer him safe passage home.
Suitors in Ithaca	Odysseus disguises himself as a beggar and, with the help of his son Telemachus, kills the suitors and restores order to his kingdom.

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