1. act Major divisions of a play

2. allusion A reference to something or someone famous

3. archetype A character that is recognizable across cultures Loyal servant, trickster, troublemaker, hero

4. aside Character says something on stage that other characters are not supposed to hear

5. Blank verse Unrhymed iambic pentameter

6. Comic relief Comedy added to lighten the mood

7. couplet Two successive liens that rhyme

8. dialogue Conversation between two or more people

9. Dramatic irony We know more than a character knows

10. epic A long poem that tells a story about a hero important to his people or nation

11. Epic hero Larger than life character, important to his people, superhuman powers

12. Epic similes Similes that go over for several lines Comparison using like, as, seems, than, as if

13. epithets Short descriptive phrases that describe a character through his qualities

14. foil Two characters that have something in common but react to things differently

15. monologue A long speech given by one character

16. prologue An introduction to a story

17. pun A comic play on words

18. scene Minor or smaller divisions of plays

19. Situational irony When something turns out the opposite of what is expected

20. soliloquy Character saying his or her thoughts aloud – usually alone on stage

21. Tragic flaw An error in judgment that brings about the character’s downfall

22. Tragic hero Someone noble who possesses a tragic flaw that causes him or her to lose everything – even his or her life

23. 1. Aelous Who is he? Wind god What did he give Odysseus? Bad winds How did Odysseus react to this gift? Kept it a secret. How did his men react? Thought it was gold and opened it What was the end result of this gift? Blown off course How does this episode characterize Odysseus? Arrogant His men?greedy

24. 2. Alcinous Who is he? King of the Phaecians How did Odysseus get to know him? Landed there after Calypso’s island What did he give Odysseus? A magic ship that took him home in three days How is Odysseus characterized in his meeting with him? Arrogant – wanted to hear a song sung about himself and the war

25. Antinous Who is he? Leader of the suitors How is he characterized? arrogant, evil, violent, greedy Who is in conflict with him? Telemachus, Penelope, and Odysseus What does he want? Penelope and the kingdom How is the conflict with him resolved? Telemachus and Odysseus kill him and all the suitors

26. Athena Who is she? Goddess on Odysseus’s side What is her disguise? Mentor to Telemachus and guide to Odysseus Who does she help and how? Telemachus become a man – be less timid. Odysseus – makes him a beggar for a surprise attack and makes her shield visible during the fight so all panic

27. 5. Calypso Who is she? Beautiful goddess What connection does she have with Odysseus? She keeps him on her island and later gives him a raft when ordered to What does she offer him? immortality What does his refusal say about Odysseus? He is loyal to his wife – loves her How long is he with her? 7 years

28. 6. Charybdis What is this? A whirlpool that sucks water down and throws it back up three times a day What effect does it have on Odysseus? Odysseus avoids it for fear of losing all his men so he goes by the Scylla and loses only six

29. 7. Circe Who is she? A witch What happens to Odysseus’s men when they are with her? Turned into pigs How does Odysseus stay free of her? Hermes gives him the moly plant to ward off her magic. What does she tell him? The obstacles he must face – Sirens, scylla, and the charybdis How long is he with her? He stays with her one year.

30. 8. Eumaeus Who is he? The swine herder How is he characterized? Loyal – willing to risk his life What does he do in the story? He helps kill the men

31. 9. Hermes What influence does he have in the story? He carries to Calypso Zeus’s orders that she must free Odysseus and gives him the moly plant to ward off Circe’s magic.

32. 10. Lotus Eaters Who are they? Peaceful people What is the effect of the lotus on men? If you eat the plant, you lose all desire to return home. Want to lay around all day.

33. 11. Penelope How does she try and trick the suitors? Sews the shroud by day and unravels it at night so she never finishes it and never has to marry. Has the contest to string the bow and shoot it through 12 axe heads which only Odysseus can do. How does she try and test the identity of Odysseus? Says that the bed has been moved and he can sleep on it in the hall – he gets angry and asks who cut the tree down revealing his true identity.

34. 12. Philoetius Who is he? The loyal cow herder What is his role in the story?Helps kill the suitors with Odysseus

35. 13. Polyphemus Who is he? One-eyed cyclopes How is he characterized? Cares not for the laws of the gods How does Odysseus show his cleverness when with him? Says his name is nobody. Gets him drunk and then stabs his eye out. Also hides under the sheep’s body to escape. How does Odysseus show his arrogance when with him? Shouts out his name as he taunts him. How does he make Odysseus’s journey difficult? Cyclopes prays to his father Poseidon to make Odysseus’s life hard.

36. 14. Scylla What is it? Sea monster with 12 legs, six necks, three rows of teeth What does it do to Odysseus’s men? Eats six of his men

37. 13. Sirens Who are they? Half women and half birds What do they do to men? Their song makes them forget to row their boat so the crash into the rocks and die. How does Odysseus deal with them? Puts beeswax in the men’s ears and he is tied to the mast so he can hear the lovely song.

38. 14. Tiresias Who is he? A blind prophet Where does he reside? Hades What does he tell Odysseus? That he must face the scyllas and the charybdis.

39. 15. Trojan War How did it start? Helen was stolen by Paris – the most beautiful woman Who was fighting? Greeks and the Trojans What was the Trojan horse? Hollow horse with Greek soldiers in inside How long did it last? 10 years How long was Odysseus’s journey home? 10 years

40. 16. Ithaca Who lives there? Odysseus How long is Odysseus gone from Ithaca? 20 years What symbolizes its decayed and forgotten state? Argos lying in a pile of dung with flies swirling around him.

41. 17. Homer Who is he? Blind poet What did he write? The Iliad and The Odyssey