How does homer use suspense to make the story of the ‘Odyssey’ more

How does homer use suspense to make the story of the ‘Odyssey’ more

exciting in books 13 to 21?

To create suspense and tension in the story, Homer uses the aspect of

disguise. When Odysseus lands upon the Ireland of Ithika, Athene gives

him a disguise so that he will not be recognise by the suitors and

killed. The first person he sees when he is on the island is a

‘herdsman of sheep.’ Who is really Athene she is in disguise,

Odysseus, thinking she is a herdsman lies to her about whom he is, ‘I

have fled, an exile, because I have killed the son of Idomeneus.’ His

lie continued and although he lied about who he was it did have some

truth in it, for example he says he went to Troy as a henchman, he did

actually go to Troy so he’s not lying but he was a hero rather than

just a henchman.

‘the goddess grey-eyed Athene, smiled on him and stroked him with her

hand.’Athene is please that he lied she feels he showed metis and that

it was the right thing to do. ‘yet you never recognized Pallas Athene,

daughter of Zeus, the one who is always standing beside you.’ She

reveals herself to him she gives him a disguise and advice, and the

next person he meets is Eumaois the swine heard.’ There is a lot

written about Odysseus and the swine heard I feel that Homer was

digressing and intentionally delays Odysseus going home to create

tension.

Odysseus tells another lie, again to create the tension ‘ I announce

my origin is from Crete, a spacious land.’ He does this using metis

and to protect himself as he can’t allow anyone to find out whom he

really is. The swineheard knows he is lying ‘nor spell me with your

lies.’ This again makes the reader feel anxiety, in case he knows whom

Odysseus really is.

Homer keeps emphasising in the disguise, ‘beggar is better begging his

dinner in the city.’ He is referred to as a beggar to really emphasis

to the audience that, that is what he comes across as.

Another thing that helps build up the tension is of Penelope weaving,

as when she finishes she has to marry one of the suitors.’ Sitting

back on a chair and turning yarn on a distaff.’ Things like this will

appear in the text to make the reader nervous, about the time Odysseus

is taking to kill the suitors; the delaying helps keep the tension.

‘The doe has brought her fawns to the lair of a lion.