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Identity In The Odyssey

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In Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, it shows how one's identity can shape the decisions one can make by being powerful. In The Odyssey by Homer, Athena and Penelope have identities that make them powerful. For example, Athena being a goddess and Penelope being the queen of Ithaca. Athena and Penelope’s powerful identities shape their decisions, making them decide their actions. Athena uses her powerful identity as a goddess to shape the mortal's decisions on fighting. The relatives of the suitors were off to fight against Odysseus and his men because Odysseus killed all the suitors. Athena heard this news and decided to try and help make the fight stop. “They would have killed them all, cut them off from home if Athena, daughter of storming …show more content…

The suitors were having a discussion on killing Telemachus. But, they did not know that “The queen had heard it all. how they plotted inside the house to kill her son.” (16.455-456) This gave the queen an idea to use her identity as a queen as a move to stop the suitors from killing her son. Since then, the suitors are at her home to try and take her hand in marriage. She found one of the suitors, Antinous, and “cried out against him: “You, Antinous! Violent, vicious, scheming-you, they say, are the best man your age in Ithaca, best for eloquence, counsel. You're nothing of the sort!” (16.462-465) Penelope charming Antinous made him go and try and convince the other suitors on another plan so Telemachus has a better chance at living. Antinous listened to Penelope because her identity as the queen gives her the power to change him and the other suitors' decision on killing her son telemachus. Athena’s identity being a powerful goddess, using that power to help alter one's decision in fighting. Also, Penelope’s identity is being a powerful queen, and using her power to change the minds of people who decide to fight her son. This shows how Athena and Penelope’s identity in Homer’s, The Odyssey, shows the power in them to help shape decisions into

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