The Odyssey
Book XIX (Book XX optional)
Once again, Odysseus spins an elaborate tale of his background, this time for Penelope. Why does he do this? What do you understand about Penelope after reading Book XIX? The nurse, Eurycleia, has a vital role in the rest of the story. What is her relationship with Odysseus and with Penelope? What do you learn about Eurycleia’s character? What is Penelope planning on page 398?
Book XX describes more detail about the rudeness of the suitors. Reading this book or at least the summary will give you a better idea about why Odysseus and those who love him are so violently angry.
Continue to take notes on your notes page about the role of Athena and the role of disguise in the epic. Also, consider how dreams and omens are used to predict the future.
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He again still has to devise a plan to get rid of (kill) the suitors. When he does not tell Penelope that he is Odysseus it is just benefiting her. Penelope seems to be a woman with a lot of emotions. She is grieving for her husband still, and not only that, but also is getting very impatient and annoyed with the way things are. She hates the suitors and says that she does not like to treat strangers with any respect any longer because she has had enough. Eurycleia plays a big role now that she has found out that the man is Odysseus. She was washing his feet and noticed the scar he had had since he was a little boy. (From the boar). She was flabbergasted to find that is was him, it was Odysseus. He was the one she had for the most part raised, she had taken care of him since the day he was born. She loved Odysseus as her own and was so stunned to see him back. Eurycleia seems to be a very, nice pleasant woman. She is a mother figure to Odysseus and Telemachus. She is just like family. On page 398, Penelope is questioning as to if she should keep things intact and stay beside her son here or if she should not wed one of the suitors. Even Telemachus wants her to just leave.
ReplyDeleteOdysseus tells Penelope his "tall tale" because he is relating to her how he came to meet Odysseus through his travels and how he knows that Odysseus is still alive and should return to Ithica shortly. This instills hope in Penelope, although she is still uncertain if the beggar may only be wanting rewards from her. Penelope is starting to lose faith from waiting all these years for Odysseus to return. She is losing patience with the suitors as well. She tells the beggar (Odysseus) that she plans to marry the first man that can shoot an arrow through twelve loop holes in a row.
ReplyDeleteEurycleia was Odysseus' nurse/nanny through his entire life and is a trustworthy maid of Penelope. She washes Odysseus' feet. She feels a familiar scar and realizes that the beggar is infact Odysseus. She gets really excited, but Odysseus tells her she must keep this recognition secret, or it could ruin all his plans. She agrees to keep it a secret. She acts as almost a sort of mother to Odysseus, knowing so much about him. She is kind, trustworthy, and loving towards Odysseus and Penelope. She is their rock, so to speak. Someone they can depend on. As I wrote before, Penelope is planning to give up and marry the first man who can shoot an arrow through twelve loop holes in a row. She decides that the accomplishment of this task is worthy of her hand in marriage.
P wants to find out about this random visitor at her house. It is O. She claims that she has met O before somewhere. P asks O to describe her husband to him. He explains O in such a way it makes P want to cry she misses her husband so much. O tells how he met...well himself...in Ithica. O tells here that...he...is still alive and out there somewhere. P is losing patience with the suitors and is almost to her breaking point. P offers O a bed to sleep in for the night. He stays, but sleeps on the floor. He does let P's nanny lady wash his feet. While she is doing so she sees a scar on his foot. The same scar that O has. She realizes that the beggar man is really O. O tells her to keep quiet or it will interflict with all his plans. P kind of makes me mad here when she decides that if a man can shoot an arrow through twelve loop holes in a row. She just gives up...but I have faith in O that he will earn her back!
ReplyDeleteIf a man can shoot an arrow through twelve loop holes in a row she will marry them. Whoops. :)
ReplyDeleteO is still lying about himself because i think he wants to see what she still thinks of him and if he should even try to come home or if she has moved on. P is curious about the man in her house because he is not one of the suitors and also says he knows about O. O than describes himself that it makes P miss him. Also tell her the O will probabbly be him within the next month and has been traveling the waters now for awhile. P offers him a place to stay and a bed to sleep in but he says no saying that he is used to sleeping on the floor. Eurycleia than cleans his feet, which he didn't want her to do because she doesn't know who he is and he feels like she shouldn't have to do that for him. While washing his feet she figures out that it is O, but he doesn't want people to know because it will ruin his plans. P still decided that she wants to find a new husband by marrying the one who can shoot through twelve axes. which i don't think is smart because she just got told that O is coming back home.
ReplyDeleteOd tells Pen a very similar story to the one he told Eum. He talks about how he met Od and how he knows he is on his way back home. However after waiting so long Pen is very unhopeful and is almost willing to just give up. She then decides that the first man who can shoot an arrow through 12 loops will be worthy of her hand in marriage. Od stays the night at the house and even though he refuses a bed he accepts the offer to have his feet washed. But when Eurycleia is doing this she notices a scar on his foo that Od got as a young boy from a boar. She is exstatic to find out that it is him but Od silences her before she blows the secret. He assures her that he has a plan but she must keep this a secret until his plan is followed through. Eur is a very important character now because not only is she a mother figure to Od but she is the only one who knows his secret..that he's not a begger but Odysseus himself.
ReplyDeleteHe lies to her because he isn't ready to tell her. but he tells her that he has met O and that he is alive and well and will be returning very soon. She is starting to get tired of waiting for O because she just misses him so much. she is getting tired of all the suitors taking advantage of her son because she doesn't want to marry any of them.
ReplyDeleteEurycleia is cleaning his feet off and she sees the scar and knows that it is O. she is so happy and exited that he is back. she is like his mother she raised him and has been there since he was born. O tells her that she can't tell anybody because he doesn't want the suitors to find out. I think that she is a very nice and caring person. and she keeps his secret because she doesnt want anything to happen to him. she is like part of the family.
on page 398 Penelope says that the first person to shot arows through 12 loops in a row she will marry him.
O has to try and find another way to get rid of the suitors. He wants to kill the suitors. O comes back but he doesnt tell P who he really is. She believes she has meet him somewhere else before but isnt sure who he is. He doenst tell her because i think like lottie said that he wants to see what she really still thinks about him. If she stayed loyal to him or not. P really wants to know who the man in her house is because she knows he is not a suitor but someother man. O starts to explain who he is as he and P started to cry because it reminds her of her husband so much and she really misses him. Little does she know that O really is O and her husband. Eurycleia is a very nice and caring women who is a mother figure in O and T's life. she is being just like family as Jordin stated. That is good that she is like that to them. P has given up on O but i believe that O is a really strong man and will earn he back somehow like he has gotten through many other things in his life. He can do it. On page 398 P says who ever the first person is who can shot arrows through 12 loops in a row she will marry.
ReplyDelete0 comes back to P's house and he is disquised as a beggar. P discovered that he looked different and realized that it wasnt a suitor so she started asking him if he knew O and he said yes. He gave here examples on how he knew him. And the examples were so in depth and right that P started to cry because O meant so much to her. He tells P that O is safe and he is traveling the seas freely. P offers O a bed but he said he is use to the floor. But he did let E wash his feet. While she was washing his feet she noticed that O had a scar and right then and their she jumped on O because she knew that he was the real O. But O told E that she had to settle down and keep a secret. P seems like she has given up on O. She told the suitors the 1st one to shoot a arrow threw the 12 loops that would be the suitor she will marry. I believe that O will pull through and win his wife back.
ReplyDeleteO comes to p's house and is dressed in a desquised as a beggar. Mrs. p lets him in and they start to talk o as the beggar in desquise so she didnt no who it was. He starts to tell mrs. that her husband O is doing ok and he is sailing the seas and doing good. P didnt no ,but O was sitting right in front of her o wanted to no if P was being faithful and hadnt married and of the suiters yet. Then E Os old friend was washing his feet and noticed a scar and she new it was him because she had remebered the scar. O told E that she couldnt tell. it seems p may be losing faith in finding her husband she tells the suiters the first one to shot an arrow threw 12 loops would be her husband.
ReplyDeleteThis book starts with O going over to Ps house dressed like a begger. P allows him to come in and they begin to talk. Since he is dressed like a begger and has changed so much over the years she does not even recognize him. P then began asking all kinds of questions about O. When O replied and the answers were so in depth that she began to cry because she missed him so much and the things he was saying reminded her so much of him. This was during the point where P was beginning to lose hope that O was still alive and was considering more and more the thought of marrying one of the suitors.
ReplyDeleteHe spins this tale to (for what i believe)test her comittment and detication for him and se if she truely feels the way he still does and he comes to find that she does feel the same and he does need to go forth with his plan to win her back from all these suitors. The nurse.... has raised Odysseus from his childhood and that's how she knew it was him (from the scar) and @ the end, Penelope plans to have a competitionto see who has the strength to win her wed... and she knows Odysseus is coming back b/c Odysseus told her so while he was in his disguise.
ReplyDeleteI think he doesn't tell P because she doesn't need to know yet. She is a woman full of emotions and if he told her then it would set her off the edge. She isn't right just yet. She is sorrow for her husband, but she is also upset about the way things are going about in her house. aka suitors are trashing the place. Eurycelia raised O to be the man who he is now. She was the one that has been with him since he was a little tike. She seems to be a nice old woman. She will do anything for O even if that means that to keep O's secret from everyone. Especially P. P doesn't believe what O says about her dream and she has decided to have a contest for the suitors. They have to shoot an arrow in twelve hoops in a row just like O did very well. Whoever wins first she will marry. O tells her to spread the announcment as soon as she can. Promising her that her husband will show up before any man can win the contest. She doesn't believe him and retires to her bed.
ReplyDeleteO goes over to P's house disquised as a begger. she allows him to come into his house and they go sit down and start talking. O doesnt tell her who he is because he isn't ready and he doesnt think that she is ready either. O is trying to get rid of the suiors he wants them all dead. O tells P that he met O and he is still alive and he will be returning home shortly. P explains to him that he is tired of waiting because she misses him so much and she wants him home because the suiters are taking advantage of her and she doesn't want to marry any of them.
ReplyDeleteThe maid knows that it is O because when she was cleaning his feet when he was talking to P she noticed the scar that was on his foot before he left. She is so excited that he is back but she cannot say anything because of his disguise.
O has to make up another story so that he can figure out a way to get rid of or to kill the suitors. so he tell T to get rid of all the weapons in the hall. He also tells this story to help P. She is really in bad shape at this point with all the emotions, thinking that her husband is dead, and having the choices to leave for her son. I think the P would go through like a shock when she finds out that the begger is actually her husband, O. Eurycleia has an important role because she is the one that finds out that the begger isn't really a begger, but really its O. O will kill her if she tells P.
ReplyDeleteEurycleia is like a mother figure to O and to T. She is so happy to see that O is back, and safe at home.
On page 398 it talks about how P says to the begger (O), and says that she will be very said the day that she has to part from her and her husbands treasures. She says that shes going to host a competition where a suitor has to string a bow just like O did it, and they also have to shoot it through a row of axes.
O says back saying that her husband for sure will be back before any suitor will be able to string the bow.
O makes up this crazy story so he can think of a plan to kill all of the suitors. Also this story helps P because she thinks her husband is dead and she will never see him again. Eurycleia finds out that the begger is really O, she doesnt tell P because she knows that O will get really mad and possibly kill her. She really likes O and P she is so happy that he is back. Eurycleia is like a grandma to O and T she is very protective and happy that they are both back home and safe. Penelope is planning the competition that she knows only O could win because he is the only man in the world that can preform stringing the bow and shooting it through axes.
ReplyDeleteI think he does it partly for her, and partly for himself. He doesn't want to cause her too much trauma, and he also wants to protect his identity so he can get his revenge. In book XIX, we see the angry side of Penelope. She is furious because of the suitors and she wants them all dead. Eurycleia plays a huge role in the entire story. She obviously was very close to Odysseus, as she was his nurse from his birth, and would do anything for him. She is relied upon to keep secrets and is probably more devoted than almost any other character. Her connection to Penelope is that she basically the only reason Penelope keeps her sanity.
ReplyDeletePenelope plans to have all the suitors string Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow through 12 axes. I think she does this to pacify or possibly even stall the suitors, because she doesn't want to give up hope.
I believe he tells another tale because he doesnt want anyone to know yet. He doesnot want someone to accidently say something. After reading XIX I think Penelope is getting upset. She is tired of her husband being gone or "dead" and she is sick of the suitors, but I cant blame her because I would be sick of people running around my house too. Eurycleia's relationship with Odysseus and Penelope is strong. They both trust her. Penelope plans to have the suitors string Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow through tweleve axes. This could be an attempt to waste more time or just pick some random guy because she doesnt want to remarry.
ReplyDeleteOdysseus tells Penelope his tale to give her hope. Penelope has been through a lot, and even though she stays fiathful to her husbend, she is beginning to lose faith in his promise that he would return. In telling her the story he is trying to help her keep her hope for a little bit longer.
ReplyDeleteEreclyia plays an important role in that she realizes who Odysseus is when she sees the scar on his foot. It seems like she is a 'nanny' figure to Odysseus (or at least she was before he left) and a sort of 'helper' to Penelope while her husbend is away.
I believe he keeps his secret yet again because he is still not ready to reveal himself. Also the nurse finds out that it is actually odysseus and he tells her to keep it a secret. She is also the one that took care of odysseus and penelope when he was home. penelope plans to marry someone regardless of what happens as long as they can shoot an arrow through twelve axes.
ReplyDeleteO thinks of this big plan, and his plan is to tell P about O. so O goes and talks to P and tells her that he knows O, himself, and that he met him over where he was and that he is still alive. all of this makes P miss him even more. when P asks him to stay the night, he does, and her nanny washes his feet and notices a scar on his foot that the real O has. she figures out that it really is O and he tells her not to say anything otherwise it will ruin his plan to get past the suitors. P is getting sick and tired of waiting for O to come home so she is thinking of choosing between the suitors and says that whoever can shoot an arrow through 12 hoops, will marry her.
ReplyDeleteOdysseus doesn't tell Penelope who he is because he is afraid of what will happen if he does tell. He thinks that if he can just get the suitors killed he will tell Penelope. He also doesn't show his real self because he might get killed and that would be even worse for Penelope. Penelope is sick and tired of the suitors. She wants them all to leave so she says she will marry the one who can shoot an arrow through 12 loop holes. When Eurycleia washes Odysseus' feet she sees a scar and knows it is Odysseus. She is told to keep hush quiet and not tell anyone for he has to kill the suitors first. She grants his wish but then is very kind to him from then on. Eurycleia is someone they can trust and she will always be there for them. Penelope will marry the first suitor who can shoot an arrow through 12 axes.
ReplyDelete