He tells Laertes how he has avenged himself upon the suitors. Apollo is the god of archers and the bow is his weapon. 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 13 book 14 book 15 book 16 book 17 book 18 book 19 book 20 book 21 book 22 book 23 book 24 card: lines 1-48 lines 49-84 lines 85-128 lines 129-180 lines 181-230 … 413 1. Written down sometime between 800 and 600 BCE, the Odyssey is of the best known and most stupendously awesome works of ancient literature—make that any literature. Agamemnon contrasts the constancy of Penelope with the treachery of Clytemnestra. But not just any man, and not just any war. Symbols & Motifs. Composed (maybe) by a poet named Homer (maybe), it tells the story of a man trying to make his way home from war. In her small way, Penelope is choosing loyalty to her husband over piety, earthly honor over divine grace. Eurycleia goes upstairs to call Penelope, who has slept through the entire fight. Start studying Odyssey books 23-24. Group: Literature Literature Quizzes He doesn’t recognize Odysseus, and Odysseus doesn’t immediately reveal himself, pretending instead that he is someone who once knew and befriended Odysseus. Piety to the gods takes priority over his longing for family. In the meantime, a minstrel strikes up a happy song so that no passers-by will suspect what has taken place in the palace. The parents of the suitors hold an assembly at which they assess how to respond. Eurycleia goes upstairs to call Penelope, who has slept through the entire fight. The conversation between Achilles and Agamemnon has little point or relevance to the story; the conversation between Odysseus and Laertes is clumsy; Odysseus’s revelation to his father of his identity seems anticlimactic after the tension that he creates with his disguise. and had killed all of the suitors. In this presentation, we will use two passages from Book 23 of the Odyssey to show how themes such as fate vs. freewill, nature vs. reason, and the question of if Odysseus is a hero show in the book. The Odyssey Books 21-24 Summary & Analysis. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. Hearing him recount these details, she knows that this man must be her husband. Laertes and Odysseus have lunch together. Instant downloads of all 1441 LitChart PDFs We will then go on to a summary of Book 21. Book 21 Summary: “An Archery Contest” The contest of the axes is held in Book 21, with none of the suitors able to string and shoot Odysseus’s bow. Her suspicion is not cold-hearted, but just the opposite: she is so loyal to Odysseus that she fears betraying him in any way â even accidentally. Athena then subliminally encourages Penelope to appear to the suitors. Start studying Odyssey Book 23 Summary. Hospitality: The importance … Athena shows the theme of lying is bad when Odysseus fibbed. She continued speaking to Odysseus about how she needed a sign because she did not want anyone to come into the palace, and pretend to be Odysseus. Word Count: 1211. Book 1. Some believe that the epic originally ended with Odysseus and Penelope returning at last together to their marriage bed. The Odyssey (/ ˈ ɒ d ə s i /; Greek: Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, Attic Greek: [o.dýs.sej.ja]) is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer.It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still read by contemporary audiences. Now that the battle has ended and the house has been cleaned, good nurse Eurycleia scurries up to Penelope's quarters to tell her all that has happened. Home Sweet Home was a predominant theme in this book. Back in Ithaca, Odysseus travels to Laertes’ farm. Important Quotes. Penelope asked Odysseus not to be mad at her because she considers him to be the most understanding man alive. Odysseus yearned for home, his family, and his kingdom. The concluding books to the poem reunite Odysseus with his wife and ensure that he will reign happily and peacefully for the rest of his life. Ace your assignments with our guide to The Odyssey! Literally and metaphorically, no one can move their wedding bed. The Odyssey Book 23. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in. At the same time, ending the epic with Odysseus and Penelope’s first night together leaves too many threads hanging. While they eat, the goddess Rumor flies through the city spreading the news of the massacre at the palace. The bat metaphor at the beginning of Book 24 is unusual, as most Homeric metaphors exploit bright, pastoral imagery. Penelope doesn’t believe anything that Eurycleia says, and she remains in disbelief even when she comes downstairs and sees her husband with her own eyes. The suitors’ families will doubtless be enraged when they discover what has happened to their children, as Odysseus himself predicts. She tells her that … Telemachus gives it a try first; he is unable to string the bow three times. They are united by the commonality of their minds, by their love of scheming, testing, and outmaneuvering. When the nurse told Penelope that her husband had finally returned home, Penelope didn't believe her. Teachers and parents! Identify the epithet in lines 1-4. a. How do these lines indicate an epic setting? Penelope explains the game: whoever can string her husband's bow and shoot an arrow through the twelve axeheads will marry her. Over a period of Eumaeus love Telemachus as a son Reread lines 26-30. The early ending theory also rests on a subjective evaluation of the quality of the present ending. What makes Odysseus “the man of twists and turns”. It is shown in this book that there is nothing greater than your own home. Penelope resists Odysseus because she fears that the gods want to trick her into disloyalty; if that were true, her reticence would be resistance to the will of the gods. What theme is being developed in this epic simile? The suitor Amphimedon, whom Agamemnon knew in life, gives a brief account of their ruin, pinning most of the blame on Penelope and her indecision. When the epic opens, Telemachus is at a loss as to how to deal with the suitors who have taken over his home and seek the hand of his mother in marriage for primarily political reasons.