Which scenes in the Odyssey between Odysseus's return to Ithaca and the massacre of the suitors show Homer at his best as a storyteller.' (Books 14 to 24) Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”? Get the original essay In the Odyssey, Homer created a poem to stir the deep emotions of the audience, capable of creating scenes that are both full of anger against the suitors. arrogance and tragedy with sorrow and difficulty. In books 14 to 21 he assembled a series of poignant recognition scenes which intersperse small incidents showing the threat posed by the usurping suitors. These scenes between Odysseus and his faithful servants are among the most powerful in the Odyssey and add much to the tension that precedes the final battle against the Suitors. In book 14, Homer pays particular attention to the faithful servant Eumaeus in order to emphasize the difference between him and the unfaithful servants of the palace: "not wanting to sleep there away from his boars... He prepared himself for a night outside, and Odysseus was delighted to see his diligent care for his absent master’s goods.” “This shows not only how praiseworthy Eumaeus is, but also how detestable the actions of the suitors are. Such scenes are capable of charming the audience and arousing great sympathy and admiration for Eumaeus and the other struggling servants loyal to Odysseus. We can see how much Homer loved the swineherd by his use of the apostrophe to address Eumaeus, a privilege reserved for him alone. Eumaeus reveals himself to be a strange mixture of nobility and humility; he has his own servants and yet performs the most humble tasks, perhaps showing how Homer believes everyone should behave and providing a stark contrast to the pride and boastfulness of the suitors. Eumaeus is also used to create tension in the play. It seems unconsciously that he calls Odysseus “old friend”; a subtle allusion to their relationship? Eurymachus' words are also used by Homer to create dramatic irony: "The gods have shown their utter hatred towards him [Odysseus]... he is dead and gone: the dogs and birds of the air must now have torn the flesh. of his bones, Homer makes a point of devoting much of the conversation in this section of the poem to a discussion of whether Odysseus is dead. Eumaeus is adamant that he is, and Odysseus is adamant that he is not. This creates irony in that Odysseus is unable to convince Eumaeus, who we know is wrong, and makes the final battle, when it finally arrives, much more dramatic as it dissipates all the previously built-up tension. Another scene of great power is recognition. of Odysseus by Telemachus in book 16. We are told: "Telemachus could not yet accept that it was his father..." Telemachus threw his arms around his noble father's neck and burst into tears... they cried out loud in a shrill voice and more. convulsively as birds of prey when they are... deprived of their young. and second, the strongly emotive language and images he uses to make the scene more powerful. The simile is particularly notable because it suggests wild, uncontrollable emotions that ravage both men and shows the depth of their feelings while adding an element of danger, and perhaps nobility (many birds of prey were associated with the gods; the eagles of Zeus, for example). example) for them. The scenes of recognition are perhaps the most powerful in this poem; the scene from book 19where Eurycleia recognizes Ulysses as an excellent example: “Abruptly, she let go of her master's foot which made the metal ring as it fell against the basin, spilling and overturning all the water on the ground... her voice remained stuck in her throat ...Ulysses' hand sought and seized... [his] throat. “This section of the book shows Homer using all his skill to surprise Euryclea. The pelvis is highlighted because it is an everyday object allowing the audience to identify with it, and the contrast with stable Eurycleia and her sudden loss of speech and grip shows the extent of her shock. It is a response that is both realistic and authentic, giving Euryclea a human side that makes her more understandable and more pitiable to the audience. This impression is further reinforced when Eurycleia “raised her hand to Odysseus’ chin,” giving a visible sign of her affection for her “master.” She calls him “my dear child,” showing the closeness of the relationship between these two and making this scene more powerful. Another sentence from this section is: “Joy and anguish together swept through his heart.” » This shows the contradictory emotions unleashed in the old woman; we rejoice at Odysseus' safe return, but we worry about the trials he had to endure and must still suffer at the hands of the suitors. The contrast of these two feelings helps show the audience the sudden surge of uncontrollable emotions that overwhelms Eurycleia, making this section more effective and moving for the audience. Odysseus' reaction here (grabbing Eurycleia by the throat) may seem violent to an audience. modern audience, but I think it serves to show the pressure Ulysses is under and how much is at stake here. His anxiety is perhaps making him tougher than he normally would be, as it is vitally important that he is not discovered at this early stage, which heightens the audience's sense of anticipation, making them more effective and more dramatic. Homer's use of strong similes throughout the books. 13-21 is particularly striking. For example, his comparison of Odysseus to a dog when he is tempted to kill the maids prematurely: "His heart growled within him like a growling female dog that stands guard over her defenseless puppies, ready to fight when she sees a stranger. » This comparison suggests the protection that Odysseus feels towards his "puppies"; his family and possessions, as well as his bravery. The suitors are like the stranger, threatening and unwanted, and the whole scene is lively, moving and easy to understand for a Greek audience. Homer's easily understandable similes are also very present in the rest of the poem: "he looked like a miserable old beggar leaning on a stick, his body covered in filthy rags." (book 17) This shows how complete the disguise provided by Athena is and how dejected Odysseus now appears. Pathos can't help but create such a striking comparison for him, even though we know he is truly "divine", showing Homer at his best as a storyteller. Homer gives us yet another poignant and powerful scene in the death of the dog Argus: "There, full of vermin, lay Argus...as soon as he became aware of Odysseus' presence, he wagged his tail... but he now lacked the strength to get closer to his master." This touching reunion shows the degradation that has taken place in Odysseus's absence, and serves to advance the plot while being very emotional. This is the beginning of a series of recognition scenes, and there is a sense of tragic irony in that the dog cannot be fooled by the disguise of a goddess. The dog is the most humble of all of Odysseus' subjects, but he is still loyal to him (like Eumaeus), which creates even more irony,.