The Odyssey

Homer, Transl. Emily Wilson

Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | Adult

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Summary

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Books 1-4

Books 5-8

Books 9-12

Books 13-16

Books 17-20

Books 21-24

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

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Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

Though the poem is called the Odyssey, Odysseus does not appear until the fifth book. Examine why, drawing on the function of storytelling within the narrative.

Discuss the function of hospitality rules and why they matter in the Odyssey. Draw on at least three specific examples of hospitality in your discussion.

Agamemnon’s soul appears twice in the Odyssey, in Books 11 and 24. What is his function in the narrative?