CAMS 001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Clytemnestra, Swineherd, Eumaeus
Book 21
Suitors are challenged with stringing Odysseus' bow through
the 12 axes
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Odysseus begging for Penelope
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Book 22
All about the slaughter of the suitors
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Helped by his son Telemachus and Eumaeus (swineherd)
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Athena is Odysseus' very good friend
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Has all of the maids come in
Forced to clean up the slaughter
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Kills any of them who were disloyal
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Book 23
Reunion of Odysseus and Penelope
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Penelope is very skeptical of Odysseus' return
She challenges him
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She mentions something about their bed being dragged to
the hallway
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Odysseus gets angry because he made that bed from a live
tree and knows that it cannot be moved
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Discussion Topics
Why kill the suitors?
Disrespectful of Odysseus' authority
Disrespectful to Penelope & their household
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Greedy-give orders
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Xenia
Suitors are breaking this
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No respect for the Gods
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Repayment Refused
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Penelope
Wise
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Overruled by men
Andromache
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Telemachus
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Very loyal (Helen, Clytemnestra)
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Penelope and Odysseus
Penelope: obedience, loyalty
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Odysseus: honor, protection
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Affectionate and mutually respectful couple
(atypical)
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Odysseus less arrogant
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Story type: quest vs. war
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Ideal relationship?
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Odyssey 21, 22, 23
Wednesday, January 31, 2018
10:13 AM