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Examples Of Clever Thinking In The Odyssey

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Homer’s The Odyssey is an epic poem about the journey of the persevering warrior Odysseus. Soon after the birth of his son, Telemachus, Odysseus was sent off to a ten year war. Coming home from war, he encountered many battles, Gods, and monsters that took him off course. During his absence, his wife Penelope was overwhelmed with anxious suitors begging to take her hand in marriage due to Odysseus being gone for twenty years. Odysseus was worried sick that his wife would be unfaithful to him while he was gone, but Penelope’s intelligent thinking bought Odysseus time to return home before the suitors demanded her hand in marriage. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Penelope’s clever thinking, such as unknitting her father in law 's funeral shroud, having the suitors shower her with gifts, and devising the bow and arrow challenge, made her a key character and a perfect match for Odysseus. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Penelope’s clever thinking, such as unknitting her father in law 's funeral shroud, makes her a key character and a perfect match for Odysseus. Suitors try to take Penelope’s hand in marriage with the idea that Odysseus …show more content…

At this point in the story, the suitors were extremely eager to take Penelope 's hand in marriage. The suitors did anything they could to outdo each other to impress Penelope. Once Penelope said, “for the bringing of gifts each man sent forth his page” (179), the suitors saw this as an amazing opportunity. They each showered her with many gifts, everyone aiming to have the best one. Penelope was extremely clever in this act. Threatening the suitors by saying that the men who give bad gifts will not be chosen to be her suitor was a brilliant idea. Penelope’s intelligent thinking led to her receiving marvelous gifts. This also helped Penelope stall in hopes of Odysseus’s imminent

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