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In Book 2 Antinous complains that Penelope has been "stringing" her suitors along for nearly four years. That seems about right. The suitors would not have come and would not be (mis)behaving as they do unless they thought Penelope was free to remarry, i.e., a widow.
While the war in Troy was going on, everyone knew where Odysseus was as news was probably brought by sailors, merchants and traders. So that takes care of the first 10 of the 20 years that Odysseus is away. Presumably Odysseus and all the other surviving Greeks would be heading home - along with their share of the booty, the spoils of war - sometime after the war's end - and after some celebration, rest and healing and repair of their boats. It's possible that for the Trojan horse to have been built in 3 days they had to have used wood from some of the ships while using some of the other ships to have a part of the Greek Army sail to a nearby island. So it would at least be several months and maybe a year or more for the last of the Greeks to sail away.
Travel in the ancient world was not a sure thing and there could be all sorts of reasons why it would take some people longer than others to get home (e.g., storms, a breakdown of the vessel, raiders). However, we know that the other Greek warriors have since come home, because Phemius is singing a song that includes this fact. This bothers Penelope and she asks him to stop. So presumbly it took a couple of years for the other Greek warriors to come home, then there's some time involved in somebody composing this song, and in its becoming known to Phemius.
In most countries, if a person is missing for a long time and there's no information about the person, the authorities can declare the person dead. This allows a widow (or widower) to remarry and allows the property lying idle to be transferred according to the laws of inheritance or the instructions in a will, even when there's no body and no facts about a death. Most counties around the world require between 4 and 10 years before the missing person would be presumed to be dead, thus allowing for an official declaration. In common law countries, the time period has to be 7 years of absence with no information.
It's possible that the suitors didn't start arriving until 6 years after the war. So Penelope has stalled her suitors for somewhere between 3 and 4 years, closer to four as per Altonious' complaint.
Ileana D-U
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How does Penelope avoid marrying the suitors for so long?
She would not marry till she finished her weaving. She unpicked it every night.
Who are the suitors and what are they doing in Odysseus home?
Odysseus left Ithaca to fight in the Trojan war, and he has been gone for 20 years. his wife, Penelope, is beautiful and rich. Odysseus has been gone so long that everyone assumes hes dead, so a lot of men are showing up at Odysseus's home, trying to wed her. Penelope still knows in her heart that he is not dead, and odysseuss comes home and slaughters all the suitors.
How did Penelope delay choosing a suitor?
She delayed her marriage telling her suitors that when she was done weaving she would marry. Every night though, she undid her weaving that she had completed that day. This delayed her marriage a very long time, until a maid walked in when she was undoing her weaving. the maid told the suitors and yada yada yada...
Who is Telemachus?
-noun Classical Mythology.the son of Odysseus and Penelope who helped Odysseus to kill the suitors of Penelope.-noun Classical Mythology.The son of Odysseus and Penelope who helped Odysseus to kill the suitors of Penelope. in Greek mythology, son of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his wife, Penelope. The constant companion of his mother during the long years of Odysseus's wanderings after the fall of Troy, Telemachus watched with increasing unhappiness as the many ill-mannered suitors for the hand of his mother lived riotously on his father's estate. Unable to bear the taunts of these men any longer, the youth set out for Pylos to learn from the old king Nestor the fate of Odysseus. Although the old man could not help him, he sent Telemachus to Menelaus, king of Sparta, from whom the boy learned that his father had been held prisoner by the nymph Calypso. Still uncertain as to whether his father was alive or dead, Telemachus returned to Ithaca only to discover that during his absence Odysseus had returned home. The king had not revealed himself, however, having been disguised as a beggar. After a joyous reunion, Telemachus helped Odysseus kill the suitors and make himself known to Penelope. According to a later legend, Telemachus married the sorceress Circe or her daughter Cassiphone.the son of Odysseus (A+ answer).From Homer's epic poem, 'The Odyssey', Telemachus is the son of Odysseus and Penelope.
How many years does Penelope keep the suitors at bay?
Odysseus was away from Ithaca for 20 years, but it stands to reason that no one would have expected her to remarry until AFTER the return of the majority of the Greek forces from Troy, which was a 10 year long war. At most it would have been 10 years, but it truth it would have been something less than that. Probably more like 5 to 7.
How long did Penelope put off suitors in the Odyssey?
twenty years
How does Penelope avoid marrying the suitors for so long?
She would not marry till she finished her weaving. She unpicked it every night.
Which characters are foils that contrast with Odysseus?
Two characters who contrast with Odysseus in "The Odyssey" are the suitors, who represent arrogance, greed, and disrespect, and Penelope, who embodies patience, loyalty, and cunning. The suitors' behavior highlights Odysseus's noble qualities, while Penelope's steadfastness serves as a counterpoint to Odysseus's long journey and trials.
How do the suitors justify their behavior Why is this logic faulty?
The suitors justify their behavior by claiming that they are entitled to Penelope's hand in marriage due to Odysseus's long absence. However, this logic is faulty because they are disregarding Penelope's own wishes and autonomy, and instead are focused solely on their own desires and entitlement. Additionally, their disrespectful and abusive behavior towards Penelope and Odysseus's property demonstrates their lack of integrity and character.
What does telemachus learn about his mother when he returns to Ithaca?
Telemachus learns that his mother, Penelope, has been besieged by suitors who are vying for her hand in marriage, and who have been taking advantage of his father's absence to plunder their household. He also discovers that Penelope has remained faithful to Odysseus despite the suitors' pressure and attempts to force her into a new marriage.
What does to be as faithful as Penelope mean?
To be as faithful as Penelope means to remain loyal and dedicated, especially in the face of challenges or obstacles. Penelope, from Greek mythology, was known for her unwavering faithfulness to her husband Odysseus during his long absence.
How is Penelope's reaction to the beggars different than the reaction of her suitors?
She treats him like a long lost friend, they almost have a connection: especiall through Dreams. The suitors treat him like a poor desolate who is leaching of them (which is ironic because that is what they REALLY are doing to the beager a.k.a. Odysseus).
How does Odysseus feelings of the suitors differ from Penelope's?
Odysseus feels anger and resentment toward the suitors for disrespecting his home and trying to marry his wife, while Penelope feels grief and sadness because she misses her husband and is pressured to choose a suitor for the sake of her kingdom. Odysseus is motivated to seek revenge, while Penelope is torn between her duty to her kingdom and her love for Odysseus.
Do Odysseus challenge Eurymachus to a work contest?
When Odysseus comes home to Ithaca, Penelope has set up a challenge for the suitors to win her hand. Whoever is able to string Odysseus' bow and shoot an arrow cleanly through the ax heads, they will win Penelope. (Penelope, however, has a pretty good idea that no one else will be able to string Odysseus' bow except for him, so while the contest appears fair to the suitors, in reality Penelope has developed a clever plan as to avoid marrying any of them.) None of the suitors are able to string the bow. Then Odysseus comes in. (Remember, he has been disguised by Athena as an old beggar, so no one recognizes him.) To make a long story short, Odysseus is able to successfully complete the contest. Also, it is important to know that Penelope and all of the women have been sent to a room and locked in because Odysseus plans on killing all of the suitors for their crime of attempting to marry Penelope (his wife) while he was still alive. So, Penelope is not aware that someone has won the contest, the someone being Odysseus (in disguise). At the point that Odysseus wins the contest, he becomes Odysseus again, or, rather, back to his recognizable form. The suitors recognize him. Odysseus tells them he's going to kill them and what their crimes were. So, Odysseus shoots, with his bow and arrows, Antinous, the ringleader of the suitors. However, before Odysseus can kill the rest of the suitors, Eurymachus, also a sort of ringleader, steps up to ask mercy of Odysseus. He promises payments back for all the food, etc. the suitors have used up. Odysseus doesn't accept his apology, and kills all the suitors anyhow.
What happens to Penelope while Odysseus absence?
While Odysseus is absent, Penelope remains faithful to him and fends off numerous suitors who try to take advantage of his long absence to marry her and claim his throne. She devises clever schemes to delay choosing a new husband, such as weaving and unweaving a shroud for Odysseus' father Laertes. Penelope's loyalty and cunning are key elements of her character in Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey."
Why does Penelope test Odysseus towards the end of part 2?
Penelope tests Odysseus to confirm his identity and ensure that he is truly her husband returned after a long absence. She had been deceived before by suitors pretending to be him, so she needed reassurance before revealing herself and accepting him back into her life.
Who are the suitors and what are they doing in Odysseus home?
Odysseus left Ithaca to fight in the Trojan war, and he has been gone for 20 years. his wife, Penelope, is beautiful and rich. Odysseus has been gone so long that everyone assumes hes dead, so a lot of men are showing up at Odysseus's home, trying to wed her. Penelope still knows in her heart that he is not dead, and odysseuss comes home and slaughters all the suitors.
