Steven Lee 9B 12/28/15 Theme Paragraph for Trickery and Deception In The Odyssey , Penelope affects the suitors’ lives by tricking them into believing that Penelope will pick a suitor to marry after she is done weaving a fake burial shroud for Laertes because she has faith in Odysseus- that he will return home safely. Because Odysseus is slow to return after the Trojan War, Penelope’s home is plagued by suitors who want to marry her. Unfortunately these suitors also have overstayed their welcome. ; they have gorged themselves with drinks and food. In ancient Greece, the host was required to show hospitality to his or her visitors and did it in fear of the guest being a god, goddess or all-mighty entity. Basically, the host made sure
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So by day she'd weave at her great and growing web- by night, by the light of torches set beside her, she would unravel all she'd done. Three whole years she deceived us blind, seduced us with this scheme... Then, when the wheeling seasons brought the fourth year on, one of her women, in on the queen's secret, told the truth and we caught her in the act- unweaving her gorgeous web. So she finished it off. Against her will. We forced her.” ( 2. 114-122 ). It shows that Penelope may not be as weak as her son, Telemachus portrays her to be. In fact, she plays a role just as important as Telemachus- to guard the house and family against the suitors who plague the household of Odysseus and his family. This allows her to hold off the suitors until Odysseus finally comes back home and reprimands the suitors by murdering them. Such loyalty allows Odysseus return home and plan- along with Telemachus- to punish the suitors once and for all. Penelope’s loyalty to Odysseus and essentially her entire family is a key factor in making sure that her son, Telemachus would be safe from possible threats from the suitors- as they believe that Odysseus is either gone in a distant land or dead. Stalling the suitors for as long as possible was probably her best tactic. If she were to turn them away, or even to make a selection, those rejected could well have turned to
So by day she'd weave at her great and growing web- by night, by the light of torches set beside her, she would unravel all she'd done. Three whole years she deceived us blind, seduced us with this scheme... Then, when the wheeling seasons brought the fourth year on, one of her women, in on the queen's secret, told the truth and we caught her in the act- unweaving her gorgeous web. So she finished it off. Against her will. We forced her.” ( 2. 114-122 ). It shows that Penelope may not be as weak as her son, Telemachus portrays her to be. In fact, she plays a role just as important as Telemachus- to guard the house and family against the suitors who plague the household of Odysseus and his family. This allows her to hold off the suitors until Odysseus finally comes back home and reprimands the suitors by murdering them. Such loyalty allows Odysseus return home and plan- along with Telemachus- to punish the suitors once and for all. Penelope’s loyalty to Odysseus and essentially her entire family is a key factor in making sure that her son, Telemachus would be safe from possible threats from the suitors- as they believe that Odysseus is either gone in a distant land or dead. Stalling the suitors for as long as possible was probably her best tactic. If she were to turn them away, or even to make a selection, those rejected could well have turned to