Odysseus Disguise In The Odyssey

The theme of disguise is a common denominator in the travels of Odysseus. He is constantly reinventing himself just to stay alive. In the last third of the poem, Odysseus, with the help of Athena, reinvents himself into an old beggar to reclaim his wife and throne in Ithaca. His beggar transformation allows him to test loyalties to those closest to him and to gain intelligence about the suitor so he can plan their execution. Odysseus’ disguise is vital for the success of taking back his home, without it he wouldn’t have been able to kill the suitors and more than likely would’ve been killed. His disguise allows him to gather intelligence on the suitors and their traits, test the loyalties of his people, and displays his cunning, manipulative …show more content…
However, when he finally gets back home, he faces new problems; his wife, the suitors, and the loyalty of his people. Odysseus’ return home sinks him into the unknown; who can he trust and what has changed are the biggest questions. In his return to Ithaca, Odysseus forms two new identities. Arriving on a strange island with copious amounts of treasure, Odysseus must act fast. When the shepherd, who is really Athena in disguise, approaches him, Odysseus feeds her a story that shows his cunning nature. In his story he mentions how he “left his sons” (XIII. 330) and killed a man, all by himself. He mentions he’s from the faraway lands of Crete and led his own command in the battle at Troy. His story sought not only to intimidate but to create a sense of trust. He starts off saying he’s from Crete, a faraway island holding a rough and tough reputation. The chances of the shepherd knowing someone from Krete would be slim, increasing the validity of his story. He then mentions how he left his family behind. As a single man washed ashore with heaps of treasure, Odysseus knew it would be smart to mention family. The family serve almost as a backup, implying that if he were to go missing, someone would come to his rescue. Next, he mentions how he killed a man in his sleep for trying to take his treasure. He mentions this to intimidate the shepherd, basically implying that if the shepherd tried to take his stuff, he wouldn’t mind hurting him either. Lastly, he mentions how he befriended a group of sailors, giving them all the treasure they could want, as long as they helped him. This acts as an invitation for the young shepherd to help him in a mutually beneficial way. Odysseus knows he needs help, so he wants to persuade the young shepherd to act with him and not against him. Of course, Odysseus doesn’t realize that the young shepherd is really