Q&A

What is an epic simile in Book 21 of The Odyssey?

What is an epic simile in Book 21 of The Odyssey?

Homeric simile-Like a musician, like a harper, when with a quiet hand upon his instrument he draws his thumb and forefinger a sweet new string upon a peg:so effortlessly Odysseus in one motion strung the bow.

What are some epic similes in The Odyssey?

Epic Simile: “I drove my weight on it from above and bored it home like a shipwright bores his beam with a shipwright’s drill that men below, whipping the strap back and forth, whirl and the drill keeps twisting, never stopping –So we seized our stake with it fiery tip and bored it round and round in the giant’s eye.” …

How are similes used in The Odyssey?

“They speared the crews like fish and whisked them home to make their grisly meal” (10.135-136) (Simile) Odysseus uses this simple simile to convey how mundane and commonplace the brutalizing and disregard of human life was for the ruthless Laestrygonians.

What happens in Book 21 of The Odyssey?

Summary: Book 21 Penelope gets Odysseus’s bow out of the storeroom and announces that she will marry the suitor who can string it and then shoot an arrow through a line of twelve axes. Odysseus, still disguised, then asks for the bow. All of the suitors complain, fearing that he will succeed.

What is an example of metaphor in The Odyssey?

An example of a metaphor in the Odyssey, is when Homer writes, “Nine years we wove a web of disaster.” Another example is when Homer says: “[Odysseus is] fated to escape his noose of pain”.

Who does Odysseus reveal himself to in Book 21?

Odysseus finally reveals himself to Eumaeus and the servant Philoetius and fills them in on his plan of revenge. They agree to help. After the suitors have all failed to string the bow, Odysseus asks if he might try. He strings it with ease and shoots an arrow through the 12 axes.

What is the secret between Penelope and Odysseus?

A cautious Penelope, sought after by many clever suitors, uses the bed that she and Odysseus shared for so many years to trick Odysseus into proving his identity. The bed, carved from a tree that has its roots in the foundation of the house itself, is immovable, much like Odysseus and Penelope’s loyalty to each other.

What is the summary of book 21 of the Odyssey?

The Odyssey Book 21 Summary & Analysis. 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.

Are there any similes in the Odyssey of Odysseus?

“great Odysseus melted into tears… as a woman weeps, her arms flung around her darling husband, a man who fell in battle… So from Odysseus’ eyes ran tears of heartbreak now” (8.586-597) (Simile)

What was the summary of Book XXI of the Odyssey?

Book XXI Summary: Telemachus sends her to her room, and then orders Eumaeus to give Odysseus the bow. The door and courtyard gate are also locked. Odysseus examines the bow as the suitors mock him. He smoothly strings it as Zeus thunders, and then shoots the arrow through the axe heads.

What was the simile for the eye of Cyclops?

Epic Simile: “…its crackling roots blazed and hissed – as a blacksmith plunges a glowing ax or adze in an ice-cold bath and the metal screeches steam and its temper hardens – that’s the iron’s strength – so the eye of Cyclops sizzled round that stake.”.