The Odyssey - Plot Summary

Odysseus, the king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Ithaca, is called to service in the Trojan War after the
birth of his son Telemachus, much to the dismay of his wife Queen Penelope. Odysseus is worried that he
may not return, and tells Penelope that she should remarry by the time Telemachus is a man if he does not
return. The war lasts ten years, during which Greece's best soldier, Achilles, is killed and the Greeks avenge
him by using a giant horse to sneak inside and destroy the city of Troy. Laocoön tries to warn the Trojans of
a vision of this, but is suddenly devoured by a sea monster. Odysseus' ego gets the best of him and he tells
the gods that he did it himself, which angers Poseidon so much that he promises to make Odysseus' journey
home to Penelope nearly impossible, mentioning that it was he who sent the sea monster to devour
Laocoön.

Odysseus and his men initially stop on an island dominated by one-eyed giants, the Cyclopes. A Cyclops
named Polyphemus traps them in his cave intending to eat them, but Odysseus gets him drunk on wine,
causing him to pass out. Then, he sharpens a tree branch into a stake and blinds the Cyclops, allowing them
to escape by hiding under sheep skins when he removes the heavy stone door. Polyphemus screams for
help, but Odysseus had tricked him into stating that his name was "Nobody", so the Cyclops is shouting that
nobody has tricked him, arousing no suspicion. Odysseus and his men escape, but Odysseus taunts the
Cyclops who asks his father Poseidon to avenge him. This makes Odysseus' journey home harder.

Odysseus travels to an island where Aeolus provides him with a bag of wind to help him home, instructing
him to open it when he gets close to Ithaca. One of his men opens it prematurely blowing them off course.
Next, they stop at the island of Circe, a beautiful witch, who turns his men into animals and blackmails him
into sleeping with her. Odysseus is told of Circe's magic by Hermes, who helps him avoid being transformed
as well. Circe tells him to go to the Underworld next, and only then does Odysseus realize that he has
actually been tricked by Circe, who put a spell on him so he stayed on the island for five years instead of five
days. Odysseus digs his ship out of the sand and tide and sails to the Underworld.

Arriving at the Underworld, Tiresias torments Odysseus, recognizing his courage and wit, but Tiresias
criticizes his ego and foolishness. After Odysseus sacrifices a goat into the River Styx, Tiresias tells him that
the only way home will take him past a treacherous isle where Scylla and Charybdis live. As he is running in
terror from the underworld, he meets his mother Anticlea , who committed suicide due to the pain of losing
her son. She informs him that back on Ithaca there are multiple suitors, including Eurymachus ,vying with
each other to marry Penelope for her money and power.

Odysseus' boat nears the isle of Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla's six serpentine heads wreak havoc on the
crew, killing many. Everyone but Odysseus is killed when Charybdis creates a whirlpool and destroys his
ship. Odysseus arrives on the island where the goddess Calypso lives and becomes her prisoner.
Meanwhile, Odysseus' now 15-year-old son Telemachus tries to find his father and is told by Athena to travel
to Sparta and seek out one of his former comrades that fought with him. When Telemachus finds Menelaus,
one of Odysseus' comrades, he learns that Menelaus doesn't know what happened to Odysseus but
believes him to be dead.

Two years later, Hermes arrives, telling Calypso to release Odysseus, and she provides him with a raft to get
to Ithaca. Another storm causes problems for Odysseus as he calls out to Poseidon, who reminds Odysseus
about what he said the day he left Troy, and to remember his place as a mere mortal. The next morning,
Odysseus washes ashore and is found by some Phaeacians girls. With help from Phaeacian King Alcinous,
they help Odysseus back to Ithaca. They deliver him at night while he is fast asleep, to a hidden harbor on
Ithaca. Upon awakening the next morning, he finds himself on Ithaca where is reunited with Telemachus.
Using a peasant disguise provided by Athena, Odysseus meets up with Penelope where she decides to hold
a contest to find the person who can string Odysseus' bow. After Odysseus wins the contest, Athena lifts his
disguise and Odysseus is assisted by Telemachus in slaying Eurymachus and the suitors. Once the suitors
are dead, Odysseus is finally reunited with Penelope.
 The Odyssey - Plot Summary

Odysseus, the king of the ancient Greek kingdom of Ithaca, is called to service in the Trojan War after the
birth of his son Telemachus, much to the dismay of his wife Queen Penelope. Odysseus is worried that he
may not return, and tells Penelope that she should remarry by the time Telemachus is a man if he does not
return. The war lasts ten years, during which Greece's best soldier, Achilles, is killed and the Greeks avenge
him by using a giant horse to sneak inside and destroy the city of Troy. Laocoön tries to warn the Trojans of
a vision of this, but is suddenly devoured by a sea monster. Odysseus' ego gets the best of him and he tells
the gods that he did it himself, which angers Poseidon so much that he promises to make Odysseus' journey
home to Penelope nearly impossible, mentioning that it was he who sent the sea monster to devour
Laocoön.

Odysseus and his men initially stop on an island dominated by one-eyed giants, the Cyclopes. A Cyclops
named Polyphemus traps them in his cave intending to eat them, but Odysseus gets him drunk on wine,
causing him to pass out. Then, he sharpens a tree branch into a stake and blinds the Cyclops, allowing them
to escape by hiding under sheep skins when he removes the heavy stone door. Polyphemus screams for
help, but Odysseus had tricked him into stating that his name was "Nobody", so the Cyclops is shouting that
nobody has tricked him, arousing no suspicion. Odysseus and his men escape, but Odysseus taunts the
Cyclops who asks his father Poseidon to avenge him. This makes Odysseus' journey home harder.

Odysseus travels to an island where Aeolus provides him with a bag of wind to help him home, instructing
him to open it when he gets close to Ithaca. One of his men opens it prematurely blowing them off course.
Next, they stop at the island of Circe, a beautiful witch, who turns his men into animals and blackmails him
into sleeping with her. Odysseus is told of Circe's magic by Hermes, who helps him avoid being transformed
as well. Circe tells him to go to the Underworld next, and only then does Odysseus realize that he has
actually been tricked by Circe, who put a spell on him so he stayed on the island for five years instead of five
days. Odysseus digs his ship out of the sand and tide and sails to the Underworld.

Arriving at the Underworld, Tiresias torments Odysseus, recognizing his courage and wit, but Tiresias
criticizes his ego and foolishness. After Odysseus sacrifices a goat into the River Styx, Tiresias tells him that
the only way home will take him past a treacherous isle where Scylla and Charybdis live. As he is running in
terror from the underworld, he meets his mother Anticlea , who committed suicide due to the pain of losing
her son. She informs him that back on Ithaca there are multiple suitors, including Eurymachus ,vying with
each other to marry Penelope for her money and power.

Odysseus' boat nears the isle of Scylla and Charybdis. Scylla's six serpentine heads wreak havoc on the
crew, killing many. Everyone but Odysseus is killed when Charybdis creates a whirlpool and destroys his
ship. Odysseus arrives on the island where the goddess Calypso lives and becomes her prisoner.
Meanwhile, Odysseus' now 15-year-old son Telemachus tries to find his father and is told by Athena to travel
to Sparta and seek out one of his former comrades that fought with him. When Telemachus finds Menelaus,
one of Odysseus' comrades, he learns that Menelaus doesn't know what happened to Odysseus but
believes him to be dead.

Two years later, Hermes arrives, telling Calypso to release Odysseus, and she provides him with a raft to get
to Ithaca. Another storm causes problems for Odysseus as he calls out to Poseidon, who reminds Odysseus
about what he said the day he left Troy, and to remember his place as a mere mortal. The next morning,
Odysseus washes ashore and is found by some Phaeacians girls. With help from Phaeacian King Alcinous,
they help Odysseus back to Ithaca. They deliver him at night while he is fast asleep, to a hidden harbor on
Ithaca. Upon awakening the next morning, he finds himself on Ithaca where is reunited with Telemachus.
Using a peasant disguise provided by Athena, Odysseus meets up with Penelope where she decides to hold
a contest to find the person who can string Odysseus' bow. After Odysseus wins the contest, Athena lifts his
disguise and Odysseus is assisted by Telemachus in slaying Eurymachus and the suitors. Once the suitors
are dead, Odysseus is finally reunited with Penelope.