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what mistake does telemachus make in book 21

by Osborne Altenwerth Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago
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Telemachus makes a mistake in Book 21 that in this book gives the suitors more of a fighting chance. How does Odysseus

Odysseus

Odysseus, also known by the Latin variant Ulysses, is a legendary Greek king of Ithaca and the hero of Homer's epic poem the Odyssey. Odysseus also plays a key role in Homer's Iliad and other works in that same epic cycle.

kill Melanthius? Odysseus tells Telemachus to cut them down with a sword, but Telemachus decides to hang them—a more disgraceful death. Last of all, the traitor Melanthius is tortured and killed.

Telemachus makes a mistake in Book 21 that in this book gives the suitors more of a fighting chance.

Full Answer

What mistake does Telemachus make in book 22 of the Odyssey?

Telemachus. In Book 22, he accidentally leaves a weapons storeroom unlocked, a careless mistake that allows the suitors to arm themselves. While Odysseus does make a few mistakes in judgment over the course of the epic, it is difficult to imagine him making such an absentminded blunder. Telemachus has not yet inherited his father’s brassy pride...

How is Telemachus close to being equal to his father?

So Telemachus is closer to being equal to his father than the suitors are, but he is clearly not quite equal. It is clear, though, that he obeys his father. When Telemachus is about to succeed in stringing the bow, he sees his disguised father give him a sign. When Telemachus sees the sign, he immediately gives up trying to string the bow.

What is Telemachus accomplishing in the battle with the beggar?

In fact, Telemachus is accomplishing two important tasks. He is asserting his own position in the household, and he is removing his mother from harm's way. She may suspect that the beggar is her husband, but Telemachus knows that a battle is about to take place and that his place is at the side of the king.

How many times does Telemachus try to string the bow?

For sport, Telemachus attempts to string the bow and fails three times. He is about to succeed on his fourth try when Odysseus privately signals him to back off. The suitors then take their turns, their early efforts failing dismally.

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What mistake does Telemachus make during the battle?

During the battle with the suitors, Telemachus makes a mistake and allows the suitors to get hold of weapons. The mistake shows his inexperience. At the same time, he is quick to step forward and accept the blame, which shows his maturity and sense of honor.

What mistake does Telemachus make in Book 22?

In Book 22 , he accidentally leaves a weapons storeroom unlocked, a careless mistake that allows the suitors to arm themselves. While Odysseus does make a few mistakes in judgment over the course of the epic, it is difficult to imagine him making such an absentminded blunder.

What does Telemachus do at the end of Book 21?

Odysseus tells Telemachus to cut them down with a sword, but Telemachus decides to hang them—a more disgraceful death. Last of all, the traitor Melanthius is tortured and killed.

What happened in Book 21 of the Odyssey?

The suitor Leodes tries the bow and fails: it is too stiff to bend. Other suitors lack the strength to string it as well. Meanwhile, Odysseus speaks to Eumaeus and the cowherd, Philoetius, outside the palace: he tells them his true identity, shows them his scar as proof, and enlists them in the coming battle.

What is Telemachus upset?

Summary: Book 2 Telemachus then gives an impassioned speech in which he laments the loss of both his father and his father's home—his mother's suitors, the sons of Ithaca's elders, have taken it over.

How did Telemachus change throughout The Odyssey?

In The Odyssey, Homer shows the transition of Telemachus from a childish and passive young man to a Man worthy of being Odysseus' son. Through the help of Athena, he learns different character traits and qualities such as bravery that helps him to mature into a man worth the title of a prince of Ithaca.

Who does Telemachus and Odysseus spare from death?

Phemius the bardOdysseus decapitates him with one swipe, the head softly bouncing in the dust. Following Telemachus' recommendation, the king spares Phemius the bard and one of the heralds.

Why does Telemachus try to string the bow?

Telemachus offers to try and string the bow to prove to the suitors that his mother was worth attempting this challenge (394). He goes on to try and string the bow three times. On the fourth try he gets a signal from Odysseus.

Why does Telemachus attempt to string the bow?

For sport, Telemachus attempts to string the bow and fails three times. He is about to succeed on his fourth try when Odysseus privately signals him to back off. The suitors then take their turns, their early efforts failing dismally.

How does Telemachus react to his mother's contest in Book 21?

2. How does Telemachus react to his mother's contest in Book 21? a. He's going to try the bow, for it he can wield it, then she can marry whoever she wishes.

Who does Odysseus reveal himself to in Book 21?

Summary: Book 21 Meanwhile, Odysseus follows Eumaeus and Philoetius outside. He assures himself of their loyalty and then reveals his identity to them by means of the scar on his foot. He promises to treat them as Telemachus's brothers if they fight by his side against the suitors.

Where does book 21 take place in the Odyssey?

0:072:22The Odyssey by Homer | Book 21 Summary and Analysis - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe important symbol here is not just that Telemachus. And Odysseus are plotting together underneathMoreThe important symbol here is not just that Telemachus. And Odysseus are plotting together underneath the surface where the suitors can't see.

What is Telemachus' role in the Odyssey?

Just an infant when his father left for Troy, Telemachus is still maturing when The Odyssey begins. He is wholly devoted to his mother and to maintaining his father’s estate, but he does not know how to protect them from the suitors. After all, it has only been a few years since he first realized what the suitors’ intentions were. His meeting with Athena in Book 1 changes things. Aside from improving his stature and bearing, she teaches him the responsibilities of a young prince. He soon becomes more assertive. He confronts the suitors and denounces the abuse of his estate, and when Penelope and Eurycleia become anxious or upset, he does not shy away from taking control.

Does Telemachus match his father's talents?

He confronts the suitors and denounces the abuse of his estate, and when Penelope and Eurycleia become anxious or upset, he does not shy away from taking control. Telemachus never fully matches his father’s talents, at least not by The Odyssey ’s conclusion.

What does Antinous warn Antinous about?

Antinous warns him angrily that he may end up like the drunken Centaur Eurythion, who was mauled by his hosts the Lapiths . But Penelope urges the suitors to let the stranger try his luck; there is no shame in such a thing, she says, compared to the shame the suitors have brought on the household.

What book does Penelope use to track the theme of the Odyssey?

The Odyssey: Book 21. LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Odyssey, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Penelope sets out Odysseus's bow and axes, and announces to the suitors that the archer that can shoot an arrow cleanly through the axes will have her hand in marriage.

Why does Homer compare Odysseus to a bard?

Homer compares Odysseus to a bard to show both his facility with the unwieldy bow and the artfulness of his schemes. In this moment, Odysseus regains his heroic stature; but his glory is now more human as it contains traces of the helplessness, despair, and humiliation he experienced in his 20 years of travel back to Ithaca.

What does Penelope do with Odysseus' bow and axes?

Penelope sets out Odysseus's bow and axes, and announces to the suitors that the archer that can shoot an arrow cleanly through the axes will have her hand in marriage. Telemachus tries it first, to set an example, but he can't even string the bow.

Who carries the bow to the king?

Eumaeus carries the bow to the king amidst the mocking of the suitors. Odysseus strings the bow as gracefully as a bard tuning his lyre; Zeus sends down a bolt of lightning. Then the king shoots the arrow cleanly through the row of axes. He says to Telemachus: it's time for the song and dance that follow a feast.

Is the notion of the mighty singular hero accurate?

The notion of the mighty, singular hero is no longer accurate, in this book; 2700 years ago, it is already outdated. Ancient ideas of glory give way to more human notions of honor. Odysseus reenters the palace, where Eurymachus has just failed to string the bow.

How did Telemachus die?

The Telegony was a short two-book epic poem recounting the life and death of Odysseus after the events of the Odyssey. In this mythological postscript, Odysseus is accidentally killed by Telegonus, his unknown son by the goddess Circe.

What is the conflict in Book 21 of the Odyssey?

CONFLICT: Penelope vs self is a conflict where she has to stay faithful to Odysseus even while facing the greed of the suitorsand her own loneliness. No one is able to string the bow. ?RISING ACTION: Odysseus follows Eumaeus and Philoetius outside.

What mistake does Telemachus make in Book 21?

Telemachus makes a mistake in Book 21 that in this book gives the suitors more of a fighting chance.

What is Penelope a symbol of?

Because of her efforts to put off remarriage, Penelope is often seen as a symbol of connubial fidelity.

What is the strategy behind Odysseus first shot?

What is the strategy behind Odysseus' first shot? Apollo is the god of archery so odysseus would pray to someone who is the best of the art.

Why did Odysseus kill the suitors?

Odysseus, with the help of Telemachus, slays the suitors for two main reasons. First, they were disrespectful to him and his household, especially the first ones he and his son target with arrows and spear. Second, they were disloyal to Odysseus as ruler of Ithaca in their attempts to displace him by taking his wife.

What does Odysseus order Telemachus?

In the excerpt from the Odyssey, Part 2, what does Odysseus order Telemachus to do when Odysseus gives him a signal? Round up weapons and armor and put them somewhere else.

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1.Book 21 - CliffsNotes

Url:https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/o/the-odyssey/summary-and-analysis/book-21

6 hours ago  · Simply so, what does Telemachus do at the end of Book 21? Summary: Book 21 Telemachus sets up the axes and then tries his own hand at the bow, but fails in his attempt to string it. He promises to treat them as Telemachus's brothers if they fight by his side against the suitors. When Odysseus returns, Eurymachus has the bow. How has Telemachus changed …

2.The Odyssey: Telemachus | SparkNotes

Url:https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/odyssey/character/telemachus/

6 hours ago  · Telemachus makes a mistake in Book 21 that in this book gives the suitors more of a fighting chance. Similarly, what mistake does Telemachus make in Book 22? He has a stout heart and an active mind, and sometimes even a bit of a temper, but he never schemes with the same skill or speaks with quite the same fluency as Odysseus.

3.In the Odyssey, book 21, why does Telemachus assert …

Url:https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/in-the-odyssey-book-21-why-does-telemachus-assert-298145

4 hours ago Summary. Penelope announces the contest and retrieves Odysseus' great backsprung bow from a secret storeroom deep in the palace. For sport, Telemachus attempts to string the bow and fails three times. He is about to succeed on his fourth try when Odysseus privately signals him to back off. The suitors then take their turns, their early efforts failing dismally.

4.The Odyssey Book 21 Summary & Analysis | LitCharts

Url:https://www.litcharts.com/lit/the-odyssey/book-21

8 hours ago Telemachus never fully matches his father’s talents, at least not by The Odyssey ’s conclusion. He has a stout heart and an active mind, and sometimes even a bit of a temper, but he never schemes with the same skill or speaks with quite the same fluency as Odysseus.

5.In book 21 of The Odyssey, how does Telemachus prove …

Url:https://www.enotes.com/homework-help/in-book-21-of-the-odyssey-how-does-telemachus-253250

18 hours ago At Odyssey 21.80-135, Telemachus sets up the axes and then has a try at stringing the bow. He probably would have succeeded if he had not seen his …

6.Telemachus Character Analysis in The Odyssey

Url:https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/odyssey%20/character/telemachus/

14 hours ago Telemachus tries it first, to set an example, but he can't even string the bow. The suitor Leodes tries the bow and fails: it is too stiff to bend. Other suitors lack the strength to string it as well.

7.What is the theme of Book 21 of the Odyssey?

Url:https://findanyanswer.com/what-is-the-theme-of-book-21-of-the-odyssey

25 hours ago Book 21 of The Odyssey follows Penelope's latest challenge to the Suitors (inspired by Athena): whoever can string her husband's bow and fire through twelve …

8.The Odyssey Book 21 Flashcards | Quizlet

Url:https://quizlet.com/193446946/the-odyssey-book-21-flash-cards/

24 hours ago Telemachus never fully matches his father’s talents, at least not by the Odyssey ’s conclusion. He has a stout heart and an active mind, and sometimes even a bit of a temper, but he never schemes with the same skill or speaks with quite the same fluency as Odysseus.

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