Odysseus And The Geese In Homer's Odyssey

In the Odyssey, when Odysseus comes back to Ithaca to retake his throne and his family, he comes disguised as a beggar. He does this to stay hidden from Penelope and to collect information to find a way to get rid of the suitors. In Penelope’s dream, an eagle kills all her geese. The eagle is Odysseus and the geese are the suitors. Penelope’s dream is foreshadowing what is going to happen to the suitors.
In Penelope’s dream, the eagle represents Odysseus and the geese represent the suitors. Penelope tells the beggar, which is actually Odysseus, her dream. The beggar immediately recognizes the meaning but Penelope seems to be oblivious. Penelope has been known to be smart and cunning throughout the book, leading one to assume she would be able to interpret the dream herself.

Them “picking their wheat” is them taking all the food and drink. Penelope is not too keen on the idea of marrying one of the suitors but “love[s] to watch them all.” This indicates that she might have enjoyed having the suitors around because it would have made her feel better during her grief because of the extra attention. This is why Penelope would have been sad when they were all killed because she had become attached to the suitors over the years. However, the sadness swiftly faded after being comforted and reminded that the eagle had liberated her from them. The eagle is Odysseus coming home from his journey and killing all of the suitors who have been dominating his home for 20 years. The “clear blue sky” represents how the palace will be cleared of the suitors. In the line when the eagle “settle[s] onto the rafter” it is Odysseus finally taking back his home.
In conclusion, Penelope’s dream is foretelling Odysseus’s actions when he reveals himself. It also tells the reader more about Penelope’s emotions towards the suitors. Penelope is still devastated that her husband is gone and can’t manage any more hope, so she completely blocks it