I took three semesters of homeric greek with the late anthony bolloch at berkeley, iliad 1, 6 and ody 1, 6, 9 not all of each book. Odysseus wanted to kill polyphemus there and then, but realized that if he killed polyphemus he and his men would have no way out of the cave. Polyphemos is the oneeyed giant son of poseidon and thoosa in greek mythology, one of the cyclopes described in homers odyssey. So when he escapes basically defeating the cyclops,he basically brags that he did such a feat by revealing his true name.
Cyclops, son of poseidon and thoosa, blinded by odysseus. Homer odyssey book 9 odysseus and the cyclops polyphemus. 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. How odysseus fooled a cyclops the great courses daily. Homers epic poem the odyssey tells the story of odysseus, greek hero of the trojan war. The men plunder the land and, carried away by greed, stay until the reinforced ranks of. Polyphemus wonders why the ram is the last one to depart instead of the first one, as he usually is. He despises odysseus for blinding his son, the cyclops polyphemus, and. Polyphemus first appeared as a savage maneating giant in the ninth book of the odyssey. Odysseus offers polyphemus some strong and undiluted wine given to him earlier on his journey.
Odysseus s narrative makes up books 9 through 12 of the odyssey. Odysseus tells polyphemus his name is nohbody so the cyclops yells that nobody is hurting him. Odysseus insisted on entering the cave to befriend the cyclope polyphemus, therefor he was the one who initially put them in danger. They return to the ship, and odysseus chooses to scream back to polyphemus one last time, so that the giant knows who actually blinded him. Odysseus responded that they were achaeans that had lost their way home, and urged the cyclops, whose name was polyphemus, to obey custom, respect the rules of the gods, and receive them generously. The odyssey books 912 summary and analysis gradesaver. The next morning, when polyphemus, blind, lets his rams out in the morning, odysseus and his men ride out with them, tucked under their bellies and using the animals as shields. All characters odysseus telemachus penelope athena zeus. Alcinous, majesty, shining among your island people, what a fine thing it is to listen to such a bard.
Ironically, poseidon is the patron of the seafaring phaeacians, who ultimately help to return odysseus to ithaca. As odysseus and his men sail away, however, odysseus again employs questionable judgment, shouting taunts at the wounded monster. In the eyes of polyphemus this morning was like any other day. In books 912 of homer s the odyssey, odysseus shows three prominent character traits. How will odysseus repay the hospitality shown by alcinous.
As the suitors are odysseuss mortal antagonists, poseidon is his divine antagonist. His maturation, especially during his trip to pylos and sparta in books 3 and 4. To whom does polyphemus pray to after odysseus leaves his isand. And i bade my comrades cast lots among them, which of them should have. The greatest contrast among the secondary characters in the odyssey is between the cyclops, that wild race of cannibalistic oneeyed giants, and the phaeacians, the civilized, hospitable folk who encourage odysseus to tell of his wanderings and who then sail him home to ithaca. Odysseus has gone down in stories and history books for his lifesaving quickwittedness. Polyphemus wakes with a shriek, and his neighbors come to see what is wrong.
Odysseus met the cyclopes and he asked him his name. I got up to see the sun rise, and then i went into the forest to find something to eat for breakfast. When he is trapped with his men in the cave, he is able to escape through cunning. Odysseus s quick thinking helps him out of some very tough situations, as when he escapes from the cave of the cyclops in book 9, or. As odysseus answered by nobody, nobody was his name. As soon as polyphemus collapses with intoxication, odysseus and a select group of his men drive the redhot staff into his eye. The next day, while polyphemus is outside pasturing his sheep, odysseus finds a wooden staff in the cave and. Also, odysseus and his men got stuck in the cave and the only way they could escape was stabing the cyclopes in the eye. Summary and analysis book 1 athena inspires the prince. The odyssey books 7 9 summary the odyssey by homer books 7 9 summary and analysis. Sailing to the northwest along the coast of the aegean sea odysseus and his fleet of twelve ships raided the ciconian people, taking much booty and plunder. Odysseus tells polyphemus that the other cyclopes have heeded poseidons warning. He proceeds to tell the phaeacians stories of his long and arduous journey since the fall of troy.
What best describes polyphemus attitude toward zeus. Which positive and negative character traits does odysseus demonstrate in. Odysseus narrative, book 9, featuring his encounter with the cyclops polyphemus, is traditionally called the cyclopeia. Polyphemus called upon his father to avenge him by ensuring that odysseus would either never make it home to ithaca or suffer greatly en route. Readers should not confuse odysseus pride in identifying himself to the phaeacian hosts with vanity. However, at the same time we are invited by the text to sympathise with the monster, and to censure odysseus for his violence. When odysseus blinds polyphemus, the cyclops cries out nobodys killing me, which persuades the other cyclops that ployphemuss unharmed. Odysseus offered polyphemus his strong wine, and polyphemus drank three bowls. Meanwhile, they are also planning to kill telemachus, his son. Unfortunately, the cyclops is the sea god poseidons son.
Odysseus prefers not to use trickery because it seems dishonest. Because poseidon is god of the sea, offending him caused numerous delays in odysseus sea voyage home. The odyssey book 9 the cyclops lyrics in this passage, odysseus and his men have just escaped the land of the lotuseaters, where they given fruit causing the crew to forget about going home. Which positive and negative character traits does odysseus demonstrate in his adventures with the cyclops. Odysseus, the reader is told, is the only greek survivor of the trojan war who. Feb 22, 2015 the polyphemus story is perhaps the most wellknown of odysseus adventures. He splits them up evenly amonst all the men, then they have a feast.
May 12, 2017 the story of odysseus and the cyclops polyphemus. Mistakes are mine, not his, but we went over this translation pretty. King of ithaca odysseus displays the essential traits of an epic hero. The odyssey by homer book 9 summary and analysis youtube. He was a greek hero, the son of anticlea and laertes, a great leader and eloquent speaker. He despises odysseus for blinding his son, the cyclops polyphemus, and constantly hampers his journey home.
They stay with aeolus, the master of the winds, who gives odysseus a leather bag containing all the winds, except the west wind, a gift that should have ensured a safe return home. He showed that he was hubris when polyphemus first finds odysseus in his cave eating his food and insists its ok because he is a guest. Odysseus is most responsible for the deaths in book 9 of the odyssey. King of ithaca, husband of penelope, and father of telemachus, former commander in the trojan war, odysseus is the flawed, beloved hero of this tale of homecoming and revenge. Odysseus s adventures with the cyclops polyphemus reveal much about the character of odysseus and the complexities he faces as he tries to return home. Books 12 books 34 books 56 books 78 book 9 books 10 11.
When polyphemus hears odysseus calling out his name, he breaks. Odysseus wants to visit the land of the cyclops to get food for his men. Drunk and unwary, the giant asks odysseus his name, promising him a guestgift if he answers. Indeed, despite his usual levelheaded decisionmaking, odysseus great character flaw is his occasional rash, emotional behavior witness his unwise taunting of polyphemus in book ix, or, as eurylokhos notes, his choice merely to see polyphemus. Odysseus smart, yet arrogant in books 9 12 of homers the odyssey, odysseus shows three prominent character traits. He gains fame through his intellect and cunning, using both to help the greek army destroy troy. Analysis this book and the next three are largely told in flashback, as odysseus fills in the details of his adventures over the past 10 years. After leaving troy, odysseus and his men sail to ismarus, which they attack and plunder. In book 9, odysseus makes a crucial mistake that causes him. How does odysseus show characteristics of an epic hero. Odysseus cares because the cyclops asked him his name before and he replied nobody to which was used strategically to make sure he had no help when he called for help and said nobody was attacking him. Which postive and negative character traits does odysseus.
Odysseus fought among the other greek heroes at troy and now struggles to return to his kingdom in ithaca. The polyphemus story is perhaps the most wellknown of odysseus adventures. List of characters in the odyssey with description and. Why is polyphemus surprised by the fulfillment of the prophecy. Learn the odyssey book 9 characters with free interactive flashcards. These are best represented by polyphemus sometimes simply called the cyclops and king alcinous. This is to help study the importaint events and characters in book 9.
I am odysseus, son of laertes, who 20 am known among men for all manner of wiles. Odysseus and a few men were captured by one named polyphemus, and, after the giant killed and ate six of his men, odysseus used his cunning to escape. 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. Books 12 books 34 books 56 books 78 book 9 books 1011. The men feel it was a foolish act because of the curse polyphemus placed on odysseus and his. The savage monster and our heros cunning escape make for an excellent story of brains triumphing over brawn.
Poseidon and odysseus are the most noticeable representatives of the theme of vengeance. Odysseus is the husband of queen penelope and the father of prince telemachus. Nov 16, 2009 63 thoughts on question wk of 1115 the odyssey book 9 alyssa s november 16, 2009 at 4. Polyphemus also known as the cyclops, the oneeyed cannibal giant who traps odysseus and a scouting party in his cave and is blinded when they escape. Odysseus character analysis in the odyssey litcharts. Third, and most important, the cyclops polyphemus was the son of poseidon. Book 9 of the odyssey from polyphemuss point of view. The story is taken from book 9 of homers the odyssey, but euripides has changed both some details of the original story and the character of odysseus. Summary and analysis book 9 in the oneeyed giants cave.
Odysseus and his crew escape, but odysseus rashly reveals his real name, and polyphemus prays to poseidon, his father, to take revenge. He also makes him open the mouth of the cave to escape. His most distinguishing trait, however, is his sharp intellect. Choose from 500 different sets of the odyssey book 9 characters flashcards on quizlet. As the giant became drunk, odysseus mentioned that his own name was. Polyphemus scoffed at odysseus s warnings and said that his kind doesnt fear zeus or any other god. Poseidon god of the sea and father of polyphemus, he seeks revenge on odysseus for blinding his son. At the island on which polyphemus, the cyclops, lives, odysseus s men try. Odysseus reveals his identity to the phaeaceans, and then begins recounting his tales from the time of his departure from troy. Though a strong and courageous warrior, he is most renowned for his cunning.
Circe, in some ways, is a double of the goddess calypso. Thence for nine days space i was borne by direful winds over the teeming. One of them, polyphemus, traps odysseus and a scouting party in his cave. What does odysseus do with all of the sheep and cheese that he stole from the cyclopes cave. Nobody, friendspolyphemus bellowed back from his cave.
In order to escape from the cave of the cyclops polyphemus, odysseus blinds the oneeyed giant book 9. In the book 9, odysseus met polyphemus, a cyclopes whose giant, one eyed, hairy man. Dec 04, 2011 two qualities of odysseus that are revealed in book 9 of the odyssey are hubris and selfish. From troy, the winds sweep him and his men to ismarus, city of the cicones. Reluctantly, odysseus tells the phaeacians the sorry tale of his wanderings. Book 11, the section describing his meeting with the spirits of the dead is known as the nekuia. Summary after identifying himself to the phaeacians at the feast, odysseus tells the story of his. In book 9 of the odyssey, odysseus and his men blind polyphemus.
The next stop is the land of the cyclops, lawless oneeyed giants. Odysseus was selfish because he risked his crews lifes just so he could see the cyclops. These are best represented by polyphemus sometimes simply called. At the end of book 9, odysseus forshadows what will happen to all his men. The men feel it was a foolish act because of the curse polyphemus placed on odysseus. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Odysseus is capable of thinking strategically, several moves ahead of the poems other characters. First, odysseus gets polyphemus drunk and then blinds him. Odysseus tells him, which means no one, and polyphemus promises to eat this nobody last of. After odysseus escapes for polyphemus, he makes sure the. Why does odysseus not kill polyphemus where he lies. Then from out the cave the mighty polyphemus answered them. Odysseus has the defining character traits of a homeric leader.
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