Penelopes Recognition of Odysseus as a Beggar Essay -- World Literatu

In Homers epic The Odyssey, Odysseus returns to the island of Ithaka suppressd as a defy. He reveals his real indistinguishability to his son, Telemakhos, as well as a fewer others who he would need to help kill the suitors. However, Odysseus does not reveal himself to his wife, genus Penelope. She recognizes the beggar as her long lost husband and chooses not to unveil his adjust identity. Penelope does this because she realized that her husband would be in danger, in his trustworthy surroundings, if she was to reveal who he really was. Therefore she acts as if she does not come the beggar is Odysseus. However, it is portrayed subtly in the book that she does indeed get it on that the beggar is her husband.The very runner piece of evidence Homer provides that Odysseus would be recognized by his family, is when the old dog recognizes who he was. The dog had been roughly since Odysseus had set sail on his epic journey. This makes the dog extremely old, and hitherto i t still is able to recognize Odysseus voice. The position that the dog recognizes him in disguise so easily foreshadows Penelopes recognition of Odysseus as a beggar. Upon hearing of the travels of the beggar, Penelope is very interested to question him as to whether he has ever cover paths with her husband Odysseus. The story that Odysseus tells her is for the most part untrue. However, he does give ad hoc details as to what clothes he had worn, so that Penelope would intend that the story was truthful. The beggar then goes on to tell her that Odysseus is coming rachis to Ithaka in the very near future. It is at this point that Penelope first thought that the beggar could actually be her husband Odysseus, as she was pommel with emotions, and began to cry. From this point on ... ...at if he was not revealing himself to her that there was a good reason for it. Since she knew this, she went along with his act and did not give him away. On numerous occasions she makes c omments that would lead one to think that she doesnt know the identity of the beggar, but it is merely the fact that she is highly intelligent and is able to bedim what she knows very well. Through all of these examples, it is obvious that Penelope recognized Odysseus to about extent in the beginning, and throughout his time posing as a beggar she became more convinced of his identity. She hides this knowledge only to protect herself and her husband. Their interactions, though subtle to the naked eye, upon closer examination reveal that she did in fact recognize her husband as the beggar.Works CitedHomer. The Odyssey. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York Penguin, 1996.