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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.
What else can I help you with?
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 does Penelope say she should marry In Ancient history?
In Ancient Greek mythology, specifically in Homer's "Odyssey," Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, is pressured by the suitors who seek her hand in marriage during Odysseus's long absence. However, she remains loyal to Odysseus and cleverly delays her decision by claiming she will choose a suitor once she finishes weaving a tapestry. Ultimately, Penelope's unwavering loyalty highlights her commitment to Odysseus rather than a desire to marry any of the suitors.
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 has Penelope been able to avoid marriage for so long?
Penelope has been able to avoid marriage for so long by cleverly stalling her suitors with the ruse of weaving a tapestry. She promises to choose a husband once she finishes the weaving, but secretly unravels her work each night to delay the decision. Additionally, her loyalty to Odysseus and her belief in his eventual return provide her with the emotional strength to resist the advances of the suitors. This combination of cunning and devotion allows her to maintain her independence until Odysseus returns.
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...
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.
Who does Penelope say she should marry In Ancient history?
In Ancient Greek mythology, specifically in Homer's "Odyssey," Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, is pressured by the suitors who seek her hand in marriage during Odysseus's long absence. However, she remains loyal to Odysseus and cleverly delays her decision by claiming she will choose a suitor once she finishes weaving a tapestry. Ultimately, Penelope's unwavering loyalty highlights her commitment to Odysseus rather than a desire to marry any of the suitors.
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).
What does to be as faithful as Penelope mean?
Penelope is a character from The Odyssey, a Greek Epic written about a man named Odysseus that is trying to find his way home from the Trojan War. Odysseus' wife is Penelope, and while Odysseus is gone, she experiences pressure from 108 suitors trying to remarry her. However, she stays faithful Odysseus. He finally returns 20 years later to beat the suitors and take back his palace.
How does Odysseus feelings of the suitors differ from Penelope's?
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).
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?
Penelope was besieged by suitors of various class and to hold them off, she declared that she would weave a shawl for Odysseus and would choose one of them to be her husband at the time she finished it. In secret she unweave at night what she had woven in the day. The suitors were enraged upon learning this and became more obnoxious.
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.
