The Bed Of Odysseus And Penelope In Homer's Odyssey

Firstly, the bed of Odysseus and Penelope represents more than their marriage; it stands for the spirit in which Odysseus ruled Ithaca. A prominent leader will have a unique way of ruling, which enraptures their entire kingdom. There’s a sense of individuality that every king impresses on his people. This is the same for Odysseus. Such as he built his bed, he’s built the kingdom of Ithaca, and has left his personal mark on it. Odysseus is the king, but his true role is far greater than that. People look up to their rulers and embody their attitude in the city. This is the same for Ithaca. His people recognize his strong, clever character and they feel that presence in the city. Odysseus isn’t just asking if Penelope moved their bed, he’s asking …show more content…
To begin, an olive tree is an incredibly complex tree. With numerous twists and knots, their uniqueness is obvious. The distinctive nature of this tree relates back to the spirit of Odysseus. The essence of which Odysseus imposed upon his people is incredibly distinctive. He clearly has a set way in which he rules Ithaca, and he did not want it to be destroyed while he was away. Consequently, olive trees tend to be extremely strong. This indicates that Odysseus’s character ran strongly through his kingdom. Citizens had a sense of who Odysseus was as a leader thanks to his strong ruling. This gave Ithaca a certain feel. The citizens knew the essence of Odysseus and he didn’t want them to forget that. Along with this, olive trees have vast roots, again representing that the essence of Odysseus flowed throughout Ithaca. Lastly, olive oil is used in consecrations of new kings. It’s considered to be holy and exceedingly noble. This characterizes the way that Odysseus felt about himself and the way in which he ruled Ithaca. In using olive wood to construct his bed, it’s clear that Odysseus built more than just a place for him and his wife to …show more content…
To begin, he constructs the phrase “planted firm”. This is indicating the deep-set ways of his spirit throughout Ithaca. Continuing, Odysseus says “chopped away”. This expression is extremely descriptive. It means that since his attitude was so permeated in the city, it couldn’t just be taken down with one fell swoop. Instead, a person would have been working for a long time in order to modify the personality of his kingdom. Another key word is “trunk”. Tree trunks are typically wide and incredibly sturdy. They hold the tree together, connecting the branches to the roots. Without a strong base, a tree wouldn’t exist and neither would a city. Odysseus uses this word to represent the vitality of his essence within the people. Without such a strong influence on them, Ithaca would not be the same. Lastly, Odysseus selects the word “hauled”. This is an intensely specific and heavy word for this situation. Most people would say “moved” whereas Odysseus is sure to choose a term containing added description to represent the weight of his spirit. He worked diligently to build it up that his essence is strong. He, again, realizes that a person couldn’t simply destroy the entire character of Ithaca while he was gone, or at least he truly hopes. Odysseus uses specific phrases to signify that he isn’t merely asking about only Penelope and his marriage