Odysseus Strings His Bow

Odysseus Stings His Bow

• Odysseus- Main character, poses as the beggar, tricks the suitors into thinking he is weak. His position in Greek mythology is the Kind of Ithaca. "My strength's not broken yet, not quite so frail as the mocking suitors thought" (21.476-477).
• Penelope- Odysseus' wife and motivation to kill the suitors for their attempt to court her. She supports the beggar in his decision to attempt to string the bow. Her relevance to greek mythology is her drawing the suitors into Odysseus' palace and causing disruption in the peace of the home. "Lustrous Queen"(21.50).
• Athena- inspiration to Penelope to create a challenge upon the suitors and retrieve Odysseus' bow. Her importance to greek mythology is that she is the goddess of wisdom and war and defender of Acheans especially her favorite greek Odysseus. Her father is Zeus and in turn she has a largely viewed opinion in her fathers eyes. "Blazing eyes, inspired Penelope"(21. 1-2).
• Antinous- one of the two leading suitors and challengers of Odysseus. He encourages defiance towards Odysseus among the suitors, and idealizes of praying to the acher gods about giving the suitors strength. His importance to greek mythology is his nearness to overtaking the palace of Odysseus when he was gone. "...The ringleaders of all the suitors.."(21.211).
• Eumaeus- swineherd of Odysseus, gives the bow to him in the competition, tells serving women to close doors and keep to their sewing. is importance to greek mythology is his loyalty making Odysseus' battle easier against the suitors. "..Loyal till death.."(21.232)".
• Prince Telemachus- his failed ability to maintain leadership in his fathers place when not in attendance. His lack of strength to string his fathers bow. His importance to greek mythology is weakness for controlling the outrage in his home. "Must I be a weakling, a failure all my life?"(21.149-150).
• Leodes- failure at stringing Odysseus' bow, resembles the only sensible suitor who acknowledges the fact that they cannot match up to great Odysseus. His importance to greek mythology is the cause of Odysseus' outrage toward the suitors due to their taking advantage of his palace. "..one man in the group who loathed their reckless ways, appalled by all their outrage"(21.166-167).
• Eurymachus- one of the two leading suitors, doubtful but terrified at the possibility of the beggar having more strength than himself. His relevance to mythology is his power over the suitors and enraging Odysseus casing him to fight all suitors. "..wounded pride.."(21.278).

•Appearance/State- "The goddess Athena with her blazing eyes"(21.1).

•Patronymic- "Iphitus, Eurytus' gallant son"(21.16).

•Patronymic/State- "...son of Zeus, that iron heart" (21.28).

• Patronymic- "...Leodes, Oenops' son..."(21.163).

• State- "...soft, uncallused hands..."(21.171).

• Position- "...the ring leaders of all the suitors..."

(21.212).

• Heroic Qualities- "...head and shoulders the strongest of the lot..." (21.213).

• Skill/Art- "...trusty cowherd..."(21.226).

• Position- "..Apollo, god of arches..."(21.298).

• Skill- "...Echetus, the mainland king who wrecks all men alive..."(21.345-346).

•The tone is usually grand and monumental. Example: "Here is the prize at issue, right before you, look-I set before you the great bow of King Odyesseus now! The hand that can string this bow with the greatest east, that shoots an arrow clean through all twelve axes-he is the man I follow"(21.84-88).

•Is a narrative poem about a national or legendary hero. Example: "No easy game, I wager, to string his polished bow. Not a soul in the crowd can match Odysseus-what a man he was"(21.105-107).

•Incorporates myth, legend, folk tale and history. Example: "we'll sail you off in a black ship to Echetus, the mainland king who wrecks all men alive"(21. 345-346).

•Reflects values of the societies from which they came from. Example: "Then tell the serving-women to lock the snugly fitted doors to their own rooms"(21.262-263).

•The epic hero excels in strength and courage. Example: "My strength's not broken yet, not quite so frail as the mocking suitors thought"(21. 475-476).

•The epic hero succeeds in war and adventure. Example: "and never missing an ax-handle clean on through to the last and out the shaft with its weighted brazen head shot free!"(21.469-471).

•The epic hero meets monsters and temptations. Example: "'Sly old fox- maybe he's got bows like it, stored in his house.' 'That or he's bent on making one himself.' 'look at how he twists and turns it in his hands!' 'The clever tramp means trouble-' 'I wish him luck,' some cocksure lord chimed in"(21. 445-450).

•The epic hero achieves his goals. Example: "No missing the mark, look, and no long labor spent to string the bow. My strength's not broken yet, not quite so frail as the mocking suitors thought"(21. 475-476).

1) The goddess Athena "...inspired Penelope, Icarius' daughter, wary, poised, to set the bow and the gleaming iron axes our before her suitors waiting in Odysseus' hall- to test their skill and bring their slaughter on"(21. 424).

2) After Penelope retrieves Odysseus' golden bow from the storage vault, she announces the contest, "The hand that can string this bow with greatest ease, that shoots an arrow clean through all twelve axes- he is the man I follow"(21.86-87).

3) Telemechus requests to try the contest first, to see if he can measure up to his father's strong hands, "If I string it and shoot through all the axes, I'd worry less if my noble mother left our house with another man and left me here behind- man enough at last to win my father's splendid prizes!"(21.131-134).

4) Odysseus feels he can trust his loyal servants Eumaeus and Philoetius, therefore Odysseus reveals his true identity behind his beggar costume. The three men devise a plan that will help Odysseus participate in the contest in order for him to win his wife back. "Eumaeus, carry the weapon down the hall and put it in my hands. Then tell the serving-women to lock the snugly fitted doors to their own rooms. If anyone hears from their jolting blows and groans of men, caught in our huge net, not one of them show her face… Philoetius, here are your orders. Shoot the bolt of the courtyard's outer gate, lock it, lash it fast"(21.261-269).

5) With the help of Penelope, Odysseus is able to compete in the contest. The suitors become scared of Odysseus when "with his virtuoso ease... strung his mighty bow. Quickly his right hand plucked the string to test its pitch and under his touch it sang out clear and sharp as a swallow's cry"(21.456-457).

Anthropologist

mythologist

Characteristics of and Epic Poem...

Characteritics of an Epic Hero in Book 21,,,

Characteristics of and Epic Hero in Book 21

PLOT POINTS!

Epithets

Characters

Synopsis

The beginning of Book 21 is present tense and Athena inspires Penelope to challenge the suitors and see who was capable of becoming her new husband. Penelope goes to the store room to retrieve the iron bow that was a gift from Iphitus in battle. Penelope addresses the suitors with the competition and they begin to discuss the probable competitors who are worthy of taking Penelope's hand in marriage as well as Odysseus' great bow and palace. Telemachus is the first to attempt his strength at the mighty bow but fails devastatingly. The suitors including Antinous and Eurymachus the leading suitors try but also miserably fail at courting Penelope. Odysseus posed as the beggar pulls the cowherd and swineherd to the side and asks what would they do if Odysseus suddenly returned home. Each prayed to the almighty gods and Odysseus realized they were loyal till death. He plotted the suitors death with them and instructed them to be secretive. After many failed attempts at the suitors stringing the bow he tries his strength in stringing the bow. He was denied by the suitors, encouraged by Penelope, and assisted by Telemachus. Also he is helped by the swineherd who instructs the serving women to lock their doors after Odysseus took the bow and keep to their sewing. The cowherder also helps Odysseus by locking the gates to Odysseus' palace. Although mocked by the suitors Odysseus manages to take hold of the bow and successfully string it through all twelve axes. The conclusion of this book is a sign from Odysseus to Telemachus to carry out the plan of overtaking his palace and killing the suitors.

Book 21

By: Bianca Garcia, Rachel Willeford,

and A.J. Babcock

sociologist