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What happens in Books 10 & 11 of The Odyssey?
In Book 10, Odysseus recounts how his crew preemptively opened the bag of winds Aeolus had given them, as well as their encounter with the giants. He goes on to tell of his affair with Circe and his meeting with several spirits in Hades in Book 11. Overwhelmed by the souls of the dead, Odysseus returns to his ship and sails away.
Read our Summary & Analysis of Books 10 & 11 of The Odyssey. (3-minute read)
What key characters are introduced in Books 10 & 11 of The Odyssey?
- Circe: A sea witch with whom Odysseus has a year-long affair, Circe offers aid in his quest home, including instructions on how to navigate the Underworld.
- Tiresias: Tiresias is a blind prophet whose spirit Odysseus seeks out for advice in Hades.
- Agamemnon: Agamemnon is the now-dead king of Mycenae (and Menelaus’s brother) whom Odysseus fought alongside in the Trojan War.
- Achilles: The famous Achilles was another of Odysseus’s allies in the Trojan War. Odysseus’s conversation with his ghost in Hades suggests glory, particularly in death, is not equal to a long, well-lived life.
Read our Character List descriptions for The Odyssey. (4-minute read)
Why does Odysseus travel to Hades?
When Odysseus asks Circe how he might return to Ithaca, she instructs him to sail to Hades and speak with the souls of the dead, particularly the blind prophet Tiresias. Indeed, it is Tiresias who informs Odysseus of Poseidon’s wrath.
Read more about Odysseus's journey to Hades in our Q&A section.
What key symbol is explored in Book 10 of The Odyssey?
The significance of Food as a symbol is developed in Book 10, both in Odysseus’s dealings with the cannibalistic Laestrygonians and in his refusal to dine with Circe while his men suffer.
Read explanations of quotes about the symbolism of Food in The Odyssey.
What important motif from The Odyssey is developed in Book 10?
The motif of Seductresses surfaces in Chapter 10, when Odysseus encounters Circe the sea witch, outmaneuvers her with the help of Hermes and proceeds to spend a year living on her island with her in luxury.
Read about Seductresses as a key Motif in The Odyssey. (1-minute read)
What key themes from The Odyssey are developed in Books 10 & 11?
Themes developed in this section include The Pitfalls of Temptation, as when Odysseus’s men open Aeolus’s bag of wind seeking riches and inadvertently send them all the way back to Aeolia. Tiresias’s warning to Odysseus not to be tempted to eat the cows of the sun god Helios also speaks to this theme and foreshadows the fate of Odysseus’s crew. Divine Justice comes into play as well, when Tiresias reveals to Odysseus that he is being punished by Poseidon for blinding Polyphemus.
Read about the key Themes of The Odyssey. (3-minute read)
What famous quote from The Odyssey appears in Book 11?
In Book 11, when Odysseus speaks to his fallen comrade Achilles and praises the glory he earned in his death, Achilles responds with the following sharp rebuke:
“No winning words about death to me, shining Odysseus!
By god, I’d rather slave on earth for another man—
some dirt-poor tenant farmer who scrapes to keep alive—
than rule down here over all the breathless dead.”
Read the complete quote from Book 11 and a full explanation of it. (2-minute read)
