Circe
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Circe Discussion Questions
Isabel
(last edited
Jan 18, 2025 03:37PM
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Jan 12, 2025 10:46AM
1. Favorite character? Favorite scene/chapter?
2. Which character needs the most therapy?
3. We see numerous powerful characters abusing their positions throughout the story. Miller writes that gods do not care if a person is good, wicked, or beautiful — only that they have power. And yet power, it seems, corrupts the characters in this book. Are there any models for power without cruelty in the novel?
4. Circe empathizes with mortals in a way that most gods don’t, aside from Prometheus. How does Circe reflect on the differences between mortals and gods? In what ways are men more threatening than the gods? With whom does she feel more at ease? Why do you think her encounter with Prometheus keeps coming back to her throughout the novel?
5. Why does Circe’s guilt over Scylla matter? Why is it meaningful that Circe transforms her from a murderous monster into a stone?
6. Circe’s extended periods of isolation are a defining aspect of her journey. How does her solitude shape her understanding of herself, her vulnerabilities, fears, and desires? What does her experience suggest about the dual nature of solitude—both as a source of suffering and a catalyst for profound transformation?
7. In Circe’s relationship with Odysseus, only he tells her stories and she never once tells him about her life. Why is that significant? Does she withhold intentionally or is it more that Odysseus is self-absorbed? Or both?
8. Circe tells Telemachus “Do not try to take my regret from me.” What does she mean by that? What role does regret play in the novel?
9. How do you feel about the portrayal of Odysseus in this novel? His relationship with Circe, Penelope, and others? Circe seems to have an affection for him, but why? And do we as readers care for him?
10. Telegonus, as the offspring of Circe and Odysseus, inherits qualities from both his divine mother and heroic father. Sheltered and protected by Circe, his outlook on life contrasts sharply with other characters in the story, particularly with Telemachus, who possesses a directness and simplicity despite being the child of the cunning Odysseus. Were you surprised when Telemachus refused and Telegonus accepted Athena’s offer? Why or why not?
11. Do Circe’s lovers, both mortal and immortal, have anything in common? What is it about Telemachus that she finds worth trading her mortality?
12. Were you surprised that Circe drank a potion to become mortal? Do you think that she succeeds? What did you make of the ending?
2. Which character needs the most therapy?
3. We see numerous powerful characters abusing their positions throughout the story. Miller writes that gods do not care if a person is good, wicked, or beautiful — only that they have power. And yet power, it seems, corrupts the characters in this book. Are there any models for power without cruelty in the novel?
4. Circe empathizes with mortals in a way that most gods don’t, aside from Prometheus. How does Circe reflect on the differences between mortals and gods? In what ways are men more threatening than the gods? With whom does she feel more at ease? Why do you think her encounter with Prometheus keeps coming back to her throughout the novel?
5. Why does Circe’s guilt over Scylla matter? Why is it meaningful that Circe transforms her from a murderous monster into a stone?
6. Circe’s extended periods of isolation are a defining aspect of her journey. How does her solitude shape her understanding of herself, her vulnerabilities, fears, and desires? What does her experience suggest about the dual nature of solitude—both as a source of suffering and a catalyst for profound transformation?
7. In Circe’s relationship with Odysseus, only he tells her stories and she never once tells him about her life. Why is that significant? Does she withhold intentionally or is it more that Odysseus is self-absorbed? Or both?
8. Circe tells Telemachus “Do not try to take my regret from me.” What does she mean by that? What role does regret play in the novel?
9. How do you feel about the portrayal of Odysseus in this novel? His relationship with Circe, Penelope, and others? Circe seems to have an affection for him, but why? And do we as readers care for him?
10. Telegonus, as the offspring of Circe and Odysseus, inherits qualities from both his divine mother and heroic father. Sheltered and protected by Circe, his outlook on life contrasts sharply with other characters in the story, particularly with Telemachus, who possesses a directness and simplicity despite being the child of the cunning Odysseus. Were you surprised when Telemachus refused and Telegonus accepted Athena’s offer? Why or why not?
11. Do Circe’s lovers, both mortal and immortal, have anything in common? What is it about Telemachus that she finds worth trading her mortality?
12. Were you surprised that Circe drank a potion to become mortal? Do you think that she succeeds? What did you make of the ending?
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