After 20 years of a treacherous journey to make it back home to Ithaca, Odysseus is questioned by his loyal wife of his identity. In book 23 Homer provides us with a beautiful image of what seems to be a relatively strong bed but in actuality it represents the foundation of Penelope and Odysseus' love. This image reveals several important facts of Odysseus' intentions and Penelope's character throughout the Odyssey.
The Odyssey is a tale of Odysseus making his journey home to be with his beloved wife and now ripe son. Throughout the poem though, Odysseus' loyalty and faithfulness to his wife comes into question as he meets many beautiful women and is tempted to be with them; specifically the seven years he spent with Calypso and the time spent …show more content…
I am someone who takes this quote metaphorically and believe to see us is really asking if his and Penelope's love still stands as strong as their bed stands in their room or has someone taken her love. I think Homer intentionally uses the olive trunk metaphor to represent Penelope's and Odysseus' foundation of marriage. It is as unmovable as a tree trunk that no suitor, unless he tears the roots out, will be able to move it. Once again his curiosity of whether someone else has Penelope's love put trays him as a husband who truly wants to be with his …show more content…
Towards the beginning of the Odyssey Penelope is introduced as a widow that is not ready to be married to a suitor. Although we see a characteristic of wit and cleverness on Penelope's part, when she holds off getting married for four years by unweaving her father in laws shroud each night. Homer touches on Penelope's wit a few times in the Odyssey but this test she gives her husband is a true indication of her with and cleverness. Some may argue Penelope chooses to test your husband simply because of caution towards the stranger; she does not want to believe her husband still alive and be letdown to find out he is not, but something about Penelope's wit indicates to me that she knew Odysseus was still alive and he is the stranger staring back at her in book the 23. Therefore, I believe that this test she gives Odysseus is just given further indication that she and him have a similar
The Odyssey is a tale of Odysseus making his journey home to be with his beloved wife and now ripe son. Throughout the poem though, Odysseus' loyalty and faithfulness to his wife comes into question as he meets many beautiful women and is tempted to be with them; specifically the seven years he spent with Calypso and the time spent …show more content…
I am someone who takes this quote metaphorically and believe to see us is really asking if his and Penelope's love still stands as strong as their bed stands in their room or has someone taken her love. I think Homer intentionally uses the olive trunk metaphor to represent Penelope's and Odysseus' foundation of marriage. It is as unmovable as a tree trunk that no suitor, unless he tears the roots out, will be able to move it. Once again his curiosity of whether someone else has Penelope's love put trays him as a husband who truly wants to be with his …show more content…
Towards the beginning of the Odyssey Penelope is introduced as a widow that is not ready to be married to a suitor. Although we see a characteristic of wit and cleverness on Penelope's part, when she holds off getting married for four years by unweaving her father in laws shroud each night. Homer touches on Penelope's wit a few times in the Odyssey but this test she gives her husband is a true indication of her with and cleverness. Some may argue Penelope chooses to test your husband simply because of caution towards the stranger; she does not want to believe her husband still alive and be letdown to find out he is not, but something about Penelope's wit indicates to me that she knew Odysseus was still alive and he is the stranger staring back at her in book the 23. Therefore, I believe that this test she gives Odysseus is just given further indication that she and him have a similar