. What are various methods available for deploying a Windows application? The Odyssey describes Odysseus' long. At the beginning of Homers Odyssey, Odysseus has been absent from Ithaca for twenty years. She uses her cunning to fend off 108 other suitors who are vying for her hand on the assumption that Odysseus is either dead or is never going to return. Part 1. In what survives of ancient Greek and Roman literature, there are only scattered references to what happened to Penelope after the events of the Odyssey. March 31, 2022 by zahsya salsabila sa. It is a tag or nickname that can be used on its own or together with the real name. But Penelope was cautious; she had not seen Odysseus in twenty years and wanted to make sure that this man was really her husband. any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe and actual or attributed quality. Aristotle, Poetics 1671b; Strabo, Geography 10.2.8, 10.2.24; Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.12.2, 3.20.1011; Apollodorus, Library 3.10.6; etc. For example her determination to wait and to mislead the suitors for so long shows that she had great intelligence and perseverance. London: Spottiswoode and Company, 1873. Penelope feels that she is living in Helens shadow and often compares herself to her. After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. One of the most noticeable features of Homer's Odyssey. In several books, Odysseus has the epithet "godlike", showing that he is in some way similar to the gods, and a tier higher than a regular mortal. He then took Penelope and Telemachus with him to his mothers island of Aeaea. When Odysseus told her that this was impossible, as he had built the bed out of a living olive tree (a fact that only the real Odysseus could have known), Penelope knew it was really him.[33]. Pausanias, Description of Greece 8.12.6; Apollodorus, Epitome 7.35. In all of this she stayed strong and independent, and despite the pressure of the suitors she stayed loyal to Odysseus, even when she didnt even know if he was alive or not. Book 17. Penelope is one of the most important characters in the Odyssey. Hausmann, Christoph. One important element of all Homeric works is the inclusion of epithets, which are repeated phrases used to describe characters. Antinoos being aware of this, and admitting to it, is testament to Penelopes smarts. Epithet or an Homeric epithet. See an analysis of Penelope's character, read about Penelope weaving a shroud, and find her quotes. They stole the suitors weapons and arranged for them to be locked in the main hall. She is a virtuous wife, and is faithful to her husband and protects his household (or oikos, as the Greeks would have it). Early Greek Myth: A Guide to Literary and Artistic Sources. Homer uses epithets frequently in the Odyssey. I would definitely recommend Study.com to my colleagues. 123) His words express that not only has Penelope deceived them already, she is quite capable of doing it again. . Her intelligence and wisdom are evidenced through the various schemes that she concocts to prevent remarriage, including weaving and unweaving a shroud, conducting an archery contest, and asking a trick question. She worries that Odysseus prefers Helen to her. For Penelope, weaving becomes a form of resistance: every day, she weaves the shroud, and every night she undoes her weaving. Using her cunning, she managed to hold off the suitors for years. Her myth has been turned into operas by Alessandro Scarlatti (1676), Gabriel Faur (1913), and Rolf Liebermann (1954). Through cunning, independence and loyalty, Penelope is able to create a positive image as a woman. Odysseus doesnt simply utter his name; rather, he attaches to it an epithet, or short, descriptive title (raider of cities), his immediate paternal ancestry (Laertess son), and a reference to his homeland (who makes his home in Ithaca) ( 9 . Accessed on 2 Mar. Penelope is also very kind, which we see when she interacts with the servants and her son. Penelope. Penelope, in the Odyssey, is recognized as the quintessential faithful wife. Penelope has also been highlighted as the most faithful of wives, as it was said that Penelope waited 20 years for her husband to return to her. The conceit, at first glance, isn't all that complicated: what if The Odyssey were a space journey, and all the original story's men . 20.____The episode in which Penelope invites the old beggar to her room is important because it ____. Penelope also has epithets that are used throughout the poem. And then Artemis of the arrows struck down the woman, If Artemis wields her deadly arrows in such solar contexts, then so does Apollo. Penelope had to take care of their son, their estate, and their servants for 20 years. 2 vols. The poem describes, through the characters of Telemachus, Odysseus, and Penelope, ways to live rich and heroic lives. Also, that she did not believe any random guy that showed up saying he was Odysseus and staying faithful to the real Odysseus. Theopompus of Chios, FHG 1 F 114 (cited in John Tzetzes on Lycophrons Alexandra 806); Servius on Virgils Aeneid 2.44. 1.30 the Sea-lord (Poseidon) 1.33 the father of men and gods (Zeus) 1.34 handsome Aegisthus. First, she claimed that she could not remarry until she had woven a burial shroud for her father-in-law Laertes. Telemachus, Penelope and Odysseus' son, is finally able to get to know his father and all of them live happy lives. Meanwhile, Odysseus son Telegonuswhom Odysseus had conceived with the sorceress Circe while making his way home from Troyhad come to Ithaca to find his father. Penelope. Also called the Homeric epithet, fixed epithets are commonly used in epic poetry. In time, Penelope would become strongly associated with weaving and the loom, due to the memorable myth in which she delayed her unwanted suitors by promising to marry one of them only after she had finished weaving a shroud. So she came up with a clever test: she told her servants to bring Odysseus bed outside to the main hall so that he could sleep there. 2 What are examples of epithets in the Odyssey? In fact, without many of the women there would not be a complex plot to this epic poem. For Penelope, the Odyssey is a story of incredible patience. The most important of these emphasized her virtue and cunning, including (ammn, blameless), (pinyt, prudent), (perphrn, wise, sage), and (echphrn, sensible, discreet). He rejects the offer of immortality so that one day he may return to and be united with his family again. Modern authors have sometimes tried to problematize this double standard: Atwoods Penelope, for example, expresses bitterness at being faithful to a fault for twenty years while her husband felt no obligation to do the same. Scholia on Homers Odyssey 4.797; Eusthathius on Homers Odyssey 1.343. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Penelope from Homer's Odyssey at the best online prices at eBay! In the beginning of the story, Penelope's most prominent qualities are passivity, loyalty, and patience (along with beauty and skill at the loom) - the age-old feminine virtues. They had one son, Telemachus. And in the Trojan myths in general, Odysseus (1) tries to avoid going to war, (2) exposes Achilles so that he has to go to war, (3) and frames Palamedes for treason to get back at him for making sure that he went to war. Many unmarried men started to suspect that Odysseus had died in the war or on the way back from the war, so . It is perhaps noteworthy that our earliest evidence for the linking of the sun with Apollo comes from Euripides, The first thing to observe about this myth is its striking structural similarity to the story of Odysseus and Penelope, if the latter story is considered as a chronological whole, including parts that are not mentioned in the. Unrivaled Mac notes apps for fuss-free note-taking, 6 Actionable Tips for Improving Your Websites SEO, Copyright 2023 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes. What are two epithets for Odysseus? Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. However, in a story called The Odyssey, a connection to real life reveals imperfections to be common in heroes. The Odyssey describes Odysseus' long journey home after the Trojan War. Watch Penelope greet Odysseus in an excerpt of the reunion scene in Homer's Odyssey See all videos for this article She is a complicated woman with a wry sense of destiny who weaves her plots as deftly as she weaves a garment. Some critics dismiss Penelope as a paragon of marital fidelity a serious and industrious character, a devoted wife and mother, but one who lacks the fascination and zest for life that some of Homer's immortal women display. This shows us two ways Penelope is like her husband: first, she's a skilled deceiver, and second, she's proud of it. She only has one son with Odysseus, Telemachus, who was born just before Odysseus was called to fight in the Trojan War. f. Get an answer. Odysseus, while on his journey home, often thinks of his family and yearns to be home. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1994. She has been teaching English in Canada and Taiwan for seven years. Different aspects of such culture and history may have influenced the works and creativity of Homer as well. Pnelpeia) has been disputed since antiquity. Husband of Penelope, King of Ithaka, Greek hero, and father of Telemachus; Came up with idea of Trojan Horse. In addition, the novel's main female character shares similar characteristics with Penelope. Penelope Daughter of Icarius [31], With this information, Odysseus and Telemachus began plotting. Penelope and Odysseus by Ugo da Carpi after Raphael (ca. Question|Asked by monkeylikesbananas. Kapach, Avi. Penelope is an important character in the Odyssey, an epic poem attributed to the ancient Greek writer Homer. Penelope's bright mind, even though she is mortal, is often represented by rhetorical questions that are posed by various characters throughout the story. Penelope, in Greek mythology, a daughter of Icarius of Sparta and the nymph Periboea and wife of the hero Odysseus. . The story of the Trojan War is one of the foundational myths of Western culture. . We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. During this time, suitors came from far and wide to seek Penelopes hand in marriage, but she remained unwaveringly loyal to her husband (at least in the familiar tradition). All rights reserved. 476 lessons. "The storm-tossed great Odysseus" is a very appropriate epithet since it describes Odysseus' long journey on the sea towards home. "The Odyssey" is a narrative poem written by Homer (around 800 and 600 BCE) to show the numerous adventures and experiences Odysseus goes through. Additionally, he has direct control over his mother despite the fact that she is older. His family needs Odysseus, and he also needs them. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. His character is deeply contradictory: he is both a cunning champion and a plaything of the gods, a wise commander and a vainglorious braggart. The two key locations on Ithaca are the palace of Odysseus and the hut of the swineherd Eumaeus. Later in the poem, Penelope sets up an archery contest that she knows only Odysseus would be able to win. Learn about Penelope, the wife of Odysseus from the ''Odyssey.'' Hesychius, s.v. Although penelope show loyalty and faithfulness in both text, there difference in the level of her knowledge. During their conversation, Penelope told the disguised Odysseus that she planned to give the suitors one final test: she would marry whoever could string Odysseus old bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe rings. She is the daughter of Icarius and Perioboea and the mother of Telemachus. Gantz, Timothy. If that is so, then it seems that Penelope has deep ties to the theme of solar-like disappearance and re-emergence that is so prominent in the, Finally, Penelopes mythic background may have its own links with the festival of Apollo. Arnaa).[4]. A man named Theoclymenus says this to Penelope, but she is hesitant to believe him. The goddess, bright-eyed, the brilliant one, wise one, and the swift one are just a few of the words used in English. 180 CE): Penelope and several myths about her are mentioned in the Description of Greece, a second-century CE travelogue and, like Strabos Geography, an important source for local myths and customs. The repeated use of a word or phrase for the same person, place, or object. When Penelope first reunites with Odysseus, she does not recognize him and tries to find out about him. b. Penelope summons the "beggar" Odysseus and questions him. However, Penelope is not a pasteboard figure. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Character Analysis Penelope. The rays of light from each sunrise looked similar to fingers of pink and red. Shes most upset about Odysseuss failure to return home: Shes perpetually crying and expressing her grief. Scholia on Homers Odyssey 1.275, 1.277, 4.797. In the seventeenth year of his absence, the young men of Odysseus kingdom108 of them in total, according to Homer[26]flocked to his palace to seek Penelopes hand in marriage. She told them, Penelope may not have as exciting of a life as some of the other characters in Homers The Odyssey, but she makes up for it by being very clever, which makes her a good match for her husband, Odysseus. Her kleos is identified through the epithets associated with her, namely her virtue, noble thoughts, excellence, constancy, and clever schemes. The Odyssey Epithet Chart for Major Characters/Gods and Goddesses As you read the Odyssey list all the epithets you find for the following characters. On Penelope in ancient art, see Christoph Hausmann, Penelope, in Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae (Zurich: Artemis, 1994), 7:29195. Kalypso offered Odysseus luxury and immortality, yet he still turned down the beautiful goddess and chose Penelope. She is the one that he thinks of when he is stranded at sea and it is the promise of their reunion that keeps him going. Pindar, frag. Spiritual Growth and Coming of Age The first four books of The Odyssey, known as Telemacheia, follow Odysseus' son Telemachus. Felson, Nancy. At one point, they even tried to murder Telemachus. The two are able to continue their marriage happily. Arnaka)[3], or Arnaea (Greek , translit. succeed. A major point includes The Trojan War because it focuses in on Odysseus journey to bring Helen back home by devising a plan to destroy warriors in the city. Patroclus was Achilles dear friend and quite different from him. She tells her suitors that she will marry the man who can string Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow through the holes in twelve axes. Types of Epithets The same themes turn out to be not only appropriate for the festival of Apollo, but essential to it, so that both Penelope and Odysseus seem inseparable from the festival, not in the sense that there could never be an, http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.ebook:CHS_Levaniouk.Eve_of_the_Festival.2011, 1. Just as when rose-fingered Dawn took Orion for herself. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Achilles. [15], There are only scattered references to Penelopes early life. Eustathius on Homers Odyssey 1.344; scholia on Homers Odyssey 4.797 (citing Didymus). She upholds the Greek values, as her role as a woman is clearly defined, as shown through how she does what Telemachus tells her to do and does not come between the males problems and affairs. The epithets used throughout the poem show how Penelopes strength and cleverness that allow her to manipulate the suitors and avoid marriage. Two of the world's oldest poems, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, take it as their inspiration. tags: 11-379 , sleep. Tools of Characterization Character Analysis Epithets. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. She was saved, however, by ducks, which in Greek are called pnelopes. 1.24 the great Odysseus. When Odysseus succeeds in shooting the arrow through the axes, she has one more test for him. The shroud, however, never seemed to get any closer to completion (unknown to the suitors, Penelope would unravel her work each night). Odysseus revealed his identity to his son Telemachus and a few trusted servants, but not to Penelope. The Pandareids and the Festival of Apollo. When Odysseus and Penelope reunite, but before Penelope recognizes her husband, he says this to her as an acknowledgment of her suffering. Misfortunes befall him on numerous occasions, turning what should have been a journey of a few months into ten years. He showed great bravery by going up against Hector in battle, but the epithets applied to him in The Iliad refer to him as dear to Zeus, great-hearted, and simply gentle. The repeated use of a word or phrase for the same person, place, or object. [35], When Odysseus came home and discovered that Penelope had been unfaithful, he either banished her,[36] killed her,[37] or left Ithaca to continue his wanderings.[38]. Her main goal, like Odysseus, is to successfully overcome her situation. Robert S. P. Beekes, Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden: Brill, 2009), 1186; Pierre Chantraine, Dictionnaire tymologique de la langue grecque (Paris: Klincksieck, 1974), 3:897; cf. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. She is mortal after all and you, you never age or dieNevertheless I long-I pine, all my days-to travel home and see the dawn of my return (Book V, lines 239-243). The Iliad contains a plethora of epithets for Athena. 110ca. [10], Penelope had multiple siblings, though their names and even their number vary across different sources. Acknowledge this factor when reading The Odyssey, for not only evidence of heroism, but also other major points of archetypes, in which the device reflects the insights of readers in modern time and what is seen from Ancient Greek culture. After Odysseus becomes enraged when Penelope asks the maid to make his bed outside, she realizes that he knows the secret that only Odysseus and her share. 0F The Odyssey is 'epic' in (at least) two senses: Grand scale A narrative poem in the genre of 'epic' BUT NOT in the modern sense a 'national' epic 'Epic' (epos in Greek) Can be almost synonymous with 'myth' - any story told It can also mean a specic genre of poetry - any . 17.552 alert Penelope. In one tradition, known only from commentators writing in late antiquity, the infant Penelope was thrown into the sea by either her own parents or by Nauplius, a neighboring king. From the Greek term that means "added," it is a useful literary or rhetorical device when describing a character for the reader. The couple lived together in Odysseus small island kingdom of Ithaca, where they had a son named Telemachus. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Penelope scolds her disloyal slave Melantho, whom she has raised like she her own daughter. The Odyssey, Book 19, lines 99-104. Kapach, Avi. Penelope is an elegant Greek name that means "weaver." Its origin is traced back to Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey," a staple of Greek mythology that reached immense fame across the world. Eurycleia in The Odyssey by Homer | Who is Eurycleia? Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.12.2, 3.13.6. It was probably composed near the end of the 8th Century BCE and is, in part, a sequel to "The Iliad". The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Homer, is one of the best examples. While a modern use of epithets can be derogatory, classic literary epithets are an important element of literature. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1916. The day of the contest is Penelopes chance to regain what she has lost or to lose it forever, and the two possibilities are reflected in Penelopes prayer, signaled by the fruitless Pandareids on the one hand, and a suddenly vivid recollection of Odysseus on the other. Epithets tell us how characters are similar to each other, when they have epithets show more content Homer expresses this in a few different ways. An error occurred trying to load this video. Telegony (fragments); Hyginus, Fabulae 127. Famous for her beauty as well as her intelligence and faithfulness, Penelope was often seen as the model wife in the ancient world. Odysseus is the King of Ithaca, and he is the main protagonist in Homer's poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey. In his Introduction to Robert Fagles' translation of The Odyssey, Bernard Knox describes The Odyssey as "an epic with a thoroughly domestic base. Odysseus's twenty-year absence has finally resulted in the palace being overrun by 108 suitors for. Her father Icarius challenged the men to a footrace and promised his daughter to the winner, who turned out to be Odysseus. Penelope has no epithets that begin with polu. There were different versions of what exactly she did, as well as her ultimate fate. 1.1 the man of twists and turns (Odysseus) 1.16-17 Calypso, the bewitching nymph. This repetition of what come to be stock phrases create a. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Whenever people hear the word hero, they portray in their minds a perfect person, who always choose the correct decisions, and saves many people; but not all heroes demonstrate a flawless life and deserve the title hero. By crafting a lie that delays the suitors from marrying her immediately, Penelope restrains the suitors from seizing Ithaca, her household, and posing a threat to Telemachus or Odysseus. 17.16 subtle Odysseus. But their happiness was short-lived. What are examples of epithets in the Odyssey? 1.17 the lustrous goddess (Calypso) 1.19 when the wheeling seasons brought the year around. Beginning of the Dialogue: Setting up the Third Cretan Lie, 16. British Museum, London. Penelope Though she has not seen Odysseus in twenty years, and despite pressure the suitors place on her to remarry, Penelope never loses faith in her husband. tags: inspirational , life. (2022, December 8). . "The Odyssey" (Gr: "Odysseia") is the second of the two epic poems attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer (the first being "The Iliad" ), and usually considered the second extant work of Western literature. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you There is an island called Syria, perhaps you have heard of it. Meanwhile, back in Ithaca, Odysseus was presumed dead. Pherecydes, FHG 1 F 88 (cited in the scholia on Apollonius of Rhodes Argonautica 1.101ff). d. Argus is killed. She wrongly reassures the suitors that once she finishes weaving a gift for Odysseuss father, she will choose someone to marry her, Young men, my suitors, let me finish my weaving, before I marryevery day she wove on the great loom but every night by torchlight she unwove it. (II. 103-104, 112-113) Penelopes actions are strategic and well calculated. Penelope Holding the Bow of Odysseus by Robert Hartley Cromek after Henry Fuseli (1806). All Rights Reserved. Telemachus leaves home to search for his father without telling his mother, which distresses her greatly. Penelope is a very well portrayed character and she is needed in the story to be someone Odysseus could always be someone to come back, But now since you have given me accurate proof describing our bed, which no other mortal man beside has ever seen, but only you and I so you persuade my heart, though it has been very stubborn (Homers Odyssey, book 23. lines 225-230). This means that Penelope must continue to allow them to abuse the hospitality that was expected at that time, and all she can do is try to outsmart the suitors until her husband comes home. Without Telemachos and Penelope, he would not know familial love. 1. Chapter 17. Who is Penelope? She is married to Odysseus, the protagonist of the poem; together, they have a son named Telemachus. Penelope Character Analysis Athena Odysseus 's wife and Telemachus 's mother. And though Penelope is presented as a faithful wife, women in The Odyssey, such as Calypso, are often fearsome and predatory, their wiles typically enhanced by their stunning beauty. In Homers The Odyssey, Penelope is a good match for Odysseus because she is clever, and she shows that cleverness when she stalls the suitors by weaving the burial shroud, when she devises the contest with, Unlike Odysseus Penelope is confined by the gender roles of her time and cannot use physical strength against the suitors or even direct verbal rejection, instead Penelope resorts to her emotional resilience and wit in order to challenge the suitors. Though Penelope originally played an important role in several works of ancient literature, many of these (for example, the epics Nostoi and the Telegony) no longer survive. Penelope characterizes Helen as vain, cruel, and flirtatious. lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. The Return of Ulysses: A Cultural History of Homers Odyssey. However, as a . The way, While Antinoos tells stories of Penelopes scheming he says Does she intend to keep us dangling forever? (II. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Menelaus assembled an army of all the greatest kings and heroes of Greece, and Odysseus was forced to join. The Odyssey Quotes Showing 1-30 of 235. Penelope's defining myth of the weaving of the shroud is her most recognized deceit for which she is praised. This worked for a while, but eventually Penelope was betrayed by Melantho, one of her handmaids and a lover of the suitor Eurymachus.[30]. She falls far short of you, your beauty, stature. When Odysseus went to fight in the Trojan War, Penelope awaited his return for twenty yearsthe ten years of the war, and another ten as Odysseus was tossed about at sea trying to get home. Smith, William. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Some critics dismiss Penelope as a paragon of marital fidelity a serious and industrious character, a devoted wife and mother, but one who lacks the fascination and zest for life that some of Homers immortal women display. Hyginus (first century CE or later): The Fabulae, a Latin mythological handbook incorrectly attributed to the writer Gaius Hyginus, contains sections on Penelope. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Rhetorical questions posed by various characters throughout the story demonstrate how. The poem is an exultation of man over the glory of the gods because despite mans limitations his achievements are obtained through the combination of his intelligence, fortitude and skills not supernatural powers. . High School World History: Tutoring Solution, History of Ancient Greece: Tutoring Solution, Who is the Greek God Hephaestus? This remains the most important source for her myth. It would seem that H. is here homing in on a conclusion, . She dies shortly after, and the manner of her death is significant: . Penelope plays a very important role in Odysseuss journey home, in fact, she is the main reason for his return to Ithaca. When Penelope tells her story to the "beggar" (Odysseus in disguise), she cannot help boasting a little about her ability to deceive the suitors. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Indeed, Odysseus return journey had been fraught with peril and setbacks: he spent ten years wandering the seas, losing all of his ships and men in the process. Her husband, disguised as a beggar, has returned and is in the crowd, but Penelope seems to recognize him only gradually. Once again, Penelope is wise and patient in her decision-making. She did what it took to fend off the suitors with hope that her husband would come back for her. The contest of the bow and axes is another example of Penelopes guile; it also illustrates her wry sense of destiny. Odysseus, for instance, is very often referred to as ''Odysseus, noble son of Laertes.'' Penelope was the famous queen of Ithaca in Greek mythology, for Penelope was the wife of the Greek hero Odysseus. Cite Book and line number Character Epithet - Book and line # _____ _____ Odysseus: -"the man of twists and turns" (I.1) -"Great Odysseus" (I.228) -"King Odysseus" (I.456) -"godlike man" (II.261) -"Odysseus of Ithaca" (II . Penelope is fuming with anger over how Melantho has mistreated the beggar, as she is anxious to hear news of her husband from . If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. When Odysseus encounters Antikelias ghost in the underworld, he says to his mother, Tell me about the wife I married, what she wants, what she is thinking (Book 11, lines 176-177). . Zurich: Artemis, 1994. She remains faithful to her husband throughout his absence of twenty years, despite having 108 suitors vying for her hand in marriage. Penelope. In A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Ovid (43 BCE17/18 CE): The first of the Heroides takes the form of a letter from Penelope to the long-lost Odysseus. Penelope's wit is also shown in her scheme to mislead the suitors by saying that they must wait for her to weave a shroud for Odysseus's father Laertes. A preoccupation with "escape" is central to the novel, reflecting one of the essential themes of the epic and the specialty of its hero. Telemakhos is the courageous son of Odysseus who goes on a quest in search for information about his fathers whereabouts. Eros, Night, Darkness, Brightness, Day, Cyclopes, Hecatoncheires, Titans. In fact Penelope's narration takes place during a crucial moment in the plot: the audience is Odysseus himself. She remains faithful to him during his absence and is overwhelmed with love when she finally recognizes him again.