In book 22, odysseus kills penelopes suitors and in book 23 eurycleia, penelopes maidservant, awakens penelope, who has been sound asleep. Kalypso and kirke who hold him for more than eight years are female goddesses. Why is book 23 of the odyssey called penelopes book and. She tells penelope that her husband, odysseus, is back and has killed all the suitors. Eurycleia goes upstairs to call penelope who has slept through the entire. I have never slept so soundly from the day my poor husband went to that city with the illomened name homer. The premise for atwoods entry is the inconsistencies in the odyssey surrounding penelope in her long years of waiting for her husbands return from war, and the subsequent slaughter by odysseus of not only his wifes corrupt, usurping suitors but also a dozen maids the hero. Penelope is overjoyed that odysseus has finally come home.
Mountain view high school mountain view high school campus of champions. Telemachus is in a difficult position because he is not seen as an. By doing this, penelope is able to see if odysseus still remembers the secret of their marriage bed, that it is a part of the house and it cannot be removed. The third example of penelopes cleverness occurs after odysseus has won the archery contest and proven to everyone except penelope, who was asleep that he has come home. Its clearly stated that no one except the dog and the old woman recognizes him, and even after hes killed all these people penelope tests him with the bed riddle just reread the last book of the odyssey. The most famous epic which centers around nostos is homers the odyssey, written in the 8 th century bce. But come, handmaidens, give him a wash and spread a couch for him here, with bedding and coverlets and with shining blankets, so that he can keep warm as he waits for dawn of the golden throne, and early tomorrow you shall give him a bath, anoint him, so that he can sit in the hall beside telemachos and expect to.
In many respects this encounter is the point of greatest dramatic intensity in the entire poem, and at the heart of the scene is a dreampenelopes dream of the twenty geese that are suddenly slaughtered by a mountain eagle. She waits twenty years for the final return of her husband, during which she devises various. Penelope is the wife of the main character, the king of ithaca, odysseus ulysses in roman mythology, and daughter of icarius of sparta and his wife periboea. She has 10 years experience working in higher education. Penelope in the odyssey paperback january 1, 1916 by j. The fact that penelope waits 20 years for her husband to return to her illustrates the odysseys theme of see answers 2. From this point on, until the reunion in book 23, penelope is careful to reject any. The old nurse, eurycleia, has found out the travelers identity, and she tells. The nurse mentions the telltale boar tusk scar on odysseuss knee, but. To assure herself of odysseus identity, penelope tests him. Antinous complains of it at the assembly in book 2. The book begins with penelope choosing not to recognize odysseus. Odysseus, book 23, line 186190 and then he commands the maidservant to make him a separate bed to sleep alone. Mackail author see all formats and editions hide other formats and editions.
Penelope character analysis in the odyssey litcharts. Agamemnon constantly praises her, calling her excellent, glorious, loyal directly contrasted to his own murderous wife clytemnestra. While homer uses epic simile for a variety of purposes, epic similes can often be read with a view to larger narrative considerations, and the simile in odyssey 23. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 book 10 book 11 book 12 book book 14 book 15 book 16 book 17 book 18 book 19 book 20 book 21 book 22 book 23 book 24 themes all themes fate, the gods, and free will piety, customs, and justice cunning, disguise, and selfrestraint memory and grief glory and honor. She only has one son by odysseus, telemachus, who was born just before odysseus was called to fight in the trojan war. The nurse goes upstairs excited by the news and she wakes penelope telling her that her husband has returned. Study 68 terms odyssey books 2324 flashcards quizlet. In book 23 of the odyssey, when eurycleia tells penelope that odysseus is home and has killed the suitors, what is penelopes response. They claim they have the right to stay because penelope will not remarry. Penelope awakened by eurycleia penelope awakened by eurycleia odysseuss nurse, oil on canvas by angelica kauffman, 18th19th century. Penelope is able to take advantage of a situation and use the resources at her disposal in order to defend her family demonstrated by the plots she is involved in. One of the more telling pieces of evidence that penelope knew odysseus from the beginning, has to do with the bathing of odysseus feet in book 19. After she was awakened, penelope is confronted by odysseus and asks eurycleia to move the bridal bed in book 23. Through this test, penelope is able to determine if odysseus is the same man that he was, and if he is worthy enough for her to take back as a husband.
Telemachus calls the assembly because his house is plagued with guests who will not leave. Although unassuming, penelope has a cunning that indicates she is a good mate for her wily husband. In book 18, penelope appears among the suitors and reproaches telemachus for allowing the stranger to be abused. Penelope becomes more beautiful, thanks to athena, and earns gifts from the suitors.
Penelope remains wary, afraid that a god is playing a trick on her. The time of penelopes recognition, however, can only be. The couple of odysseus and penelope are used to represent the enduring. Readers of the novel have even been known to stage live readings of the bookwhich can take up to 36 hours. Penelope is a good wife but her character is developed further.
When odysseus shows up in disguise, she tells her maids to give him a wash and spread a couch for him here, with bedding and coverlets and with shining blankets 19. For the first time in 20 years, they spend a blissful night together. Actually this is my first time reading an actual book about greek mythology, since we have been reading short stories about greek mythology. The trunk of the olive tree so she too rejoiced, her gaze upon her husband, her white arms around him pressed although forever penelope is being compared to forever in this passage symbol the tree symbolizes the unity between penelope and odysseus and how. She changes odysseus into an old beggar to hoodwink the suitors, and then bulks him up for boxing. Sure, odysseus is back, but penelope isnt certain that their.
She orders eurycleia to move her bridal bed but odysseus gets angry on her, saying. The ancient greek word nostos is a common theme in greek literature that is used to describe a heros journey home. Penelope, virtuous wife of odysseus the role of women in. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Penelope tells her not to play tricks on her and eurykleia is surprised that penelope would joke about such a thing. The reunion between penelope and odysseus finally takes place in the second to last book of the odyssey, book 23. Waiting for odysseus by clemence mclaren is a really interesting and captivating book, i really liked it. The simile in question likens penelopes recognition of odysseus to the experience of shipwrecked men who reach land by swimming. So when odysseus returned to ithaca in about 1166 bce, penelope was about 48 years old. Odysseus s recourting of penelope discussion question 1 follow the steps by which odysseus recourts or renegotiates his marriage relationship with penelope. The story has to do with the meeting of odysseus and penelope in book 19 of the odyssey. Agamemnons praise of penelope falls short of what she actually deserves homer odyssey 11.
He claims rightly, by the way that she has misguided the suitors for nearly four years, leading on each man. Athena alters the appearances of odysseus and penelope to either disguise them or make them more impressive. While odysseus remains absent in penelopes life for approximately twenty years fighting in the war, suffering captivity, and wandering on the sea, she governs the kingdom with the highest ideals of civilization, preserves the culture of the home and the unity of the family by not marrying any of her suitors, and educates her son telemachus. The battle is over, and the scene shifts to penelope, who has been hiding in her quarters. She orders eurycleia to move her bridal bed, and odysseus suddenly flares up at her that their. She tells her that the old beggar was odysseus and he killed all the suitors. She was able to prove her loyalty to her husband through her faithfulness and cunning plans that held her off from marrying a different man. And with that penelope sees her chance to test odysseuss identity. She certainly must have warmed her husbands heart by doing this and by singing the praises of her lost odysseus. Penelope is used as the epitome of a woman and a wife. Holding back from her husband, home at last for her after bearing twenty years of brutal struggle.
Odysseus epic adventure sparked ideas in the minds of james joyce, william faulkner, and more. Odysseus was absent from penelopes life for twenty years. And she always bring the best cupcakes at the bake sale. Penny and penelope have a great deal of similitudes that all associates with their spouses odysseus in the book the odyssey and everett in the film o sibling where craftsmanship thou. Its surprising that she manages to get any of that done, though, since she seems to spend most of. Eurycleia trundles upstairs and gives penelope the news. Chapter summary for homers the odyssey, book 23 summary. So penelope was about 28 at the start of the trojan war. In the beginning of the story, penelopes most prominent qualities are passivity, loyalty, and patience along with beauty and skill at the loom the ageold feminine virtues. Odysseuss recourting of penelope discussion question 1 follow the steps by which odysseus recourts or renegotiates his marriage relationship with penelope. Scene 5 odysseus needs to finish his plan that he made with telemachus earlier in the book he prepares to go to his fathers orchard odysseus tells penelope to go into the chamber and stay there until they come back odysseus and telemachus leave scene 4 penelope asks odysseus not. In the odyssey, how does penelope test odysseus to be sure.
Find a summary of this and each chapter of the odyssey. Helen did not leave with paris until about 1195 bce. The protagonist, odysseus, undertakes a difficult twentyyearlong journey from troy to his home in ithaca, making difficult decisions and sacrifices along. Penelope is angry that odysseus has stayed away for so long. The war lasted ten years and odysseus did not return for ten years after that. Ruth benander 2 october 2012 penelope although odysseus is the obvious hero when reading the odyssey, his wife penelope personifies heroic qualities as well. Penelope is the spouse of odysseus in the book the odyssey, penny is a similar character however in the motion picture. Penelope, in greek mythology, a daughter of icarius of sparta and the nymph periboea and wife of the hero odysseus. It was 20 years since odysseus had left his palace, but still his wife penelope had some hope he would return, though most believed him dead.
The odyssey books seventeen to twenty four elearning. Eurycleia tells penelope that odysseus has finally come home and killed the suitors. What is penelope compared to in the final lines of book 23. Homer, odyssey book 23 theoi classical texts library. Penelope says that this is ok because that way they will live a long life together. Penelopes recognition of odysseus as a beggar essay. Penelope assumes that eurycleia is suffering from senile dementia. I am doing a research project and need to know a little more. She waits for her husband to return for 20 years, from be. Its no secret that james joyces ulysses has inspired legions of ardent fans. He claims rightly, by the way that she has misguided the suitors for nearly four years, leading on each man with hints and promises but choosing no one. When told by penelope to take a footbath, odysseus refuses unless he can have it done by an old and wise maid, so penelope chooses eurykleia. Shes like an ancient greek martha stewart, without the pesky insider trading scandal.
The standard interpretaion of penelopes recognition of odysseus would have us believe that she does not recognize him until book 23. In book 23 of the odyssey, penelope spoke to the maid euryclea. The fact that penelope waits 20 years for her husband to. Book 23 is the next to last book of homers odyssey. The book 23 made it clear that the reunion between the two spouses is not only possible but certain. Penelope is a compelling narrator and the chapters are short but well written and engaging.
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