Product Description

The original CliffsNotes study guides offer expert commentary on major themes, plots, characters, literary devices, and historical background. The latest generation of titles in this series also feature glossaries and visual elements that complement the classic, familiar format.

In CliffsNotes on The Odyssey, you follow along on Homer's grand adventure. This epic poem unfurls the story of Odysseus' triumph over Troy and arduous journey home to reclaim his kingdom. At 2,500 years old, it is one of the finest books ever written; as poetry, it sets the standard for comparison; and it serves as one of the foundations of the Western world's cultural heritage.

This study guide carries you along on Odysseus' journey by providing summaries and critical analyses of each book. You'll also explore the life and background of the epic, Homer, and gain insight into the Homeric Question. Other features that help you study include

• Character analyses of major players
• A character map that graphically illustrates the relationships among the characters
• Critical essays on the literary devices and major symbols of The Odyssey
• A review section that tests your knowledge
• A Resource Center full of books, articles, films, and Internet sites

Classic literature or modern modern-day treasure — you'll understand it all with expert information and insight from CliffsNotes study guides.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #30361 in Books
• Published on: 2000-06-05
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 112 pages

From the Back Cover
39 New and Revised Titles. The Best Just Got Better! Plus Glossary from Webster's New World^™ Dictionary Anthem Atlas Shrugged Beowulf Brave New World The Canterbury Tales The Catcher in the Rye The Contender The Crucible The Fountainhead Frankenstein The Grapes of Wrath Great Expectations The Great Gatsby Hamlet Heart of Darkness and The Secret Sharer Huckleberry Finn The Iliad Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl Inherit the Wind Jane Eyre Julius Caesar The Killer Angels King Lear The Lord of the Flies Macbeth 1984 The Odyssey The Oedipus Trilogy The Once and Future King Othello The Outsiders Pride and Prejudice The Red Badge of Courage Romeo and Juliet The Scarlet Letter A Separate Peace A Tale of Two Cities To Kill a Mockingbird Wuthering Heights See inside for the complete line-up of available CliffsNotes! Check Out the All-New CliffsNotes Guides To AOL^®, iMacs^™, eBay^®, Windows^® 98, Investing, Creating Web Pages, and more! More Than Notes! CliffsComplete^™ CliffsTestPrep^™ CliffsQuickReview^™ CliffsAP^™ Over 300 CliffsNotes Available @ cliffsnotes.com Downloadable 24 hours a day Free daily e-mail newsletters Free tips, tricks, and trivia Free online CliffsNotes catalog Free self-assessment tools Freeware and shareware downloads

About the Author
Stanley P. Baldwin is a writer and teacher living in Nebraska.

Customer Reviews

Nothing Special...
Most people I know have to read the book at some time in high school or college; this cliffs note guide offers generally the same type of review information you could find for free online, though of course its trim paperback format makes it a more convenient, portable size for flipping through and taking notes in while in a line or a waiting room. I got it for free or a sale (it's been awhile) with the book The Odyssey itself but didn't find it to be a particularly helpful companion to the book. I'd suggest just taking notes as you read and useing them.

The Odyssey
If you are in a hurry to complete your report, it will help you so. But don't forget to read the entire book as soon as you can.

Surprisingly thorough
The important details of every Book are explained and analyzed, not very much in-depth but deeply enough to give a basic understanding of what's going on, why, and how it might be interpreted. I had read the Odyssey twice in the past (and remembered almost nothing), so this was a great way to refresh my memory without having to read the epic for the third time for a course.

It is not intended to replace reading the actual epic, but it does help make it more accessible to all. Good work.