The midterm, to be held in class on Friday March 10, will consist of three parts:

1. SHORT ID'S: You will be asked to identify terms, people, concepts associated with the Homeric poems chosen from this list. You will have a choice. The best answers will not only provide a brief definition but also point out the significance of the thing for our discussions of the Iliad and Odyssey by, for instance, mentioning an example of where the concept occurred or the person was an important part of the action.

2. PASSAGES FOR COMMENT. Again you will have a choice. You will be asked to identify the passages you discuss by saying generally where they figure in either the Iliad or Odyssey (not book and line number but, for instance, "this passage occurs in the middle of Odysseus' narrative of his adventures while staying with king Alkinoös on Scheria" or "this speech of Hector occurs immediately after has been mortally wounded by Achilles"). Then you will be asked to comment on the passage's literary significance. Possible ideas to consider would include the thematic relevance of the passage, how it demonstrates characteristic techniques of Homeric style, or how it serves to advance the plot of the poem in which it appears. You should support your answer by referring directly to the language of the passage, quoting where appropriate. A good answer might also make reference (as specific as possible) to other passages in the Iliad and Odyssey which are similar or different in important ways.

3. PASSAGES FOR COMPARISON. For this part there won't be any choice. You will be given two related passages drawn from the Homeric poems. You will be asked to provide a detailed but brief comparison of how the two passages are similar and diffferent. Again the most important thing to do will be to read carefully and describe significant verbal details in each passage.

The best preparation for the exam will be to look back through the Iliad and Odyssey re-reading passages that we discussed together in class, considering to yourself how you might describe each passage's significance if asked to do so on the exam.