Journey of Both Odysseus and Penelope with Intervention of Gods

Journey of both Odysseus and Penelope with intervention of gods

Homer writer of T​he Iliad​has experience condensing a ten year war into a book, and displays his experience when he condenses a whole story into one symbolic epic simile. In Homer’s T​he Odyssey t​he epic simile in book 23 lines 259­270 illustrates the rejoining of Penelope and Odysseus, however the poet utilizes crafty comparisons to symbolize the constant intervention of the gods, the faithfulness of the noble Penelope, and the temptations Odysseus encounters throughout his journeys.

Homer adds Poseidon and Athena’s intervention in Odysseus’ trials to further humanize the gods. In the author's carefully crafted epic simile, Poseidon is explicitly stated as the force that delays Odysseus from his homeland. When Poseidon finds out that Odysseus has escaped the grasp of Calypso, he says, “look at him now, just offshore of that island that frees him from the bondage of his exile! Still I can give him a rough ride in, and will” (V. 298­300). Athena, however, is seen as a shield for the hero, Odysseus. Homer implicitly adheres her meddling in the epic simile when Odysseus crawls out of the sea “clotted with brine” (XXIII. 267). The brine represents the sea salt that coats Odysseus shielding him from the dangers of the sea. Athena throughout Odysseus’ trials is seen “pour[ing] sea fog around him as he [goes]” (IX. 548­552). Athena’s supernatural aid is seen as typical for a hero to receive, however, the opposition of the Earth Shaker further legitimizes Odysseus’ claim as the most enduring hero in Greek mythology.

When Odysseus and Penelope first rejoin, the epic simile succeeded in mentioning the clear and faithfulness of the noble Penelope. Penelope like Odysseus faces the “rough waters” (XXIII. 264) of temptation with a house full of suitors flattering her. Homer symbolizes Penelope



as the ideal wife waiting twenty years in rough water for her husband. Penelope does exhibit a bit of jealousy when her “her heart stir[s] in her breast” (XVII. 167) after Telemachus tells that Odysseus is with the goddess Calypso. The ideal marriage would not be broken by Penelope who illustrates her loyalty to her husband when she tells “the divine lady Artemis [to]... let an arrow fly, [and] stop [her] heart” (XX. 186­188). Homer even depicts Penelope as stronger than Odysseus because she never gave in to the “beauty that [the suitors] lay siege for so many days” (XX. 164­166). The clearness in Penelope represents her cunning mind which keeps clear of the temptation of the suitors, and instead she outsmarts the so called beasts. Penelope’s fidelity illustrated throughout the book portrays the strength and wit of Penelope depicting the women as even stronger than the hero himself, Odysseus.

Like Penelope, Odysseus faces “rough waters” (XXIII. 264) throughout his various trials and learns to avoid giving into