Penelope's Early Recognition of Odysseus

When it comes to Penelope there is much controversy surrounding whether or not she recognized her husband Odysseus disguised as the beggar. I believe Penelope intuitively knew that Odysseus was the beggar but did not want to raise any red flags to the suitors, so she conjured up a clever way of ensuring that Odysseus could claim her “fair and square”. This recognition may not have been immediate but at a certain point after conversing with the beggar I believe Penelope perceived that the beggar was her husband.There are many questions surrounding whether this is so, however there is quite a bit of evidence that can qualify this theory as plausible. Some question whether Odysseus was recognized by Penelope and if this helped to build up the intensity of the story. Joseph Russo mentioned this topic in "Interview and Aftermath: Dream, Fantasy and Intuition in Odyssey 19 & 20." The lies told by Odysseus also increased the excitement of The Odyssey. Russo believed that Penelope, in her subconscious, did recognize Odysseus disguised as a beggar. For example, in Book 19, Penelope revealed her innermost thoughts to Odysseus, who was disguised as the beggar. Russo suggested that unconsciously the beggar reminded Penelope of Odysseus when she invited Odysseus to her room to talk and confided in him about her dreams (Russo,14). Russo’s suggestion is reasonable however there is another way to look at this part of the book. There were not only the outward signs of Penelope encouraging him, but she also gave reasons to believe she did not think Odysseus was alive. By telling Odysseus (the beggar) of her dreams Penelope showed trust in him, but by scheduling the contest of the bow, Penelope showed that she believed her husband was never coming back. Russo argues that this was only a defense mechanism. “If she were to believe Odysseus was alive, she would be letting her guard down, and she did not want to risk another disappointment” (Russo 15). I agree with Russo’s belief that

Cited: Homer. The Odyssey. in Maynard Mack et al., ed., The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, 5th ed. New York: Norton, 1985. Louden, Bruce. "Is There Early Recognition Between Penelope And Odysseus?; Book 19 In The Larger Context Of The Odyssey." College Literature 38.2 (2011): 76-100. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 May 2012. Russo, Joseph. “Interview and Aftermath: Dream, Fantasy and Intuition in Odyssey 19 and 20.” The American Journal of Philology 103 4-18. JSTOR. Web 10 May 2012 Vlahos, John B. "Homer 's Odyssey: Penelope And The Case For Early Recognition." College Literature 38.2 (2011): 1-75. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 May 2012.