Deception is defined as a crafty procedure or practice meant to deceive or defraud. People tend to view this as a sinister action. No matter how sinister it can be, it can also be utilized to gain information and knowledge. How a person uses deception varies among different people. Generally, the more clever people tend to utilize deception very efficiently. Odysseus masters deception in the Odyssey by disguising himself. Odysseus isn't alone for Athena also uses disguises. With that being said, disguises allow Odysseus to succeed in killing the suitors.
Athena was just as important in disguising herself because she played such an important role in killing the suitors. She did so by disguising herself as other people to help Odysseus return to Ithaca by slaying the suitors. There were certainly many opportunities for Athena to use disguises to help Odysseus.
For instance, Athena's first disguise was to help Telemachus obtain information about his father's whereabouts. If Telemachus were to find his father, it would in turn lead to Telemachus helping Odysseus. Because it was Telemachus and Odysseus who were to fight against the suitors; executing all those who tainted Odysseus' palace.
What was this disguise Athena took on? She chose none other than the chieftain of the Taphians: Mentes. Athena disguises herself as Mentes to inform Telemachus that Odysseus is still alive. After informing Telemachus about his father being very well alive, Athena tells Telemachus to then take action to find Odysseus, “For yourself, here is my advice. It is sound, and I hope you will take it. Choose your best ship, man her with twenty oarsmen, and set out to inquire after your long absent father.” (pg10,line 279) With this advice, Telemachus sta...
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...Odysseus by deflecting the six spears thrown at him by the suitors. “The six did as he ordered and threw with all their might. But Athena made the whole volley miss.” (pg 294,line 257) With this, he was able to successfully (and safely) eliminate the suitors from his palace. Without Athena's help, the spears would've probably hit Odysseus, quite possibly killing Odysseus. But the strong goddess Athena did not let this happen to Odysseus. Instead, she was always there watching over Odysseus in her many disguises.
Disguises are feared by many because disguises are mysterious and unknown. Humans have an aversion towards the unknown because it's intangible. Although humans have a fear of disguises, it doesn't mean they can't use disguises. In fact, it will prove to be useful because a person in a disguise is shown an entirely different world from another person's shoes.
Once he returns to Ithaca, Odysseus displays dishonest behavior and does not once tell a person who he actually is when first meeting him. Odysseus hides his identity at first, whether by actively lying or passively not correcting their erroneous beliefs.
Did you know, that although caves, and disguises play a small literal role in The Odyssey, are major symbols, and sometimes even considered archetypes? Sometimes when quickly reading through a book, one does not pick up on the symbolic interpretation of many images created throughout the book. A man named Homer wrote The Odyssey around 800 B.C. The story was a Greek epic poem, illustrating the struggle of Odysseys, the hero, to return home. He had gone to a war in Troy, leaving his family behind. Upon his return, his hubris angered the gods of Olympus, and they delayed his journey home 10 years. Throughout the story Athena, the goddess of wisdom, aids Odysseus. She intercedes for him on his behalf at Olympus, and helps him in his physical toils during his journey. While Odysseus was away, his wife began to be courted by the landholders and nobles of the area. These suitors plundered the house of Odysseus and angered his son, Telemachos, who then left to go looking for news of his father. In the end, Odysseus makes it home to his wife Penelope with the help of Athena, and his son Telemachos. Whenever Athena physically appears on earth to help either Odysseus or Telemachos, she usually appears in disguise as someone else. Throughout Odysseus' journey he also encounters several caves, which have not only a literal but also a symbolic meaning in each episode. The mysticism of caves, and the repetition of episodes with veils, concealment, or disguises, have a minor literal role in the book, but are of tremendous symbolic importance.
The gods interfere with Odysseus on his quest in one of two ways, for the better or for the worse. Zeus, Athena, Hermês, Persephone, and the Nereid Ino all help Odysseus return home. On the other hand, Poseidon and Hêlios, the embodiment of the sun, hinder his journey home. While the nymph Kalypso and the witch Kirkê balance between helping and hindering. Athena, the goddess of wisdom and daughter of Zeus, plays the most crucial role in the story. Odysseus' patron goddess practically weaves the outcomes with her own fingers. At the very beginning, Athena pleads for Zeus to offer help to Odysseus, who is trapped on Kalypso's island. "O Father of us all, if it now please the blissful gods that wise Odysseus reach his home agai...
In Homer's epic The Odyssey, Odysseus returns to the island of Ithaka disguised as a beggar. He reveals his real identity to his son, Telemakhos, as well as a few others who he would need to help kill the suitors. However, Odysseus does not reveal himself to his wife, Penelope. She recognizes the beggar as her long lost husband and chooses not to unveil his true identity. Penelope does this because she realized that her husband would be in danger, in his current surroundings, if she was to reveal who he really was. Therefore she acts as if she does not know the beggar is Odysseus. However, it is portrayed subtly in the book that she does indeed know that the beggar is her husband.
A female character always aids an epic hero, and Odysseus is no exception. Near the end of his travels, Athena feels sorry for him and decides to assist him and let him go home, and once he arrives, she helps him kill the suitors that plague his house. “That left the great Odysseus waiting in his hall as Athena helped him plot the slaughter of the suitors” (Fagles 390). Not only is this assistance by a woman, and a sure sign of an epic hero, but also a goddess assists him, and only those worthy enough can be helped by the Immortal. Odysseus is also aided and told how to get home by the Goddess Circe. “You must travel down to the House Of The Dead and the awesome one, Persephone, there to consult the ghost of Tiresias, seer of Thebes” (Fagles 245). This is the same person who tried to tempt him, but she realizes he wont stay and decides to help him instead.
The utilization of lies assists Odysseus in executing the plans he creates to get revenge on the Suitors. In “Chaos, Order, and Cunning in the Odyssey,” the author mentions the lies Odysseus states and their importance throughout the rest of the epic. As Odysseus returns to Ithaca, he tells lies to Penelope, the Suitors, his loyal servants, and numerous others. Heatherington mentions how The Odyssey is “a poem so much concerned with the questions ‘Who are you? Where do you come from?’ since, if he answers wrongly, the disorders he is trying to right can only get worse, not better” (Heatherington 229). Therefore, Odysseus has to be careful with what he chooses to tell certain individuals in order to keep his identity a secret. If Odysseus says one thing wrong the Suitors could become angry
Up to this point in The Odyssey, Homer has introduced several characters, including the gods, Telemachus, Odysseus, and several more. The Gods first appear when they discuss what they should do about Odysseus’s turmoil as he attempts to get home to his wife and, now grown, son. Afterward, Athena appears to Telemachus as Mentor, an old companion of his father, Odysseus. She convinces Telemachus that he should set sail in order to find out if his father is dead or alive and also to take back control of his father’s kingdom from his mother, Penelope’s, suitors. Upon confrontation by Telemachus, Antinous, one of Penelope’s suitors, informs Telemachus of Penelope’s deception toward them. After hearing this, Telemachus continued to stand up for
Some could argue she relates to Penelope, and provides protection for her household throughout the years. Others may say she is enamored with Odysseus because of their related character traits. Athena takes on the motherly role of watching over both Telemachus and Odysseus. She monitors both of the men’s journeys, and allows them to go through tribulations in order to grow emotionally and spiritually. Brian Lower, a literature professor from Union College, wrote,” Athena allows Odysseus to experience the storm, but not die.
Athena aided Ody in his journey home by providing guidance and advice on difficult obstacles. She gives Odysseus a lot of advice on how to handle perilous obstacles. For example, Athena tells Odysseus to go home in a disguise. This is the reason that she transforms Odysseus back into a poor, shriveled beggar from a godlike man. The new disguise allows Odysseus to get home
In every journey the hero also has a mentor. In this story Athena, the gray-eyed goddess of wisdom, has taken on this role for both Odysseus and Telemachus. Athena was by Odysseus’ side as a guide for much of the beginning of his Journey. Athena also is a guide to Odysseus when he’s not even aware o...
Athena had advised Odysseus that the best way to become reintroduced into his home, would be to first see what had changed. However the only way for him to do this would be to do it as a beggar. When Odysseus finally returned to Ithaca, Athena had him disguise himself at first to see what has changed in the 20 years he had been gone. He spoke with the shepherd Eumaeus about all the
The reader first finds the character of Telemachus sitting among the suitors in his father’s palace. This seemingly unimportant detail yields information regarding his temperament. The suitors, whom Homer portrays as malicious usurpers, continue to take advantage of Telemachus’ hospitality. Instead of defending his home, his mother, and his belongings from these men, Telemachus numbers among them. This lack of assertiveness displays his frailty and his helplessness given the overwhelming circumstances. At this point, Athena, disguised as Odysseus’ old friend Mentes, visits Telemachus in order to “inspire his heart with courage” (I.105). The two share a meal and engage in a lengthy conversation. The goddess discusses how Telemachus should handle the troublesome suitors and suggests a journey to try to ascertain the whereabouts of Odysseus. The conversation appears to immediately galvanize the young man’s resolve. In fact, immediately after her departure, he summons the courage to confront the suitors, demanding that they are to leave his house at once. The assertiveness that Telemachus displays in this instance is a dramatic departure from ...
...o all guests saved Odysseus and helped him return home to his wife, son, and kingdom. Even though people from many different kingdoms and islands took Odysseus in their home and showed him great kindness on his return home, the individual who helped him most was the goddess Athena. In many occasions Athena assisted Odysseus. One such example is when Odysseus was fighting of the suitors and they threw spears at him. "Re-forming, the suitors threw again with all their strength, but Athena turned their shots, or all but two (p 566)." Another instance which Athena aided Odysseus was when she disguised him as a beggar on his arrival to his homeland. "Would even you have guessed that I am Pallas Athena, daughter of Zeus, I that am always with you in times of trial, a shield to you in battle (p 444)." "Your goddess-guardian to the end in all your trials (p 539)."
As the bards sang, and the guests talked amongst one another, Telemachus watched his house get destroyed by the brazen suitors. Telemachus takes no initiative to rid the suitors of Odysseus' palace. He grieves his father is dead and that there is no one to remove the suitors. As Telemachus was sulking about his father, Athena appeared in disguise as Mentor. She approached Telemachus and urged him to drive the suitors from his house. Mentor and Telemachus devised a plan to repulse the suitors. First, Telemachus was to order an assembly where he would give orders to the suitors. Then he was to go to Pylos and Sparta to learn if his father was still alive.
Athena is the goddess everyone wants to have as guardian for his life. She went against her uncle Poseidon to fight for her Odysseus. At one point, we can even think that Athena is also in love to Odysseus because she has never him down. But the real truth is Athena is an amazing goddess who protect Odysseus no matter what because this is the Love she has for him