The Odyssey

Gareth Hinds

49 pages 1-hour read

Gareth Hinds

The Odyssey

Fiction | Graphic Novel/Book | YA | Published in 2010

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Character List

Meet the key characters, with insights into their roles, motivations, and relationships—spoiler-free.

Major Characters

Odysseus is the ruler of Ithaca and a renowned hero of the Trojan War. He possesses immense physical strength and a brilliant strategic mind. Having been absent from his kingdom for nearly 20 years, he desperately wishes to return to his wife and son despite the numerous divine and mortal obstacles blocking his path.

Key Relationships

Wife of Penelope

Father of Telemachus

Son of Laertes

Championed by Athena

Opponent of Poseidon

Captive of Calypso

Enemy of Polyphemus

Guest of Circe

Master of Eumaeus

Master of Eurycleia

Telemachus is the only son of Odysseus and Penelope. Barely an infant when his father left for the Trojan War, he is now coming of age in a chaotic household overrun by greedy suitors. He desires to protect his father's estate but lacks the experience and confidence to drive the intruders away.

Key Relationships

Son of Odysseus

Son of Penelope

Guided by Athena

Harassed by Antinoos

Guest of Nestor

Guest of Menelaus

Penelope is the queen of Ithaca and the wife of Odysseus. She manages her chaotic household with quiet intelligence while fending off over a hundred noblemen demanding her hand in marriage. She uses clever delays to stall the men while holding out hope for her husband's return.

Key Relationships

Wife of Odysseus

Mother of Telemachus

Courted by Antinoos

Employer of Eurycleia

Athena is the Greek goddess of war and wisdom. She favors Odysseus for his strategic mind and martial prowess. Taking an active role in mortal affairs, she frequently assumes human disguises to guide both Odysseus and Telemachus on their respective journeys.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Zeus

Patron goddess of Odysseus

Divine protector of Telemachus

Opponent of Poseidon

Antinoos is the ringleader of the suitors vying for Penelope's hand in marriage. He occupies Odysseus's home, disrespecting the customs of hospitality by squandering the king's wealth. He is aggressive and views the young Telemachus as a serious threat to his ambitions.

Key Relationships

Suitor of Penelope

Rival of Telemachus

Enemy of Odysseus

Supported by Melanthius

Poseidon is the god of the sea and the father of the cyclops Polyphemus. He holds a deep grudge against Odysseus and uses his control over the ocean to violently disrupt the hero's attempts to sail back to Ithaca.

Key Relationships

Persecutor of Odysseus

Father of Polyphemus

Brother of Zeus

Opposed by Athena

Polyphemus is a gigantic, one-eyed cyclops who lives as a shepherd outside the bounds of human civilization. He ignores the sacred laws of hospitality, opting instead to trap and consume travelers who enter his cave.

Key Relationships

Son of Poseidon

Captor of Odysseus

Supporting Characters

Calypso is a beautiful goddess and nymph who keeps Odysseus stranded on her isolated island for seven years. She wishes to keep him as her permanent consort and offers him the gift of immortality, struggling to accept his preference for a mortal life with his human family.

Key Relationships

Captor and lover of Odysseus

Visited by Hermes

Circe is a dangerous but knowledgeable sorceress living on the island of Aeaea. She uses magic to transform unruly sailors into swine. After an initial confrontation, she offers Odysseus shelter, romance, and crucial advice for surviving the perils of the sea.

Key Relationships

Host and lover of Odysseus

Intervened against by Hermes

Zeus is the king of the gods on Mount Olympus. He maintains the cosmic hierarchy and enforces the laws of hospitality. While he holds ultimate authority over his brother Poseidon, he generally allows the other gods room to exercise their own wills.

Key Relationships

Father of Athena

Brother of Poseidon

Commander of Hermes

Eumaeus is the royal swineherd of Ithaca. Despite his poverty, he strictly observes the laws of hospitality by offering shelter and food to strangers. He remains fiercely loyal to Odysseus and despises the noblemen who are ruining the estate.

Key Relationships

Servant of Odysseus

Caretaker and friend of Telemachus

Coworker of Philoetius

Eurycleia is an elderly nurse who has served Odysseus's family for decades. She cared for Odysseus when he was a boy and remains a devoted fixture in Penelope's chaotic household. She keenly observes the behavior of the younger maids in the palace.

Key Relationships

Former nurse of Odysseus

Servant of Penelope

Caretaker of Telemachus

Alcinoos is the king of Phaeacia. He commands a technologically advanced and highly civilized island isolated from other human societies. He hosts athletic games and grand feasts, proving himself an eager and generous audience for epic tales.

Key Relationships

Husband of Arete

Father of Nausicaa

Host of Odysseus

Arete is the queen of Phaeacia. She shares ruling duties with her husband, Alcinoos. Her approval is necessary for any traveler seeking safe passage from their remote island, and she offers protection to those in need.

Key Relationships

Wife of Alcinoos

Mother of Nausicaa

Host of Odysseus

Nausicaa is the young princess of Phaeacia. She discovers a battered stranger washed ashore on her island and bravely provides him with food and clothing. Aware of social propriety, she directs the stranger to the palace rather than escorting him herself.

Key Relationships

Daughter of Alcinoos

Daughter of Arete

Rescuer of Odysseus

Hermes is the messenger god. He acts as an emissary for Mount Olympus, delivering divine mandates to figures like Calypso and offering magical assistance to mortals facing supernatural threats.

Key Relationships

Subordinate to Zeus

Messenger to Calypso

Opponent of Circe

Menelaus is the king of Sparta and a veteran of the Trojan War. He rules over a prosperous kingdom alongside his wife, Helen. He provides eager young travelers with hospitality and shares information gathered from sea gods.

Key Relationships

Husband of Helen

Host of Telemachus

Former comrade of Odysseus

Helen is the queen of Sparta. Her immense beauty was the catalyst for the decade-long Trojan War. She now resides peacefully with Menelaus, welcoming guests and recounting memories of the Greek heroes who fought on her behalf.

Key Relationships

Wife of Menelaus

Host of Telemachus

Nestor is the elderly, pious king of Pylos. He fought alongside Odysseus during the Trojan War and successfully returned to his kingdom. He strictly honors the gods and readily assists travelers seeking information.

Key Relationships

Host of Telemachus

Former comrade of Odysseus

Tiresias is a dead prophet residing in the Underworld. He possesses knowledge of the future and the specific divine rules that travelers must follow to survive their journeys across the seas.

Key Relationships

Spiritual guide to Odysseus

Recommended by Circe

Laertes is Odysseus's aging father. Heartbroken by his son's prolonged absence, he has retreated from palace life to live simply among the fruit trees he planted years ago.

Key Relationships

Father of Odysseus

Father-in-law of Penelope

Grandfather of Telemachus

Philoetius is the royal cowherd of Ithaca. Like the swineherd Eumaeus, he remains deeply faithful to the memory of his absent king and resents the noblemen who abuse the estate's resources.

Key Relationships

Servant of Odysseus

Coworker of Eumaeus

Melanthius is the royal goatherd of Ithaca. Unlike the other herdsmen, he eagerly aligns himself with the unruly suitors. He is openly abusive toward the poor and actively assists those plotting against the royal family.

Key Relationships

Subordinate to Antinoos

Disloyal servant of Odysseus

Argos is Odysseus's old dog. Left behind when his master sailed for Troy two decades ago, he has grown ancient and feeble, entirely ignored by the palace staff.

Key Relationships

Pet of Odysseus