The Role Of Penelope In Homer's Odyssey

The book starts with Odysseus, who is still dressed as a beggar, speaking to his son Telemakhos about their plan to kill the suitors out of spite for trying to marry Penelope. Odysseus commands his son to hide the suitor’s weapons so that will not be able to fight back. He also commands the maid Eurykelia to lock the women in their quarters so they will not witness the carnage. After Telemakhos obeys, a light brightens the room and Telemakhos believes that this is a sign from the gods of their approval. When the preparations are finished, Odysseus is invited to join Penelope in the manor to speak so she can learn about who he is. When they meet, Penelope asks Odysseus questions like where are you from, who are you, and who are your parents. In response, Odysseus starts by complimenting Penelope’s beauty and then says that the telling of
He tells Penelope that he was born on the island of Krete. He also tell her that he saw Odysseus in a coastal city and says that he was his caretaker for a short amount of time. After hearing this story, Penelope begins to cry. Nevertheless, Penelope is still skeptical so she decides to ask the beggar Odysseus what her husband was wearing. The beggar Odysseus says that Odysseus was wearing a double thick purple cloak, a gold pin that resembled a hunting dog, and a fine white tunic. Penelope cries again and says that those were the clothes she had dressed him in on the morning of his departure. Despite these two stories from Odysseus, Penelope still believes that her husband is dead. Trying to rid her of these thoughts, Odysseus begins to tell his story from the point of a spectator. He describes the majority of his journey and then mentions how Odysseus is on the island of the Phaikians and therefore, will be returning very shortly. But, Penelope is still in denial and does not believe that her husband will