The Odyssey: Book 16

Book 16 (Scott & Colin)

Three Important Quotes
"As a father, brimming with love, welcomes home \ his darling only son in a warm embrace-- \ what pain he's borne for him and him along!-- \ home now, in the tenth year from far abroad, \ so the loyal swineherd hugged the beaming prince, \ he clung for dear life, covering him with kisses, yes, \ like one escaped from death." (16. 19-25).

These lines are significant to the epic because they show that Homer like to use epic similes. These similes can do different things like advance the plot or show people how the characters are feeling. The similes help the reader connect with the characters but they are also an important part of Homer's style of writing.

"'Then let some foreigner lop my head off if I failed \ to march right into Odysseus' royal halls \ and kill them all.'" (16. 114-116).

This quote is significant to the epic because it is foreshadowing the deaths of all of the suitors. This shows that another part of Homer's style of writing is foreshadowing. This quote advances the plot of the epic because it is showing that Odysseus is getting closer to his final battle where he has to kill all of the suitors.

"'Friends, what a fine piece of work he's carried off! \ Telemachus--what insolence-- and we thought his little jaunt \ would come to grief! Up now, launch a black ship \ the best we can find--muster a crew of oarsmen, \ row the news to out friends in ambush, fast, \ bring them back at once.'" (16. 382-387).

This quote shows what I think is Homer's most visible style of writing. He liked to use dashes while characters are speaking in conversation. This means that he likes the characters to take dramatic pauses before continuing their speech.


Elements of a Monomyth
This book in the epic represents the return of the hero Telemachus. In this book he has finished his main quest which was finding his father and bringing him home safely. This can be represented by this quote, "Eumaeus, \ good old friend, go, quickly, to wise Penelope. \ tell her I'm home from Pylos safe and sound." (16. 146-148). As you can see in this passage Telemachus is back from his journey. This is also the part of the epic where Odysseus' and Telemachus' journeys meet. They are finally in the same place and they get to talk.

Book 16 (Nick & Austin)

Important Quotes
The first of our important quotes was said by Homer, “At that Odysseus sat down again, and Telemachus threw his arms around his great father, sobbing uncontrollably as the deep desire for tears welled up in both. They cried out, shilling cries, pulsing sharper than birds of prey –eagles, vultures with hooked claws” (16, 243-248).

This is an important quote because it is when Odysseus and Telemachus first meet each other. This is an experience where the two first meet and it’s a kind of bonding experience, it’s the first time they meet. This also represents Homeric’s style of using similes, that are very similar to the ones throughout The Odyssey.

Our next quote was said by Homer again, “But Athena had approached Laertes’ son Odysseus, tapped him with her wand and made him old again. She dressed him in filthy rags too, for fear Eumaeus, recognizes his master face-to-face, might hurtle back to shrewd Penelope…” (16, 505-509).

This is a significant quote because it’s when Odysseus receives help from Athena. It’s when she changes him from the young man to the old beggar. This is important because if Odysseus hadn’t been hanged to the old man he wouldn’t have been able to continue his plan with the suitors.

Our last quote was said by Penelope, “Don’t you know how your father fled here once? A fugitive, terrified of the people, up in arms against him because he’d joined some Taphian pirates out to attack Thesprotians, sworn allies of ours. The mobs were set to destroy him, rip his life out, devour his vast wealth to their heart’s content, but Odysseus held them back, kept their fury down. And this is the man whose house you waste, scot-free, whose wife you court, whose son you mean to kill-you make my life an agony! Stop I tell you, (16, 470-479).

This is a very important quote because is shows Penelope is still loyal to Odysseus. It shows that she will not give into the suitors, she’ll be patient and wait for Odysseus to come home.

Elements of Monomyth
In book sixteen there are two examples of Monomyth characteristics. IN the beginning of book sixteen, Apotheosis Deification is shown when Odysseus comes to Ithica as a beggar. This is Apotheosis Deification because he is re-born, not from a new person, just to a different identity, a beggar. It’s kind of like he’s starting a new life just for a short period of time because no one knows him and he supposed to be new to the city. This is a very key point in the book because as a beggar no one notices him and he can continue his plan about killing the suitors.
Towards the end of book sixteen the element that we see is called magical flight. It’s where someone receives outside help from an external force. This is called magical flight because we see Odysseus receive help from Athena. Athena helps Odysseus by changing him from a young man to the old beggar again. This is a very essential point in his and Telemachus’s plan, because they wouldn’t have been able to sneak Odysseus into his city without drawing attention to themselves. Without the disguise the suitors would have seen Odysseus coming to kill them all and they all would’ve been able to escape. Without the element of surprise the plan was worthless and that’s why this is a major event in the sixteenth book.