Supplementary
Unit – 03
ULYSSES AND THE CYCLOPS
Charles
Lamb
Comprehension Questions
I. Answer briefly the following questions.
1) Who was Cyclops?
Ans: The Cyclops was a savage race of shepherds living in an island.
They were man eaters with only one eye in the center of forehead.
2) Pick any 5 details to show that they were
not civilized.
Ans: i) They were man eaters.
ii) They were huge in size and lived in caves which were built by steep
heads of mountains.
iii) They never tilled land and ploughed but they got wheat, barley and
grapes naturally.
iv) Every Cyclops household governed by his own caprice or not governed
at all.
v) They never involved in trade or commerce.
3) Why did Ulysses and his men enter the
habitation of the Cyclops?
Ans: Ulysses and his men entered the habitation of the Cyclops because
they wanted to travel around when they saw a huge cave which was built with
stones and big trees, it was outlandish cave.
4) How strong was the Greek wine?
Ans: The Greek wine so strong and exhilarating that nobody drank it
without an combination of twenty parts of water to one wine. It had a sweet
fragrance and it was very delicious. Whoever drank it became very gallant and
gutsy and could do any heroic deeds.
5) How did Ulysses introduce himself and his
group to the Cyclops?
Ans: Ulysses told the Cyclops that they had come not to steal or for
business. They were Grecians who had lost their way. He requested him to give
them hospitality, thought they were minor in front of him.
6) What horrid response did the Cyclops give
to Ulysses; request for hospitality?
Ans: The Cyclops gripped two of the men nearest and dashed their heads
and tore away their limbs which were still alive and wobbly. He lapped the
blood. Overall the Cyclops‘s response was awful and brutal.
7) What prevented Ulysses from attacking the
Cyclops with his sword?
Ans: The entrance of cave was closed by huge rock and it would be
impossible for them escape without the help of the Cyclops. Ulysses thought to
stab with his sword but he prevented from attacking the Cyclops when he thought
about entrance.
8) How did Ulysses prove that “manly wisdom
excels brutish force”?
Ans: Ulysses proved that manly wisdom excels brutish when he planned to
attack the Cyclops. Ulysses picked a strong stake and sharpened it and hardened
it in the fire. He chose four men from his crew and instructed them what should
be done when the Cyclops returned.
9) What “gift” does the Cyclops offer Ulysses
in return for the wine?
Ans: The Cyclops offered Ulysses that he would eat him last after eating
all others in return after drinking strong Greek wine.
10) How do the brave Greeks blinded the
Cyclops?
Ans: When Ulysses offered the strong Greek wine, the Cyclops drank it
greedily and enjoyed it, meanwhile wine had showed its impact and he was
unconscious. As per instruction of Ulysses, four of his men took red hot stake
and pierced it on the eye of the Cyclops. Thus, the brave Geeks blinded the
Cyclops.
11) Why didn’t the fellow Cyclops help
Polyphemus when he cried out for help?
Ans: The fellow Cyclops didn’t help Polyphemus because he told them that
Noman had hurt him, Noman was with him in the cave and Noman had blinded him
when neighboring Cyclops came hearing Polyphemus cry for help.
12) How did Ulysses help his men escape from
the cave?
Ans: Ulysses helped his men to escape from the cave in a genius way, as
he was aware of the Cyclops routine. The Cyclops pushed the stone from the cave
entrance led the sheep out for grazing and Ulysses tied three rams together and
under the middle ram tied a man. He followed same for remaining men. Lastly he
tied himself the same way.
13) How did Ulysses himself escape from the
cave?
Ans: Ulysses tied himself to the ram as he did with his other men. The
Cyclops touched the hair of Ulysses but he could not recognize it and he
thought it was fur of ram and Ulysses escaped from the cave.
14) How did Ulysses introduce himself to the Cyclops
at the end of the story?
Ans: “Ulysses, son of Laertes, the King of Ithaca”.
