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What happens in chapter 21 of the Odyssey?

Asked by: Abdelaali Fraulin

asked in category: General Last Updated: 11th April, 2020

What happens in chapter 21 of the Odyssey?

Summary: Book 21

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. Odysseus, still disguised, then asks for the bow. All of the suitors complain, fearing that he will succeed.

Consequently, what happens in Book 21 of the Odyssey?

In Book 21 of The Odyssey, Penelope brings out Odysseus‘ bow and tells the suitors she will marry the first one who can string it and shoot an arrow through twelve axes. Odysseus tells them their part in his plan to slaughter the suitors and goes back to the contest.

Beside above, who is the first man to try to string the bow and what is the outcome? Odysseus dispenses justice harshly but not without mercy. Leodes pleads that he was only the suitors’ priest, but Odysseus knows that he was the first to try to string the bow and win Penelope. Odysseus decapitates him with one swipe, the head softly bouncing in the dust.

what is the theme of Book 21 of the Odyssey?

A theme of Book 21 is love because Odysseus comes back disguised as someone far lower than him, just to win Penelope back. A symbol in the story is the bow which represents how life was before all of the suitors came and when Odysseus was still king.

What happens when Odysseus strings the bow?

Eumaeus carries the bow to the king amidst the mocking of the suitors. Odysseus strings the bow as gracefully as a bard tuning his lyre; Zeus sends down a bolt of lightning. Then the king shoots the arrow cleanly through the row of axes. He says to Telemachus: it’s time for the song and dance that follow a feast.

31 Related Question Answers Found

How did Telemachus die?

The Telegony was a short two-book epic poem recounting the life and death of Odysseus after the events of the Odyssey. In this mythological postscript, Odysseus is accidentally killed by Telegonus, his unknown son by the goddess Circe.

Who kills Odysseus first?

Antinous

Why is Poseidon so angry with Odysseus?

Poseidon was furious with Odysseus and his crew because they blinded his son, the cyclops Polyphemus.

Why did Odysseus kill the suitors?

Odysseus, with the help of Telemachus, slays the suitors for two main reasons. First, they were disrespectful to him and his household, especially the first ones he and his son target with arrows and spear. Second, they were disloyal to Odysseus as ruler of Ithaca in their attempts to displace him by taking his wife.

What does Telemachus do at the end of Book 21?

Summary: Book 21 Telemachus sets up the axes and then tries his own hand at the bow, but fails in his attempt to string it. He promises to treat them as Telemachus’s brothers if they fight by his side against the suitors. When Odysseus returns, Eurymachus has the bow.

Why is Odysseus still not home?

Unknown to the suitors, Odysseus is still alive. The beautiful nymph Calypso, possessed by love for him, has imprisoned him on her island, Ogygia. Telemachus makes plans to return home, while, back in Ithaca, Antinous and the other suitors prepare an ambush to kill him when he reaches port.

How long is Homer’s Odyssey?

The average reader will spend 2 hours and 48 minutes reading The Odyssey at 250 WPM (words per minute). “The Odyssey” is a classical epic poem about the events following the fall of Troy and the end of the Trojan War which is generally thought to have been written at the end of the 8th century BC.

What does Odysseus order Telemachus?

In the excerpt from the Odyssey, Part 2, what does Odysseus order Telemachus to do when Odysseus gives him a signal? Round up weapons and armor and put them somewhere else.

Why did Penelope give the test of the bow?

The test was that Penelope says that she will marry whichever suitor can string the bow and then shoot an arrow through 12 axe handles. None of the suitors can even string the bow so none of them even gets a shot at the axe handles. The reason that this is so hard is that the bow is very stiff.

What does Odysseus name mean?

♂ Odysseus as a boys’ name is of Greek origin, and the meaning of Odysseus is “angry man”. Possibly linked to the Greek term “dys” meaning “to hate”, or also possibly “leg wound”. In Homer’s epic poems “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”, Odysseus was known for his eloquence and his talent for playing tricks.

What are suitors in the Odyssey?

The Suitors. Well, the wife and son of Odysseus – Penelope and Telemachus, respectively – were busy fending off a group of ill-mannered, piggish men Homer refers to as the suitors. There are over a hundred of these guys appearing at the home of Penelope and Telemachus while Odysseus is gone.

How does the Odyssey end?

Summary What Does the Ending Mean? Having defeated the suitors, Odysseus reveals his identity to Penelope. The next day, he and Telemachus travel to the house where Odysseus’s grieving father, Laertes, lives. Together, the men prepare to fight the fathers of the murdered suitors, but Athena intervenes to make peace.

What is so special about Odysseus bow?

Although archery may not directly relate to structures, the bow of Odysseus demonstrates how flexible rods can be curved and released to achieve great shape changes. Today we see similar examples of strain energy being used to create structural forms such as in pop up tents or Volvo’s deployable solar-powered pavilion.

What happens after Odysseus kills the suitors?

After Odysseus and his crew kill many suitors, Athena joins in and ends the battle. Telemachus then kills the twelve female servants disloyal to Odysseus. Odysseus finally orders Eurycleia to bring him sulfur and fire so he can fumigate the palace.

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