HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Pt. 3
Books 16-24
STUDY QUESTIONS
Telemakhos is still a child though, he can see nothing but defeat for himself if he were
to go up against the suitors. Odysseus is eager to "test" his son and find if
there might be any of the fighting spirit in him. How does Odysseus put his son to the
test? (line 16.110)
What is Telemakhos’ excuse for not fighting the suitors?
When Eumaios brings Odysseus (in tramp disguise) to the house, the suitors are quick to
level the usual criticism that is made of vagrants. What is it? (lines 17.289-291)
Who recognizes Odysseus at the house?
Homer loves to play with the irony in the fact that Odysseus comes to beg in his house as
if he owned nothing. What is the irony in Antinoos’statement in lines 490-493?
In his guise Odysseus gets to play on the conscience of the suitors. What is the point
that he makes in lines 595-600?
In lines 631-640 we can see the real lack of piety in Antinoos. When faced with the fact
that in Odysseus he may be mistreating a god in disguise- he only shrugs. What is the
irony in the idea of Odysseus being a "god in disguise"?
In lines 19.320-330, Odysseus says that he will shortly return; what is the excuse that he
gives in lines 330-340 for his long absence?
Does Odysseus really need to do some explaining for himself? Could he just assume that
Penelope would be willing to accept him back after being gone for so long?
What irony is contained in lines 19.365-368?
What irony is contained in line 19.418?
Does Penelope’s telling Odysseus of the dream make you more or less convinced that
she knows who he is?
If we assume that she doesn’t know who he is, how would we understand her setting
forth the contest on the next day?
How would we understand this event if she does know who he is?
What does the fact that Odysseus says that Odysseus will be at the contest tells us about
whether Odysseus thinks Penelope knows who he is?
In book 20, what is the concern that Odysseus voices to Athena concerning his killing of
the suitors?
In book 20, we see a man slaughter 40 nearly defenseless men in his own house. How has
Homer prepared us so that we do not come to think of Odysseus as a thug after reading this
account?
Does Odysseus "wrath" differ from that of Achilles?
Who are the only two allowed to survive the wrath of Odysseus?
Odysseus tells Telemakhos to kill the faithless maids with his sword. Why does he then go
and hang them?
Book 23
What is Penelope’s first response to Odysseus when coming to see him after he had
killed the suitors?
We have seen a number of instances of "testing" by Odysseus. Now Penelope has a
test of her own for Odysseus. Do these
tests make you think more or less of these two people? Are the tests unreasonable and
overly skeptical?