Week 3

After studying numerous passages from Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’, we were asked to discuss a particular section.

Why does Odysseus deceive his wife in ‘Penelope and Her Guest’?

Book 19 in Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ involves a tale of deceit between a husband and wife. The reasoning for Odysseus’ concealment of his true identity throughout this passage is somewhat unclear; it is never ultimately revealed to the reader why Odysseus did not tell Penelope of his return. However, the ambiguity of ‘Penelope and Her Guest’ allows the passage to be open for interpretation by the reader. It could be argued that this deceit reflects the couple’s marriage as dishonest, causing the reader to question Penelope’s reliability of a character as well as Odysseus’. On the other hand, it could be said that Odysseus’ deceit reveals how the two characters contrast, perhaps depicting Penelope as the more heroic character.

Odysseus’ dishonesty to Penelope in Book 19 of ‘The Odyssey’ could perhaps highlight the couples’ dysfunctional marriage. The fact that Odysseus could lie to Penelope, his wife whom he has not seen for 20 years, discloses his deceitful characteristics. In addition, it is unclear in the passage whether Penelope is aware that her ‘guest’ is Odysseus; it is strange how she does not recognise her beloved husband. This ambiguity of Penelope’s character makes the scene more uncomfortable and confusing, furthermore creating a tone of deceit and dishonesty in the passage. This forces the reader to question the couples’ honesty to each other, maybe disclosing their marriage as untruthful and deceptive.

Alternatively, it could be said that Odysseus’ deceit creates a contrast between his character and Penelope. In this passage, Penelope could be viewed as heroic; she has being waiting so longingly for her husband to return and passionately asks her so called ‘guest’ about Odysseus. When hearing of him, she bursts into tears, reflecting her love and compassion. This faithfulness contrasts Odysseus’ deceit, showing the clear difference between the two characters. It could be said that the true hero in this passage is Penelope, not Odysseus.