The Odyssey
by Homer
- Grade range
- Grades 9–12
- Age range
- Ages 14–18
- Pages
- 560
- First published
- -700
- Genre
- Epic Poetry
- ISBN-13
- 9780140268867
About this book
Odysseus's decade-long journey home from the Trojan War — past the Cyclops, Circe, and the Sirens — and his return to reclaim his household in Ithaca. Homer's epic is a near-universal 9th and 10th grade World Literature text and appears on AP Literature and IB DP English reading lists.
Themes
- heroism
- hospitality (xenia)
- homecoming
- cunning vs strength
- fate
Content notes
- violence
- slavery (historical context)
Common Sense Media recommends age 13+.
Where this book is assigned
Common Core State Standards (ELA)
- recommended· 9th gradesource: CCSS ELA Appendix B, grades 9-10 exemplar (translation)
- recommended· 9th grade · Texassource: TEKS English I world literature text
IB Diploma Programme — English A: Literature
- recommended· 11th gradesource: IB DP Literature Prescribed Reading List (in translation)
Similar grade-level books
Common questions
- What grade level is The Odyssey?
- The Odyssey is most commonly assigned in US schools in grades 9–12. Specific grade placement varies by curriculum — AP Literature and IB English Literature typically use it in grades 11-12.
- What curricula assign The Odyssey?
- The Odyssey appears on reading lists for Common Core State Standards (ELA), IB Diploma Programme — English A: Literature. Each assignment on this site links to its primary-source citation.
- Is The Odyssey banned in schools?
- The Odyssey does not appear in PEN America's Index of School Book Bans 2022-2024. No documented multi-district removals on record, but individual districts may challenge titles locally.
- What themes does The Odyssey explore?
- Central themes in The Odyssey include heroism, hospitality (xenia), homecoming, cunning vs strength, fate. These themes match how the book is discussed in most curriculum guides and AP Literature prompts.