Odyssey Scholarship Views Flashcards
Bowra on Odysseus’ cunning
His need for cunning is enforced by his own recklessness
Johnson on the masculine voice
The masculine voice is constantly promoted at the expense of the feminine
Northwick on Athene
She is not only Odysseus’ protector, but his creator
E.V Rieu on the suitor’s xenia
The suitor’s constant destruction of Odysseus’ household and the reckless disregard for the bond of xenia are enough to justify their deaths
Jenkyns on Slaves
The Odyssey gives prominence to even slaves and beggars… a whole society in all its ranks welcomes Odysseus home
Silk on Odysseus’ cunning
Odysseus’ most heroic quality is his cunning
Goldhill on xenia
Xenia functions as different criterion between different societies Odysseus visits
Thalmann on slaves
slaves are sharply opposed into ‘good’ and ‘bad
Jones on Eumaeus
He heartlessly exploits Eumaeus
Hall on Xenia
All of the characters in the Odyssey are rewarded and punished according to their attitudes towards xenia
Jones on Telemachus
Homer makes the growing up of Telemachus an issue of the epic. Is this young man fit to be the son of such a hero?
Smith on Telemachus
Telemachus ‘is weak and powerless in the beginning, only to have him slay one of his biggest tormentors in the end’
Griffin on Telemachus
Telemachus is ‘in the process of achieving adult status, asserting himself for the first time with both the suitors and his mother
Morrison on the Suitors
The Suitors… clearly violate the laws of xenia
Chrystal on Arete
It is queen Arete, not Alcinuous, who holds the key to Odysseus’ homecoming
