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The Odyssey

Homer

Homer ’s 8th century BCE oral narrative of a warrior’s decades-long quest to return home defines epic poetry. Together with its companion poem The Iliad, The Odyssey describes the action and aftermath of the Trojan Wars, andis the model for the heroic quest. Read a character analysis of Odysseus, plot summary, and important quotes

Summary

Read an overview of the entire poem or a line by line Summary and Analysis.

Characters

See a complete list of the characters in The Odyssey and in-depth analyses of Odysseus, Telemachus, Penelope, Athena, Calypso, and Circe.

Main Ideas

Here's where you'll find analysis about the book as a whole, from the major themes and ideas to analysis of style, tone, point of view, and more.

Quotes

Find the quotes you need to support your essay, or refresh your memory of the poem by reading these key quotes.

Further Study

Test your knowledge of The Odyssey with our quizzes and study questions, or go further with essays on context, background, and movie adaptations, plus links to the best resources around the web.

Writing Help

Get ready to write your paper on The Odyssey with our suggested essay topics, sample essays, and more.

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Study Guide

Print edition

Our study guide has summaries, insightful analyses, and everything else you need to understand The Odyssey.

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