Date post: | 03-Jan-2016 |
Category: |
Documents |
Upload: | jessica-byrd |
View: | 213 times |
Download: | 0 times |
Homer’s Odyssey
Endgames and The Greek Element
Books XXIII-XXIV
This art is NOT Greek, yet it appears to tell a similar story.Did theOdyssey Have EarlierOrigins?
Book XXIII• Eurykleia tells Penelope that Odysseus
has returned• Eurykleia laughs• Penelope doesn’t buy it
– “Dear nurse, the gods have made you mad!”
• Eurykleia describes the slaughter, and laughs
• Tells Penelope the sight of the corpses would warm her heart
Book XXIII• Penelope doesn’t
know what to do• “It is hard to
comprehend the counsels of the gods that are forever.”
• Off to see the suitors…and Telemakhos
Odysseus and Penelope• Telemakhos shows
his manhood by upbraiding his mom
• Penelope Polytropa• “We have signs
which we two alone know, signs hidden from others.”
Penelope’s Test
• After Od. cleans up, and a big party thrown, Penelope tests her husband
• Tells Odysseus that the wedding bed will be made up for him IN THE HALLWAY
• Odysseus is outraged• “You make my stern heart know
that I am yours.”
The Tree Bed• Odysseus had carved
the bed from a huge olive tree
• Inlaid with gold, silver, ivory
• Covered with a bright purple ox-hide
• One of the few examples of material wealth in Odysseus’ house
REUNION• They have a good
cry• Ship-land
metaphor to express Odysseus’ joy at seeing Penelope
• All is not joy yet, as “we have not yet come to the end of our trials”
“When the two had their fill of the joy of love, they took delight in tales speaking to each other.”
First recorded instance of pillow talk
And Now For Something Completely Different…
• Agamemnon and Achilles in the Underworld• Tangent, but important• Brings back the theme of fidelity (Penelope
contrasted with Klytemnestra)• Plural authorship?
Book XXIV• Odysseus goes to
meet his father– With a bevy of armed
guards, including Telemakhos
• Laertes not very kingly– Reverses the meeting
of Odysseus and Telemakhos
• Again, Odysseus can’t resist another tricky exchange
• Bad moon rising….
The Families of the Suitors Plot Revenge
• Rumor flies over Ithaka • Eupeithes, Antinoos’ father, want
revenge• Dolius not among them
– Father of Melanthius and Melantho
• Dolius not among them• Athene helps again…with Laertes
Athena’s Intervention• “Now halt – stop
this bitter sparring; end your slaughter Ithakans and seek peace.”
• Naturally, everyone just stops, even Odysseus (eventually)
What does it all mean?!?!Themes revisited:• Chastity and fidelity of Penelope• Cunning of Odysseus and Penelope• The gods take an active role in human
affairs
• The evolution of Telemakhos is complete• Revenge taken and honor restored
• BUT….
The Problem of Book 24
• Was it a later addition?– Achilles and Agamemnon– Entrance of suitors into Underworld
conflicts with Book 11 (Elpenor needs burial)
– No fight with Dolius– Odysseus doesn’t carry out Teirisias’
instructions to sacrifice to Poseidon