I will be comparing the two translations of Homer’s “Odyssey Book Twenty-One”the first translation by Robert Fitzgerald(1961) and the other by Emil V. Rieu and D.C.H Rieu(1946).Throughout this paper i will compare passages of the two text and address area where Fitzgerald and Rieu exsale and areas where there translations are sub par compared to the other. Robert Fitzgerald(1961) Rieu(1946) Upon Penélopê, most worn in love and thought, Athena cast a glance like a grey sea lifting her. Now to bring the tough bow out and bring the iron blades. Now try those dogs at archery to usher bloody slaughter in Athene, goddess of the flashing eyes, now prompted the wise Penelope, Icarius’ daughter, to confront the Suitors in the (10) palace with the bow …show more content…
‘Extraordinary! Zeus seems to have taken away my wits. My dear mother, in her wisdom, says she will leave this house to marry again, and here I am, smiling and chuckling to myself like a witless idiot. Well,gentlemen, step forward. Here is your prize – a lady whose like you will not find today in all Achaea, no, not in sacred Pylos, nor in Argos, nor My cene, nor in Ithaca itself, nor on the dark (110) mainland. But you know this well enough. What need for me to no sing my mother’s praises? So come along! No false excuses or long delays! String the bow and then we’ll see. I shouldn’t mind trying myself. And if I string the bow and shoot an arrow through the axes, I won’t be too upset if my mother says goodbye to this house and goes away with another man leaving me here, as I’ll know that at last I’m capable of winning the fine prizes my father won. These passages are very similar that gives telemachus a different sense of character.In Fitzgerald’s it seems that telemachus has a higher regard for zeus then in Rieu 's as Fitzgerald uses the term almighty versus extraordinary.Then in Rieu 's version it seems he holds his mother in higher regard as he refers as having wisdom something that is not mentioned by Fitzgerald.He also refers to the suitors as lords in fitzgerald and only gentlemen in Rieu’s.This can mean that in Fitzgerald 's depiction telemachus holds men in a much higher regard than the telemachus in Rieu 's version who highly respects his
The Relationship between Telemachus and Odysseus his father is very different. First off, Telemachus has really never met his father but there is still some relation there. Telemachus longs to meet his father and have a relationship. It is very clear that Telemachus struggles to come to the fact that his father has been away for so long and questions at the beginning of the books if he will every come home. Once Telemachus is told by Athena in disguise that his father is still alive ( lines 220-228 in Fagles) he longs on a journey to try and find his dad to see if he is alive.
In The Odyssey, Homer characterizes Telemachus as a young boy that lacks the qualities of maturity and confidence required in the place of his absent father, later transforming him to a man who is assertive and aware of his obligations as the prince of Ithaca. Because of Telemachus’ growth as a character throughout the text, Homer influences the audience to believe that when one is left in the midst of trials, harboring the absence of an influential figure, one must emulate the characteristics left in their memory and adapt them to the journey they have yet to take. According to Part 1, Telemachus “has been searching the Mediterranean world for his father, who has never returned from the ten-year Trojan War” and did not get the luxury of a
I no longer trust in rumors from the blue/ nor bother with any prophecy, when mother calls/ some wizard into the house to ask him questions” (1. 470-473). This shows that Telemachus is weak because Telemachus continues to say that Odysseus is not returning and that he should just give up and lose all hope. This proves that Telemachus is a boy still, because he will not trust no man that returns rumors from the blue even if they might be true and that Odysseus is not coming back. A final example of Telemachus being weak in the beginning is he is just as weak as his mother,
In Homer’s Poem, The Odyssey, Penelope is the exceptionally patient and clever spouse of the infamous hero, Odysseus, and the mother of Telemachus. One poignant factor of Penelope’s character is her patience and devotion which is displayed throughout the poem. With her husband absent for a great majority of her life for the later of twenty years and his location unknown, Penelope stays, patiently awaiting Odysseus’ return, all whilst preserving their estate and raising her son by herself. Throughout this time, she had many persistent suitors in pursuit of her, abusing her husband’s absence.
Throughout Homer’s The Odyssey, characters develop opinions on others based on how they perceive them. As well as viewing others in certain ways, these characters perceive themselves in certain ways. Based on how characters view themselves and are viewed by others, the characters make certain decisions to drive the story of The Odyssey forward.
He strings to bow to win the hand of Penelope, while still disguised as a beggar. Succeeding this, he shoots an arrow through the 12 sockets, shocking all of the suitors. Odysseus says “ now watch me hit a target that no man has hit before, 5/6 if I could take the shot help me Apollo.”(XXII. 5-6) Then he shoots Antinoos, in one shot.
At the end of the story, it is evident that, the character of Telemachus is fully developed. He is no longer the young powerless and weak boy who his mother’s suitors took advantage of in his father’s absence. At the end of the text, he depicts a character with great change after leaving Ithaca and in his own odyssey; he was able to prove his worth. Telemachus is a character who undergoes constant transformation and development throughout The Odyssey. His expedition was an initiation into the heroic world of his father, and a voyage that managed to endow him with the familiarity and essential virtues needed to become a future monarch.
In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, there are many female characters who play the role of a villain. Calypso, Scylla, Charybdis, and the sirens are among the women with the largest, negative impacts on Odysseus’ journey home. Though some women, such as Athena, Eurycleia, and Penelope, are loyal to Odysseus throughout the poem. With such a wide range of female characters, they all contribute different things throughout the book, whether the impact of their actions is negative or positive. Regardless of the outcomes, Homer has quite a modern view of female representation in his poem.
World Literature Paper – Role of Athena and Penelope in The Odyssey Homer’s, The Odyssey is an epic which was written many years ago. At that time, in Ancient Greek society, the dominant role was played by men and the women were considered and given an inferior position. But The Odyssey was often considered a women’s epic because women played an important role. Women in The Odyssey are portrayed as powerful, wise and controlling because they ensure that the illusion of male success will go on - they speak as men through women.
In book two, Telemakhos’ argument caused confusion. Telemakhos’ believes that his father is lost while; the suitors believe that his father is dead. In lines (49-52), Telemachus states “My distinguished
As a result, Telemachus embarks on the search for his father and brings him home, ultimately preventing his mother from marrying one of her
In an epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus struggles to come back home while his wife, Penelope, faces barbarous suitors who plague her house to court her for the marriage in order to claim the kingship of Ithaca. With an absence of the man of the household and a son who is not old enough to rule over the country and handle the domestic complications, Penelope endeavors to keep the household orderly and civilized. In order to prevent further chaos in the household, Penelope maintains her role as the Queen of Ithaca and Odysseus’s wife through her loyalty and cunning. For a woman who does not know when her man will return home, Penelope is extremely strong to keep hope and wait for her husband; thus, her unwavering loyalty to her husband
As Athena assists him, he listens attentively and becomes driven in his actions. Telemachus first visits King Nestor. The first stop did not give Telemachus the answer he was looking for, but being the new eager and strived person Telemachus has become, he continues his journey by going to see Menelaus. Telemachus insists Menelaus to be truthful and exclaims, “Spare me no part of kindness’ sake; be harsh; but put the scene before me as you saw it” (Homer IV. 351-352).
Telemachus is not happy about this. As Penelope tried to decide what song the bard should sing for the suitors, Telemachus sent her to her room, signaling the first time he takes authority over a situation (1.15). The suitors were not used to or happy with his suddenly brave tongue (1.16). Penelope encourages this as we go on.
(Fagles 102). These new words of encouragement, especially since they are from the goddess of wisdom, place a new since of hope and robustness into Telemachus allowing him to go ahead with his