What happened in chapter 20 of the Odyssey?
Summary: Book 20 Tormented by the loss of her husband and her commitment to remarry, Penelope wakes and prays for Artemis to kill her. Her distress wakes Odysseus, who asks Zeus for a good omen. But Athena keeps the suitors antagonistic all through dinner to prevent Odysseus’s anger from losing its edge.
What omen do the suitors see in Book 20?
In Book 20 of the Odyssey, the omens, dreams, and oozing of blood from the suitor’s mouth portend the coming clash between Odysseus and the suitors, when he will kill them all for disrespecting his wife and son and the honor of his house by killing all of his beasts, eating all of his food, ruining his home, and trying …
Who does Odysseus pray to in Book 20?
Zeus
He imagines (20.105) that she recognizes him and that they are together at last. Odysseus prays to Zeus for a sign of support and is answered by a thunderclap. This day is a special holiday on Ithaca, a festal celebration in honor of Apollo, god of archery.
How does Athena help Odysseus in Book 20?
Athena can soothe Odysseus because she knows his future: the suitors will be defeated, the husband will come home. Her peaceful presence acts on him like a sudden faith in the future: here, she seems to serve as a metaphor for that faith rather than as a meddlesome god.
What is Odysseus prayer to Athena?
Although he wants to react in anger, he steadies himself and waits for the right time for revenge. Describe Odysseus’s prayer to Athena. Odysseus asks that Athena will show him the way.
Why did Telemachus execute the maids?
Penelope recognised him immediately and instructed her maids not to reveal his identity. After the suitors were massacred, Odysseus instructed Telemachus to execute the maids who he believed were in league with them.
How does Penelope finally recognize Odysseus?
When Odysseus returns, Penelope doesn’t recognize him and cannot be sure that Odysseus is really who he says he is. She tests Odysseus by ordering her servant Eurycleia to move their marriage bed. His anger, and the fact that he knows the story of the bed, proves his identity.
Does Penelope recognize Odysseus?
Does Penelope pray to Athena?
Medon tells her that a god made him leave and Penelope says that the winds have blown her son away. She asks for someone to be sent to inform Laertes to ask for help. Eurykleia admits that she took part in Telemachus’ departure and she tells Penelope to pray to Athena who will help her son.
Did Penelope cheat on Odysseus in The Odyssey?
Pausanias records the story that Penelope had in fact been unfaithful to Odysseus, who banished her to Mantineia upon his return. Other sources report that Penelope had sex with all 108 suitors in Odysseus’ absence, and gave birth to Pan as a result.
What are the themes in book 20 of the Odyssey?
The Odyssey Book 20 Summary & Analysis. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Odyssey, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Odysseus lies awake and worries about fighting an entire crowd of suitors – and the crowds that will come to avenge their deaths.
How does Odysseus respond to Melanthius in book 19?
At first, they generally respond with anger, as when, in Book 19, Odysseus launches into an extended tirade against Melantho. By the end of Book 20, however, they seem to respond with something closer to disgust or pity, as when Odysseus merely shakes his head at Melanthius’s disparaging remarks.
Who are the swineherds in book 20 of the Odyssey?
Summary: Book 20. As the palace springs to life the next day, Odysseus and Telemachus meet, in succession, the swineherd Eumaeus, the foul Melanthius, and Philoetius, a kindly and loyal herdsman who says that he has not yet given up hope of Odysseus’s return. The suitors enter, once again plotting Telemachus’s murder.
How does the LitCharts work in the Odyssey?
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Odyssey, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Odysseus lies awake and worries about fighting an entire crowd of suitors – and the crowds that will come to avenge their deaths.
