Key points
The Odyssey is an An epic is a long narrative poem that celebrates heroic deeds. by Homer, an Ancient Greek poet, which was written almost 3,000 years ago. This version is a re-telling by Geraldine McCaughrean.
The Odyssey is set in the world of the Ancient Greeks where the lives of gods, men and magical monsters intertwine.
The story follows a hero, Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who is trying to return home to his family after fighting in the Trojan War. He uses his strength and cunning to defeat many challenges along the way.
Did you know?
An odyssey is a long, complicated journey full of adventures. It could be an actual voyage, or it could be an emotional, spiritual or intellectual journey.
Video
Watch the video below to learn about the plot, characters and themes in The Odyssey.
If you like like action-packed adventure stories then I've got the book for you! The Odyssey by Geraldine McCaughrean is theextraordinary tale of mythological Greek King Odysseus. It tells the story of his long and eventful journey home after winning a gruelling battle against the Trojans.
The book is a retelling of a poem written in Ancient Greece more than two thousand years ago. The journey home from Troy to Ithaca takes Odysseus ten years. Along the way he is met with huge storms and shipwrecks, a one-eyed giant, a witch who turns men into pigs and a a six-headed sea monster!
Meanwhile, back in Ithaca, Odysseus's wife Penelope has spent ten long years waiting faithfully for him to return. She has received many offers of marriage from men who believe, or hope, Odysseus will never come home. Penelope promises to chose a husband once she's completed weaving her tapestry. But she finds a way to avoid ever finishing it. She asks herself:
"What would Odysseus do if he were in my place? He wouldn't let these bullies have their own way."
The men who want to marry Penelope lose patience and demand she chooses one of them. Her son, Telemachus, suggests an archery competition to choose her husband. But there is a mystery competitor, a traveller who has returned to his homeland.
Odysseus is the King of Ithaca, a warrior and a hero. He is brave, cunning and quick witted.
Penelope is admired by many but remains faithful to Odysseus. She is courageous, clever and determined.
In The Odyssey, Geraldine McCaughrean retells an ancient story using more modern language. This is not simply a tale of adventure 鈥 behind the story are themes of separation and loyalty and the strength required to remain true to yourself.
The Odyssey is an ancient tale that contains themes that remain relevant in the modern day. It transported me to another time and place.
Plot
After ten years fighting in the Trojan War, Odysseus, King of Ithaca, begins the long journey home where his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus, are waiting for him.
Odysseus angers the sea god Poseidon by blinding his son, the cyclops Polyphemus, and Poseidon decides to take revenge and prevent Odysseus from reaching Ithaca. The goddess Athene decides to help Odysseus.
Odysseus begins his journey with 12 ships filled with men, but all the men and ships are lost along the way. They are either eaten by Polyphemus, Laestrygonian giants or the six-headed Scylla, or drowned in storms and the whirlpool Charybdis.
Odysseus also meets powerful, magical women on his journey, including the sorceress Circe who turns his men into pigs. She falls in love with Odysseus and he stays with her for a year before continuing his voyage home. He is also delayed by Calypso, a beautiful sea nymph who wants Odysseus to be her husband. She keeps him on her magical island for seven years before she is forced to release him by Zeus, ruler of the gods.
Odysseus eventually makes it home to Ithaca where he finds Penelope surrounded by greedy men who want to marry her. Disguised as an old beggar, Odysseus wins a contest for Penelope's hand by successfully hitting a near-impossible target with a bow and arrow. Then, with the help of his son Telemachus, he fights and kills all his rivals and reveals his true identity to Penelope.
After ten years, his odyssey is over. He makes offerings to Poseidon and peace is restored.
Characters
The characters in The Odyssey can be split into three groups:
Mortals
Odysseus, his family, friends and soldiers are the mortals. Mortals are human characters who can die.
Odysseus
Odysseus is the main character. He is the King of Ithaca, a hero of the Trojan War and a loving father and husband.
Odysseus is trying to return home after ten years of war. His determination and cunning get him out of many dangerous situations but he also brings danger upon himself by angering the god Poseidon and failing to communicate properly with his men so they do not trust him.
Penelope
Penelope is the Queen of Ithaca and Odysseus鈥 wife. She is devoted to Odysseus and is waiting for his return. Penelope is under pressure to marry again and must use her intelligence to come up with reasons to delay choosing a new husband.
Telemachus
Telemachus is Odysseus鈥 son. He has grown into a young man without his father.
Polites
Polites is a close friend of Odysseus.
Eurylochus
Eurylochus is one of Odysseus鈥 men. He disobeys Odysseus more than once.
Gods
The Ancient Greek gods and goddesses were believed to live in a palace in the clouds above Mount Olympus. From there, they watched over the world below.
Zeus
Zeus is the ruler of the gods. He can throw thunderbolts to punish anyone who disobeys him.
Poseidon
Poseidon is the sea god. He is angry with Odysseus for blinding his son, the cyclops Polyphemus.
Athene
Athene is the goddess of war. She loves Odysseus and tries to help him.
Helios
Helios is the sun god. He is angry when Odysseus鈥 men kill one of his precious red-backed cattle.
Hades
Hades is the god of the dead and the Underworld.
Other beings
Odysseus also meets lots of other magical beings on his journey.
Lotus-eaters: The lotus-eaters are people who feed the deadly lotus fruit to their visitors. The fruit is addictive, weakens their minds and makes them not want to leave the island.
Polyphemus: Polyphemus is the son of Poseidon and a cyclops, which is a one-eyed giant. Odysseus and his men are captured by Polyphemus. To escape, they get him drunk, blind him with a sharpened stake and cling to the underside of his sheep.
**King of Aeolia:**The King of Aeolia tries to help Odysseus by giving him a bag of winds to blow his ship home. When Eurylochus wonders what is in the bag and opens it, he sets all the winds free at the wrong moment and the ship is sent into further danger.
King Lamus of Laestrygonia: King Lamus of Laestrygonia is the king of giants who eats Odysseus鈥 men.
Circe: Circe is a sorceress with the magical ability to turn men into pigs. She loves Odysseus and tries to help him.
Teiresias: Teiresias is an Oracle, which means he can tells the future. He warns Odysseus not to kill or eat the sun god鈥檚 cattle.
The Sirens: The Sirens are women whose beautiful songs lure men to their deaths. Odysseus is so desperate to hear their songs that he plugs his men鈥檚 ears with beeswax and ties himself to the mast of his ship when they sail past them.
Scylla: Scylla is a six-headed monster who eats some of Odysseus鈥 men.
Charybdis: Charybdis is a monstrous whirlpool that destroys boats and drowns sailors.
Calypso: Calypso is a sea nymph who wants to marry Odysseus. She keeps him protected but imprisoned for seven years.
King Alcinous: King Alcinous is the rich and powerful King of Scheria. He helps Odysseus when he hears his story.
Argos: Argos is Odysseus鈥 faithful dog. He recognises his master when he returns to Ithaca, even though it has been 20 years and Odysseus is in disguise.
Activity
Themes
Themes are the main ideas that appear repeatedly in a novel. Some of the important themes in The Odyssey are:
- Fate and free will
- Heroism and resilience
- Trickery and disguise
Fate and free will
In The Odyssey, the gods interfere with human lives and their actions directly affect Odysseus. Odysseus is delayed on his journey home because he angered the god Poseidon, and the only reason he arrives home is because the goddess Athene helps him.
Odysseus is not able to control the events around him and does not have much The idea that people have the freedom to choose what they do and how they act..
Odysseus is also given predictions about his future by Teiresias which show how he is bound to his A supernatural power that some people believe controls what will happen..
What does Teiresias predict for Odysseus?
Teiresias predicts that Scylla, the six-headed monster, will eat some of Odysseus鈥 men. He says there is nothing Odysseus can do about this because "their death is appointed for that hour".
He also tells Odysseus that as long as his men do not kill or eat the sun god鈥檚 red-backed cattle, all will be well. Despite this warning, Odysseus鈥 men do eat the cattle, which results in their death.
Heroism and resilience
Odysseus is an unusual hero because he makes many mistakes. For example, if he had not shouted out his name in a fit of pride after he blinded Polyphemus, Poseidon would never have known who it was that had hurt his son and wouldn鈥檛 have been able to seek revenge.
Odysseus is not a perfect leader 鈥 he makes mistakes and his men don鈥檛 always trust him. However, he is strong, clever and he refuses to give up. His means that he does return home and is reunited with his son and wife.
Trickery and disguise
Odysseus uses his intelligence to trick and outwit his enemies. For example:
- He is able to trick Polyphemus so that he and his men can escape
- He avoids being turned into a pig by Circe
- He uses a disguise to enter his palace
- He comes up with a clever plan to outwit the other men competing to marry Penelope
Which other character uses their intelligence to trick their enemies?
Penelope is clever and cunning. She uses her intelligence to come up with a plan to delay her suitors by telling them she will choose a husband once she has finished weaving a wedding veil. At night, she secretly unpicks her weaving work, which means that it is never finished.
She also tests Odysseus to check that he truly is her husband:
After so long, I had to test you 鈥 I didn鈥檛 dare to believe my own eyes!
Language
McCaughrean uses various descriptive techniques, including A description that compares two things using the words 'like' or 'as'. and A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes something by saying it is something else. It's not actually true but it gives the reader a clearer idea of what it is like., to describe the magical beings and monsters that Odysseus encounters. For example, Polyphemus is described as:
鈥 monstrous landmass of flesh and bone, whose knuckles trailed in the dirt and whose mouth was a cave in itself. In the centre of his forehead, rimmed with rheumy lashes, gaped a single massive eye.
What does this description tell the reader about Polyphemus?
| Description | Effect |
|---|---|
| "a monstrous landmass of flesh and bone" | A landmass is a large area of land, like a continent, so this metaphor helps the reader to picture how terrifyingly big Polyphemus is. |
| "whose mouth was a cave" | This metaphor suggests how dark, deep and dangerous Polyphemus' mouth is. |
| "rimmed with rheumy lashes" | The adjective 'rheumy' means watery or snotty so suggests Polyphemus' eye is disgusting. |
| "whose knuckles trailed in the dirt" | This suggests that Polyphemus walks like an ape not a human being. |
| "gaped a single massive eye" | A gaping expression suggests open-mouthed surprise or confusion. This suggests that Polyphemus is not very clever. |
When Odysseus' boats meet the whirlpool, Charybdis, McCaughrean uses the simile "cracked like eggs against the rocky seabed" to describe their destruction.
What does this tell us about Charybdis?
The simile "cracked like eggs" suggests that Charybdis destroyed the ships easily so must be very strong and powerful.
Structure
The Odyssey begins with an ending 鈥 the war between Greece and Troy has ended and the Greeks have won.
The story is made up of a series of challenges and events that Odysseus must overcome to return home.
The novel is written in the The narrator uses third-person pronouns (he, she, they) to tell the story.. This means that, although the main story follows Odysseus and his experiences, the reader also learns about the thoughts, feelings and actions of other characters, such as Penelope, Telemachus and certain gods.
Did you know?
In the original Greek, The Odyssey by Homer is structured as 24 books, which here means chapters. It is written as an epic (long) poem and has a regular rhythm throughout, although not every line rhymes.
Activity
Context
The historical setting and time period
The Odyssey is set in the Greek islands, during the Mycenaean Bronze Age (1600BC to 1060BC). People believed that the gods watched over them and controlled the events in their lives.
This time period inspired a lot of Greek writers who saw this as a special time when people interacted with the gods, warriors were brave and heroes went on great adventures.
Many characters from The Odyssey, such as Odysseus, the Sirens and the gods, often appeared in Greek art and pottery. You can learn more about the ancient Greeks on Bitesize History.
Who wrote The Odyssey?
Homer is the name given to the author of The Iliad and The Odyssey, two An epic is a long narrative poem that celebrates heroic deeds. from Ancient Greece.
The Iliad describes the war against Troy, where the Greeks defeated the Trojans.
The Odyssey starts at the moment the Greeks set off home, triumphant but tired of war.
The Odyssey was composed around 700BC, but it is thought it was created out of older stories that had been remembered and recited for hundreds of years. It has been translated into many different languages and retold many times by famous writers.
What is an epic poem?
An epic poem is a long poem which describes in detail amazing feats and adventures of heroes from a distant past.
The word 鈥榚pic鈥 comes from the ancient Greek term 鈥榚pos鈥 which means 鈥榮tory, word, poem鈥.
While the poem is written in verse, which means it has a regular rhythm, not every line rhymes.
Did you know?
Homer is usually portrayed as a blind, bearded man but in fact, experts are not sure he was just one person. The poems may actually have been written by several people.
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