Odysseus and Eurycleia

In book 19, why do think Odysseus is so harsh on Eurycleia after she recognized him?


When Eurycleia discovers the beggar is actually Odysseus, (because of the scar on his foot), she is filled with joy. She looked towards Penelope, who didn’t even realize she was in the presence of her own husband. Athena diverted Penelope’s attention away so she wouldn’t realize it was Odysseus. He grabbed her by the throat and threatened to kill her if she didn’t keep her mouth shut. “I’ll tell you this and I swear I’ll do it: If, with heaven’s help, I subdue the suitors, I will not spare you-even if you are my nurse-When I kill the other women in the hall” (Homer 305). He is trying to have his plan play out exactly how he wants, and he is worried her telling someone will ruin it. However, he knows the gods let her learn the truth for a reason, and he trusts the gods. Eurycleia understands he doesn’t know who to trust being gone for 20 years, so she calmly says, “I’ll tell you this and you remember it: If, with heaven’s help, you subdue the proud suitors, I’ll list for you all the women in the house, those who dishonor you and those who are true” (Homer 305). Eurycleia has been Odysseus’ nurse since he was born. She raised him and took care of him, so he should’ve known he could trust her. But at the same time, he has no idea what she has been up to the last 20 years, and he doesn’t want to risk trusting the wrong person. He is just taking precautions.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Importance of Portia's Speech

In Act 4, Scene 1 (pp. 78-79) Portia gives a speech about the mercy vs. justice ("The quality of mercy is not strained..."). Explain what Portia is saying about justice and mercy, and why it is important in the play. In this scene, Portia is talking to Shylock in court dressed as a man, and she starts by saying, “ The quality of mercy is not strained” (Shakespeare, 78-79). In the remainder of this speech, she is saying how mercy is temporal power, and, “An attribute to God himself” (Shakespeare, 79). She is telling Shylock that although he wants justice, he needs to think about the fact that he cannot look for redemption in this. “Though justice be thy plea, consider this: That in the course of justice none of us should see salvation” (Shakespeare, 79). This play is about a Christian and a Jew. In that time period, the Christian would have the upper hand. In this case however, they make a deal that the Christian could not abide to. This gave the Jew the upper hand and h...
Read more

The Merchant of Venice - What is the climax?

    According to the 5-act play structure, the climax or turning point of the play should have happened in the third act. Did it happen? If so, what was it and what central conflict was addressed? If not, discuss the central conflict that has not yet been resolved.     My group acted out and discussed the third act together, and I think we can all agree a lot happened in this act. First off, Bassanio picks the right chest, (with Portia’s help) and wins her hand in marriage. But shortly after, he has to leave for a little bit and Portia says she going to join a coven until he returns, (she is actually going to dress like a man and find some people with Nerissa). Another big thing that happened in this act is Shylock’s daughter Jessica, runs away with her lover and takes a bunch of Shylock’s money and possessions with her. One of the things she took was her mother’s ring, (which Shylock later finds out she traded for a monkey). Something else that happened is the rum...
Read more

Nick Carraway is, “inclined to reserve all judgement”. True or False?

On the first page of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick Carraway (who is the narrator of the story) says that he is, “inclined to reserve all judgement”. Whether this is a true statement or not is to be determined. However, as the story has progressed, he seems to not be following his own statement. He has been judging people from the first few pages. For example, on pg. 2, Nick says, “Gatsby, who represented everything for which I have an unaffected scorn. If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him”. “What foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men” (Fitzgerald, 2). There are many more examples I could put in this to explain how he seemed judgemental, but I also think this could just be the way he wrote. He was very poetic, and very serious but blunt. This might be the way Fitzgerald wanted the narrator to be...
Read more