The Odyssey Book Nineteen: Penelope and Her Guest with Mary Pat Donoghue

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Dcn. Harrison Garlick is joined by Mary Pat Donoghue, Executive Director of the Secretariat of Catholic Education at the USCCB, to discuss Book 19 of the Odyssey: Penelope and her guest.

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From our written guide:

93. What happens in book nineteen?

With the suitors retired for the evening to their own houses, Odysseus and Telemachus clear the hall of weapons, as Athena carries a golden lamp to light their way (19.35). Odysseus is harassed by the maidservant Melantho (19.70), and Melantho is warned by both Odysseus the beggar and Penelope that judgment is coming (19.97). Odysseus sits down with Penelope, and the two begin to trade carefully crafted responses (19.110). Odysseus, still disguised as a beggar, spins a falsehood for his wife about his history, which includes that he had met Odysseus (19.193). Penelope tests the beggar by asking about Odysseus’ clothing, which Odysseus is easily able to answer (19.259). Odysseus the beggar tells Penelope her husband is alive and returning soon (19.310). Penelope, skeptical of the claim (19.354), arranges for the old maid, Eurycleia, to wash Odysseus’ feet (19.406). Eurycleia recognizes Odysseus due to his scar—and we hear the story of how Odysseus received his name (19.445). Odysseus threatens the old servant, his old wetnurse, into silence (19.554). The book ends with Odysseus interpreting a dream for Penelope, and Penelope tells Odysseus the beggar how she intends to test the suitors (19.644).

94. What should be noted in the dialogue of Odysseus and Penelope?

The matchless queen of cunning and the man of twists and turns have their reunion—to a degree. Notice that Odysseus’ original answer to Penelope is a non-answer (19.114). Penelope, in response however, appears to be quite open with her beggar-guest (19.137). What is the impetus of her openness to this stranger? Is she simply isolated, exhausted and recognizes in the beggar a noble spirit to which she can decompress? Or is Penelope’s openness and invitation for the beggar to be open, because she suspects it is Odysseus? If Argos the dog can recognizes his master through this disguise, why not his cunning wife? The question of when Penelope suspects the beggar is Odysseus haunts the text.

Odysseus arguably loves Penelope because of her wit, and she sharing the story of the loom would have been quite endearing to him (19.169). Odysseus tests his wife—recall the Clytemnestra episode—but the reader should be cognizant of to what degree Penelope is testing Odysseus (19.248). She certainly tests him in the story he presents, but one wonders to what degree she is testing him in her suspicions of who he really is. One notes how often Odysseus the beggar refers to his wife as “noble wife of Laertes’ son, Odysseus” (19.299, 384).

It is notable as well that the oath given is on the hearth of the home of Odysseus and Penelope (19.349). Odysseus’ commentary on curses for those who are cruel toward guests and glory for those who are kind toward colors both his return home and his episode with the cyclops (19.376). Note also that xenia can be a source of glory and fame (19.382). In other words, glory comes not simply from wartime excellence but also peacetime hospitality. It reveals a path to glory in peace, which aligns with the Odyssey being a parallel to the city of peace of Achilles’ shield.

The book ends with another episode of Penelope seeming to be overly open to this beggar in her house, as she tells him her dream (19.603). Again, one wonders what she suspects and whether her openness is supposed to draw out a reciprocal openness. Her weeping at the end lends to theories that she suspects the beggar is Odysseus but the safeguards she has put in place around her heart will not admit it (19.680).

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