HOMER, THE ODYSSEY, Pt. 4
Books 19-24

STUDY QUESTIONS

     Book 19

In Book 19 the suspense begins to build.  When will Odysseus reveal himself?  What does he delay?  In lines 19.320-330, Odysseus says that he will shortly return; what is the excuse that he gives in lines 330-340 for his long absence?  Does Odysseus really need to do some explaining for himself? Could he just assume that Penelope would be willing to accept him back after being gone for so long?

There is also a series of ironies in Book 19.  What irony is contained in lines 365-368?  What irony is contained in line 418?

Does Penelope’s telling Odysseus of the dream make you more or less convinced that she knows who he is?  If we assume that she doesn’t know who he is, how would we understand her setting forth the contest on the next day?  How would we understand this event if she does know who he is?  What does the fact that Odysseus says that Odysseus will be at the contest tells us about whether Odysseus thinks Penelope knows who he is?

      Book 20

In book 20, what is the concern that Odysseus voices to Athena concerning his killing of the suitors?

In book 20, we see a man slaughter 40 nearly defenseless men in his own house. How has Homer prepared us so that we do not come to think of Odysseus as a thug after reading this account?

     Book 21

How does Homer use the contest with the bow as a foreshadowing?

     Book 22

Does Odysseus "wrath" differ from that of Achilles?  Odysseus restrains Eurykleia from gloating over their triumph.  Why?  What reason does he give?  What does that tells us about the character of Odysseus? 

Who are the only two allowed to survive the wrath of Odysseus?  Why are they spared?

Odysseus tells Telemakhos to kill the faithless maids with his sword. Why does he then go and hang them?

     Book 23

What is Penelope’s first response to Odysseus when coming to see him after he had killed the suitors?

We have seen a number of instances of "testing" by Odysseus. Now Penelope has a test of her own for Odysseus. Do these
tests make you think more or less of these two people? Are the tests unreasonable and overly skeptical?
 

    Book 24

In this final section of the epic there is a "curtain call" of the entire family of Odysseus.  Homer includes the loyal servants and even the family dog.  What does this reveal about Homer's view of marriage and family?

At the very end there is a final peace pact.  How does it come about?  What does that reveal about Homer's worldview?