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Study Questions-Homer's Odyssey, Book 9

1. The Epic of Gilgamesh was narrated in the third person (he went, she said, etc.) whereas Book 9 of The Odyssey is narrated in the first person, in Odysseus' voice (I went, I saw). Why do you suppose Homer decided to have Odysseus tell his own tale? What is the effect of such a decision on the way the reader receives the story?

2. The scene of Book 9 is set in a festive atmosphere; a singer has been singing and people have been enjoying wine and a feast. Why does Odysseus then come in and tell a mournful tale of sufferings? Why spoil the party?

3. What kind of a narrator is Odysseus? How does he present his tale? Himself? Would you call him reliable or unreliable?

4. As far as you can tell, what is the attitude toward women in this epic?

5. In line 52 and in other places throughout his narration Odysseus attributes misfortune and good fortune to luck from Zeus. Does Odysseus' story support his view that all good things and all misfortune come from the gods?

6. Is Odysseus a good leader?

7. Based on your reading of this book, what would you say is the nature of the relationship between the gods and humans in The Odyssey? What are the gods like? How do they act? What kind of power do they have? What are their motivations?

8. How would you compare Odysseus and Polyphemos (the cyclops)?

9. Why doesn't Odysseus listen to his men when they urge him to take what they can from Polyphemos' cave and get out quickly? This act seems particularly

starange when we consider that earlier in the book Odysseus tries to convince his men to leave the land of the Kikonians quickly for the sake of their