Thursday, August 11, 2011

What final recognitions take place in Book XX of The Odyssey?

Book XX of The Odyssey sets the table
for the revenge that begins in Book XXI.  All of the suitors are reintroduced to
Odysseus, and many are cruel to him.  Book XX is the last chapter that Odysseus will
spend in the disguise of the beggar.  But, all of Odysseus' allies recognize him as lord
Odysseus except Penelope.


Book XX reveals two major
recognitions:


1.  Athena wants Odysseus to recognize that
his revenge against the suitors is sanctioned by the gods.  Odysseus has been doubting
his ability to defeat so many of the suitors:


readability="12">

"all that you have said is true, but I
am in some doubt as to how I shall be able to kill these wicked suitors 
single
handed, seeing what a number of them there always are. And there 
is this
further difficulty, which is still more considerable. Supposing 
that with
Jove's and your assistance I succeed in killing them, I must 
ask you to
consider where I am to escape to from their avengers when it 
is all
over."



Athena
responds:


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"For shame," replied Athena, "why, any one else
would trust a 
worse ally than myself, even though that ally were only a mortal
and less 
wise than I am. Am I not a goddess, and have I not protected you
throughout 
in all your troubles? I tell you plainly that even though there
were fifty 
bands of men surrounding us and eager to kill us, you should take
all their 
sheep and cattle, and drive them away with you. But go to sleep; it
is 
a very bad thing to lie awake all night, and you shall be out of your
troubles 
before
long."



2.  The suitors and
the readers recognize Telemachus coming into his manhood.  No longer is Telemachus weak
or timid in the midst of the older, brazen suitors.  Telemachus insults them
openly:



. . .
This house does not belong to the people,
but it belongs to Odysseus; he
acquired it; this makes it
mine, and so, you suitors, hold back your spirit
for insults
and blows, or else there may be a quarrel and fight between
us.



As such, the suitors take
offense to his remonstrations--they “bit their lips in amazement / at Telemachos, and
the daring way he had spoken to them.”

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