Agamemnon and achilles argue over who had the better death. Book twentyone begins with penelope presenting the challenge to the suitors. In book 22 of the odyssey, who is saved from death and why. An interesting online recitation of this section of the odyssey in greek, with more or less the original pronunciation and some attempt at reproducing the original musical accompaniment, is available. The odyssey study guide contains a biography of homer, literature essays, a complete etext, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a. Choose from 500 different sets of the odyssey books 21 questions flashcards on quizlet. He asks to take a turn and shoots the arrow through all 12 axes, then gives his herdsmen and telemachus the signal. Heres where youll find analysis about the book as a whole, from the major themes and. Hermes leads the souls of the suitors, crying like bats, into hades.
I look forward to discussing the conclusion of the odyssey with you next month along with the three rs. Other suitors lack the strength to string it as well. In the twentysecond book of homers odyssey, odysseus begins his battle with the suitors. The contest of the bow and ultimate revenge on the suitors. In her hand is a strong bow left behind by odysseus when he sailed for troy. Penelope takes odysseus bow out from storage and sets up a contest for the suitors. Agamemnon and achilles discuss the suitors deaths in hades, and odysseus and. The odyssey thus allows for the possibility of a negotiated settlement in circumstances at least superficially similar to those in book 22. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. This lesson begins with a brief recap of book 23 of the odyssey.
Telemachos shows his hospitality by inviting the guest in as soon as he sees him well, technically her, but telemachos doesnt know that, refraining from asking his name and business, and immediately taking him inside, stowing away his effects, and feeding him at a fine table. When the suitors retire for the night, telemachus and odysseus remove the arms as planned. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the odyssey, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. See a complete list of the characters in the odyssey and indepth analyses of odysseus, telemachus, penelope, athena, calypso, and circe. Penelope retrieves odysseus great bow from the storeroom and her maids bear axe heads into the main hall. Penelope sets out odysseuss bow and axes, and announces to the suitors that the archer that can shoot an arrow cleanly through the axes will have her hand in marriage. As a consequence, the exchange between odysseus and eurymachos represents, in dramatic terms, though not in terms of the facts of odysseustradition, a real choice. Books 21 to 24 let get you up to speed on key information and facts on the odyssey by homer. An archery contest the contest of the axes is held in book 21, with none of the suitors able to string and shoot odysseuss bow. Revenge, reconciliation, and romance continue reading. The fighting of book 22 is the only pitched battle in the odyssey, and while it cannot help but recall the iliad, which abounds in bloodshed, the description remains thoroughly odyssean.
Homer odyssey discussion questions for books 1724 reading. Regarding the odysseys three main narrative sequences, then, i have argued that zeus provides a kind of blueprint for the telemachia and mnesterophonia with his oresteia, and that he orchestrates the nostos overtly. Telemachus sets up the axes and then tries his own hand at the bow, but fails in his attempt to string it. Study 27 terms the odyssey book 2124 flashcards quizlet. The poet invokes the muse to help him tell the story of odysseus. The scene in the land of the dead may seem tedious, even intrusive, to modern readers.
The latter sequence, as discussed in the previous chapter, comes under zeus control in book 5, when athene appears unable to implement the plan she has formulated for. She brings out odysseuss heavy bow and arrow and tells the suitors they must. Penelope gets odysseus s bow out of the storeroom and announces that she will marry the suitor who can string it and then shoot an arrow through a line of twelve axes. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the odyssey and what it means. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 book 10 book 11 book 12 book book 14 book 15 book 16 book 17 book 18 book 19 book 20 book 21 book 22 book 23 book 24 themes all themes fate, the gods, and free will piety, customs, and justice cunning, disguise, and selfrestraint memory and grief glory and honor. The consensus of opinion, however, is that the last book does belong. Book twentyone penelope now appears before the suitors in her glittering veil. For one thing, it maintains the comic and domestic flavor that many critics find characteristic of the odyssey. In book 20 of the odyssey, odysseus is worried that there were too many suitors for him and telemachus to defeat but was reassured by the goddess athena. Summary penelope announces the contest and retrieves odysseus great backsprung bow from a secret storeroom deep in the palace.
Learn the odyssey books 21 questions with free interactive flashcards. Read an overview of the entire poem or a line by line summary and analysis. Whoever strings this bow, she says, and sends an arrow straight through the sockets of twelve ax heads lined in a row that man will i marry. The odyssey books 2124 summary and analysis gradesaver.