Does Penelope Know the identity of her guest? Through Book 19 there are many hints as to whether Penelope knows that her guest is in fact her husband. When Odysseus dresses himself as a beggar, it creates dramatic irony for a short time because the reader knows who the beggar is but Penelope does not until later. This is important because she might find a way to help him with his plans or she could ruin them. When Odysseus arrives at the palace the suitors are anxious for Penelope to decide on a husband. She has been putting off choosing a husband for years until Odysseus arrives dressed as a beggar. She then proposes a contest that will decide who her husband will be. “The hand that can string the bow with greatest ease, that shoots an arrow
