Book II--A Hero's Son Awakens
|Summary|Characters & Their Lessons|Symbolism and Literary Devices|Connections|Epithets and Extras|
Summary
Telemachus awoke and he put on his
tunic,
mantel, sword belt, new edge sword, rawhide sandals and then left the room. He gathered the people of
Ithaka to assemble for a meeting. Lord Agyptios started the meeting. Then, Telemachus tells the people about his troubles at home, regarding the
suitors.
Antinoos rudely disagreed with Telemachus, explaining that Penelope is the person to blame for all the trouble because she was holding hope of
shroud for her father-in-law, Laertes, on the behalf of Odysseus. Every day she would knit a little bit of the shroud and then that night she would undo what she had knit that day. She was afraid to marry a suitor for fear that Odysseus was still alive and on his way home.
Zeus sent an
omen of two
eagles attacking people.
Halitherses explains his interpretation of the omen.
Eurymakhos disagreed with Halitherses’ explanation, and gave his own evaluation of the omen. Telemachus tells the crowd that he wants to sail the sea to get information on
Odysseus. Everyone left the meeting, and
Athena came to Telemachus in the form of
Mentor, saying that she will gather a ship and crew. Telemachus collected supplies for the journey and left on the ship for Pylos. Telemachus only tells Eurycleria, that he is leaving to find his father. She was sad when she found out that he was departing but she promised Telemachus that she wouldn’t tell Penelope for eleven to twelve days or until she noticed that he was missing.
Another Book 2 Summary
Characters & Their Lessons
Character: Telemachus
Description: He is the son of Odysseus and Penelope and is favored by Athena. In
Book 2, he continues his path from childhood to manhood. Telemachus tries to deal with the suitors trying to take his mom’s hand in marriage
Lesson: He learns that he is more like his father then he thought he is. He learns about the omen from Zeus and how his father may be close to home. He also learns that it is his duty to help Ithaka in any way possible, so he sails the sea for facts about Odysseus.
Character: Odysseus
Description:He is the main character in the epic, the king of Ithaca. He left Ithaca to go to the Trojan War for ten years. Once the war was over it took him ten more years to return home. He is the father of Telemachus, son of Laertes, and unfaithful husband of Penelope.
Lesson: Odysseus learns that he can’t do everything on his own; sometimes he is going to need the help of others, whether they are human or a god.
Character: Penelope
Description: She doesn’t make an appearance in Book 2, but she is talked about in the meeting, and between Telemachus and
Eurykleia. She is Telemachus’ mother, and Odysseus’s devoted wife. Suitors come to her home to marry her but she says she will not marry until she finished with her burial shroud for Laertes. Everyday she knits some, and that night she undoes what she has done that day.
Lesson: She learns that she is a really faithful wife and she needs to test Odysseus to see if he is devoted to her.
Character: Laertes
Description: Odysseus’ father, and old man who lives on a farm.
Character: Athena
Description: She is the goddess of wisdom and war. She helps the family of Telemachus a lot throughout the story by
intervening. She has a preference for Greeks. She favors Odysseus and Telemachus throughout the book. She disguises herself as Mentor so she can talk to Telemachus about leaving to find his father. Mentor is Odysseus’ old war buddy, and he was one of the last people to be with Odysseus.
Character: Eurykleia
Description: The aged
wet-nurse who takes care of Odysseus and Telemachus. She is one of the only maids who doesn’t interact with the suitors. She was taken as a bondservant by Odysseus’ father; she is a loyal maid to Odysseus. In book 2, she is trusted by Telemachus to keep a secret.
Character: Antinoos
Description: The leader of the suitors trying to take Penelope’s hand in marriage. He mocks Telemachus. He is the most disliked among the suitors because of his meanness.
Character: Haliserthes
Description: He is considered one of the best Ithakan
soothsayers at reading bird
omens.
Symbolism and Literary Devices
Foreshadowing
Halitherses’ interpretation of the omen foreshadows punishment for the suitors. Because of all this obvious foreshadowing, the story will probably not have a surprise ending.
Conflict
The main conflict in book two is all of the suitors versus everyone else.
Flaw
Telemachus shows an emotional flaw of crying about how the suitors won’t leave.
Rising Action
Book II is part of the rising action in
The Odyssey.
Imagery/Metaphors
In the beginning of book two, the author describes how Telemachus gets up by using imagery and metaphors.
Rhyme
This fictional epic poem has no rhyme in the overall writing.
Symbol: The Eagle Omen
The largest example of symbolism in Book II is the omen. It symbolizes the intervention of Athena and the overall carelessness and meanness of the suitors. eagles are used to symbolize the sign of death. Halitherses believes that the Eagles symbolize Odysseus and the suitors. He stated that there will be bloodshed when Odysseus returns and revenge will be sought on the suitors.
Connections
Noah's Ark
In Book II, Athena intervenes to help Telemachus start his journey to
Pylos, so he can learn anything concerning the whereabouts of his father. Athena intervenes by transforming her body into the body of Telemachus for the purpose of gathering a ship and crew to start Telemachus’ journey. This relates to the myth of
Noah’s Ark. In this
Christian myth, God flooded an area because the people there stopped believing in God. The myth of Athena’s intervention to help Telemachus and the myth of Noah’s Ark both include the intervening of an outside existent which wants to make a difference in the way things end up working. Although, Athena’s arbitration in Book II is only a small part of her whole plan of getting Odysseus back home.
Political Debates
In book II, Telemachus and Antinoos argue about if the suitors should be frowned upon or not. Telemachus starts the argument by saying that the suitors have no business at Odysseus’ palace because they should already know that Penelope doesn’t want to marry, considering she didn’t choose a suitor for over three years. Antinoos defends the suitors by harshly replying that the suitors should not be blamed for staying at the palace for so long because Penelope is to blame. Antinoos explained that Penelope wanted to make a shroud before she marries. But, Penelope was caught unweaving the shroud by night, and the suitors found out. This event resembles the form of a political debate. Telemachus
is to Antinoos as
Dvorak was to Kauffman competing St. Joseph county prosecutor in the state of Indiana (US). The suitors supporting Antinoos
is to everyone (excluding the suitors) supporting Telemachus as the supporters of Dvorak
was to the supporters of Kauffman.
Eagles
Halitherses' prophecy connects to a different story,
Stuck Between A Rock and A Hard Place. A man traveling through Blue John Canyon gets his armed pinned to a wall by a large boulder. While he is trying to free himself he notices and vulture flying over head. A vulture symbolizes death just like the eagles. In the book he thinks the vulture is symbolizing his death, but he was wrong. He escapes and found his way to a pool of water, where he discovered the dead vulture resting along side the water.
The Eagle is a big part of the American culture. It is the country bird because it represents what America stands for; strength and independence. The image of an eagle appears on the quarter, and paper money. In the Odyssey the bird shows how powerful and strong Odysseus will be when he returns.
Kings and Presidents
When a king or queen retires, their spot is taken by a successor. For example in ancient Egyptian mythology, when Cleopatra’s husband passed away she was next in line for the throne. Monarchy government is still used today in the United Kingdom. In the Odyssey Telemachus takes Odyssey’s power once he has been gone for ten years.
Epithets and Extras
Epithets:
“
Rose red fingers” – Dawn the simile for the sunrise
"
Daughter of Zeus" – Athena is the daughter of Zeus.
“
Self possessed” – Mentor is self possessed because Athena takes his shape and uses his history to convince Telmachus that he needs to go look for his father.
Things to Look For:
Athena is the goddess that looks over Odysseus and Telemachus’ household.
Who says what the eagles represent and what reactions does it get?
What does Eurycleia feel when she finds out that Telemachus is leaving?
Think you know Book II? Click here for a Book II quiz. Be sure to scroll down to Book II.
This Section By:
Victor B., Kaelyn H.
