Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Book 19
Why do you think Penelope refuses to believe anything she hears about Odysseus? For example, when the beggar tells her that Odysseus is in Ithaca. Why do you think that Odysseus would not let anybody bathe him but somebody thats gone through as much as he has? Do you think that Penelope tells the beggar that she is having a contest between the suitors the next day because she thinks it will reveal Odysseus. If so, why? Why do you think Penelope chose the contest between the suitors, in which the suitors have to shoot 12 arrows through 12 consecutive axe heads?
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I think that penelope refuses to believe anything that she hears about Odysseus because she doesn't want to get her hopes up. She thinks that it is too good to be true. She believes that he is never coming home. Odysseus won't let anybody bathe him because it will reveal his scar. And he is in disguise, so it would be bad if he was revealed. I think Penelope tells the beggar that she is having a contest because she trusts him. He was the only nice one. She thinks it will reveal Odysseus because only Odysseus can string the bow. She chooses the contest because only Odysseus can complete it.
ReplyDeleteI think Penelope refuses to believe anything that she hears about Odysseus because she has been told a lot during the twenty years that Odysseus is gone that he is coming home, or dead, so she doesn't know what to believe. Odysseus won't let anyone bathe him because he doesn't want to reveal his identity, and he has a scar on the bottom of his foot, which is very original. If anyone knows that Odysseus has a scar on his foot, then they will find out he is Odysseus. I think Penelope tells the beggar about the contests because she has grown a great relationship with him so she feels she can tell him anything. She chooses that contest because Odysseus was able to complete it, and if they want to be her husband, then they will have to do what Odysseus can do.
ReplyDeleteI think Penelope refuses to believe anything she hears about Odysseus because it has been so long that she lost hope and it would almost feel like a dream. Odysseus doesn't want anyone to bathe him because if they see his scar they would be able to identify him. I think Penelope tells the beggar about the contest with the suitors because she doesn't expect anyone to match Odysseus' skill so it could also reveal Odysseus' presence.
ReplyDeleteI think Penelope refuses to believe anything she hears about Odysseus because she has lost all of her ambition and she has been waiting too long for Odysseus to believe that he is alive. I think that Odysseus does not want somebody bathe him because he has a notorious scar that he could be recognized by. I think Penelope chose this contest to truly reveal who could support her the best, and who was the overall supreme suitor. Also, I think she chose this contest because whoever won the contest, would be so great that they would remind her of Odysseus.
ReplyDeletePenelope refuses to beleive what she hears about odyssues becasue even though it was her that asked about him she had given up hope. I dont think she is fully refusinga and i thinkm she was glad to hear about what the beggar knew but it is still hard to beleive after so long. Odysseus wouldnt let anyone bathe him unless they had gone through as much greif as he because i guess he doesnt want an ignorant person who he doesnt respect to have anything to do with him. I dont thijnk penelope has any idea this beggar is odysseus so i dont think thats why shes having the contest. I think shes having it because odysseus said that when telemachus was groen it was time for her to marry someone else and nowe that telemachus is back she is finally starting to realize it is time to choose a suitor and this is how she will determine who.
ReplyDeleteI think that Penelope thinks that Odysseus' return is just a little too good to be true. She has spent twenty years waiting for him, and she is just about to lose hope. In a lot of ways, I think she is going through the same thing that Odysseus did when he didn't believe that he was actually in Ithaca. Both are some sort of denial to the fact that everyones troubles might be over. Odysseus said that he didn't want anyone to see his scar because it would give his identity away. Penelope probably picks this contest because Odysseus is the only one who could complete it. He is the only one who is strong enough to pull back the bow and aim well enough for it to make a perfect shot.
ReplyDeleteI think that Penelope was thinking it was impossible because he had been gone for such a long time, and him coming back all of a sudden is kind of random, but also at a good time. In other words, "it was too good to be true", for her to believe. Odysseus probably would not let anybody bathe him except for somebody that has gone through as much as he has, probably because the only person like that is his wife, Penelope. I do think that Penelope is holding the tournament, or set of games, the next day between all of the suitors, because she thought that would bring Odysseus out, make him reveal himself, or make is return home quicker, faster, or sooner. She probably tells the beggar this because she trusted him. She chose the Arrow and Axe-Head Test because she knew that none of the suitors could successfully accomplish, or win, that certain game, except very few and very skilled men in the world, which included Odysseus. Also, if someone would indeed have successfully accomplished, or won, that certain game or task in the tournament between all of the suitors, then she would know that the man who had done so would have to be Odysseus, her long lost husband.
ReplyDeleteThe main reason why Penelope does not believe the "beggar" is due to the absence of Odysseus in her life for 20 long years. It would be tough for her to believe a stranger that she just met. Take in to account that many people have probably told her earlier that her husband was going to return just to make her feel better. I believe the challenges she chose were to determine if Odysseus was even there. The difficult tasks are believed to only be able to be accomplished by Odysseus. It would determine if he is really there.
ReplyDeleteShe chooses not to believe anything she hears about Odysseus because he has been gone for so long, and she just cannot believe he will ever come back. I don't think he wants just any old whimsical maid to bathe him. He wants someone who he can talk to and relate to. I do think that Penelope tells the beggar that she is having a contest between the suitors the next day in hope that it will reveal Odysseus. I think this because she chooses tasks that only the true Odysseus can do. Again, the twelve axe head challenge is present because only Odysseus can do it.
ReplyDeletePenelope refuses to believe that Odysseus is back in Ithaca because she has given up hope of seeing him again. It has been many years, and she was just about to accept that he was dead and never coming back. Odysseus only let someone who has been through as much as he had bathe him because he knew that he needed someone reliable that wouldn't give him away if they recognized him. Penelope told people about the contest because she was hoping that wherever Odysseus was, or if he truly was at Ithaca, he would come and compete. She told the beggar because he reminded her of Odysseus, and maybe she was hoping it was him in a disguise. SHe chooses the competition of shooting an arrow through axes because she knows that only Odysseus can achieve this, and if anyone achieved it, it would be him.
ReplyDeletePenelope refuses to beleive what she hears about Odyssues becasue even though it was her that asked about him she had given up hope. I don't think she is fully refusing the idea and I think she was glad to hear about what the beggar knew but it is still hard to beleive after so long. Odysseus wouldn't let anyone bathe him unless they had gone through as much greif as he because I guess he doesn't want an ignorant person who he doesn't respect to have anything to do with him. I dont think Penelope has any idea this beggar is Odysseus so I don't think that's why she's having the contest. I think she's having it because Odysseus said that when Telemachus was grown it was time for her to marry someone else and now that Telemachus is back she is finally starting to realize it is time to choose a suitor and this is how she will determine who.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to answer whether the beggar was told about the contest. I think that she tell the beggar of her plans because she would have hoped to get some more information from the beggar which claimed to know Odysseus. Also the fact that Odysseus later tries to compete with the other suitors points out that he knows her goal she wants to achieve with setting this challenge.
ReplyDeletePenelope refuses to beleive what she hears about Odysseus because even though it was her that asked about him she had given up hope. I don't think she is fully refusing the idea and I think she was glad to hear about what the beggar knew but it is still hard to beleive after so long. Odysseus wouldn't let anyone bathe him unless they had gone through as much greif as he because I guess he doesn't want an ignorant person who he doesn't have respect for to have anything to do with him. I dont think Penelope has any idea this beggar is Odysseus so I don't think that's why she's having the contest. I think she's having it because Odysseus said that when Telemachus was grown it was time for her to marry someone else and now that Telemachus is back she is finally starting to realize it is time to choose a suitor and this is how she will determine who.
ReplyDeletePenelope refuses to believe what she hears about Odysseus because it has been twenty years since she saw him last. She has just about given up hope and is denying any thought that he may still be alive. I think he only allows someone that has been through as much as he has to bathe him because he wants someone who will be able to empathize with him and his troubles and treat him kindly and as an equal. I think that she reveals that she is having a contest to determine the suitor to the beggar because she may have an incling that he may actually be a god, Odysseus himself or someone that is aware of Odysseus's wellbeing. She choose this particular challenge because she know it is a feat only Odysseus could do and she wish to have a man of equal to Odysseus. Alternatively she may believe that Odysseus is actually home and well and is in disguise.
ReplyDeleteI think Penelope refuses to believe anything she hears about Odysseus because she doesn't want to get hurt and have her hopes high and then be left down yet again. It must be hard to go through that over and over again having people tell her he's coming home and he never does. Odysseus doesn't want anyone to bathe him because if they see his scar, they would be to recognize him. She told the beggar about the contest because she trusted him. She chose this contest knowing that only Odysseus was able to string the bow so it would reveal his identity.
ReplyDelete