1. Book 22
The Battle

2. summary

3. Key themes ?

4. Sections
1-50
50-100

5. 1-50 Odysseus kills Antinous with an arrow to his neck
The suitors search for weapons and warn Odysseus that he is in trouble
Odysseus reveals himself and announces their imminent death
While the suitors look for refuge, Eurymachus speaks
Eurymachus blames Antinous for their crimes
How is Antinous’ death described?
How does the reader feel about Antinous’ death?
How do the other suitors react to the death of Antinous?
Why is their confusion appropriate?
What crimes does Odysseus accuse the suitors of?
How do the suitors react when they recognise Odysseus and how does this characterise him?

6. 50-100
Eurymachus asks Odysseus to spare them and offers to pay back what they have used
Odysseus says he wouldn’t accept all of their wealth and instructs them to fight or flee
Eurymachus encourages the suitors to fight but is killed by an arrow
Anphinomous attacks Odysseus but is killed by Telemachus with a spear
Is Eurymachus’ offer reasonable?
How does Odysseus’ reaction to Eurymachus’ offer characterise him?
How effectively is Eurymachus’ death described?
How does the way in which Telemachus kill Anphinomous characterise him?
How is the characterisation of Telemachus in keeping with what we have seen so far?

7.
Telemachus goes to fetch armour for himself, Odysseus, Eumaeus and Philoetius
Odysseus shoots until he has no arrows left
One of the suitors suggests sending for help but Eumaeus gauards the door
Melanthius fetches the suitors some armour to put on
What adjectives are used to describe Odysseus and his armour in this passage?
What does the introduction of the side door add to the description of the battle?
How is the treacherous Melanthius of particular use to the suitors?
How is the way in which Melanthius travels described?

8.
Odysseus sees the suitors in armour and suspects either the maids or Melanthius
Telemachus admits to leaving the store-room door open
Eumaeus sees Melanthius going back to the store-room and asks Odysseus for instructions
Odysseus commands them to bind Melanthius and lock him in the store- room
They do this
What is Odysseus reaction to the suitors armouring themselves?
How does Odysseus observation about treachery characterise him?
How does Telemachus’ admission characterise him?
Why is it appropriate that Eumaeus tackle Melanthius?
What do Eumaeus’ words to Melanthius show?

9. 200-250 Athene appears disguised as Mentor
Odysseus guesses it’s Athene and begs Mentor to help them
The suitors abuse and threaten Mentor
Enraged by the suitors, Athene encourages Odysseus to kill the suitors
Athene gives Ody and T courage then turns into a swallow and flies away
Agelaus rallies the suitors
Why does Athene choose to intervene at this point?
How do the suitor’s threats to Mentor characterise them?
What does Athene’s reaction to the suitors’ threats tell the reader about her as a character?
How persuasive is Athene’s speech to Odysseus?
Why doesn’t Athene just kill all the suitors for Odysseus?

10. 250-300 Agelaus encourages the suitors with Mentor’s disappearance
6 of the suitors throw spears but Athene makes them all miss
Odysseus orders his 4 men to throw their spears and they all hit
The suitors throw spears again and all miss (although Eumaeus is grazed in the shoulder and Telemachus on the wrist)
Odysseus men throw spears and all hit (again)
Philoetius gloats over the death of Ctesippus
How does Agelaus ‘ organisation of the suitors enhance them as a threat?
Why does Homer tell the reader who each of Odysseus’ party kills with their spears?
What is the effect of the repetition of spear throwing sequence here?
What is the significance of the ‘goodies’ being grazed the second time around?
What do Philoetius’ comments tell the reader about piety?

11. 300-350 Odysseus and Telemachus each kill a suitor at close range
Athene lifts her aegis and terrifies the suitors
The suitors scatter and are picked off one by one
Leodes beseeches Odysseus to spare his life
Odysseus refuses and beheads him
The musician Phemius debates whether to try and escape or beg for his life
Phemius begs Odysseus
How does the battle come to a climax in this passage?
What is an aegis? Why does it have such an effect on the suitors?
What is the significance of the suitors scattering?
How is the final destruction of the suitors described?
How does the reader feel about Leodes’ entreaty?
How does Odysseus’ response to Leodes characterise him?

12.
Telemachus orders Odysseus to spare Phemius and also Medon (the herald)
Medon, who had been hiding, emerges and begs at Odysseus’ feet
Odysseus spares the two men and orders them to wait outside
Odysseus looks for survivors and finds none
Odysseus asks Telemachus to fetch Eurycleia
He does
What does Odysseus’ agreement to his son’s request show about their relationship?
How is the destruction of the suitors described in this passage?
How does the reader feel in the aftermath of the battle?

13. 400-450 Eurycleia arrives to find Odysseus covered in blood
Odysseus tells Eurycleia to stop gloating and asks about the serving women
Eurycleia says 12 out of the 50 serving women are guilty and asks to wake Penelope
Odysseus asks Eurycleia not to wake Penelope but to gather the guilty maids
Odysseus commands everyone to carry out the dead the gets the maids to clean the hall
How is Odysseus described when Eurycleia sees him?
Why does Odysseus stop Eurycleia from gloating? Is there any irony in this?
How does Odysseus request of Eurycleia contradict his ideas earlier in the poem?
Why does Odysseus not want Eurycleia to wake Penelope at this point?

14. 450-501 The women clean the hall and are led out to the courtyard
Telemachus decides that the maids don’t deserve an honourable death and he hangs them
Then Melanthius is dragged from the storeroom and mutilated
Odysseus orders Eurycleia to purify the hall with sulphur and to light a fire
Eurycleia fetches the other women who are reunited with Odysseus
Why does Odysseus get the maids to clear up the hall? How does this characterise Odysseus?
Why does Telemachus choose to kill the women in the way he does? Are his actions justifiable?
How does the reader react to the death of Melanthius? Is his punishment justified?
How is the reunion between Odysseus and the women described?
How does the reader feel at the end of book 22?

15. 30 mark essay question
“All the suitors deserve what happens to them.” To what extent do you agree? [30]
You may want to consider:
The suitors’ motives
Their behaviour as a group and as individuals
The gods’ attitude to the suitors
What finally happens to the suitors