THE ODYSSEY-BOOK 13BY: Tyler Heffernen

On Alkinoos’s boat

At the beginning of the book, Odysseus is on Alkinoos’s boat with his crew. Alkinoos is a great host and holds a feast in Odysseus’s name. They sacrifice a bull to Zeus during the feast and rejoice on the way to Ithaka

Odysseus thanks them all and goes to sleep.

When the boat reaches, Ithaka the crew gently carries Odysseus off the boat so he doesn’t wake up.

The Fate of Alkinoos and crew

Poseidon, Odysseus’s enemy, sees that Odysseus has reached Ithaka and is enraged and talks to Zeus.

Zeus allows Poseidon to get revenge on the ship but doesn’t allow Poseidon to “Heave a mass of mountain in a ring around the city.” (pg 234, line 190)

Poseidon then turns the ship to stone killing the passengers.

Note: As said in Bloom on the odyssey “Odysseus means either a curse’s victim or and avenger who carries a curse.” So Homer uses foreshadowing to demonstrate how helping Odysseus is dangerous.

On Ithaka

When Odysseus lands on the island he doesn’t recognize the islands and believes the Phaeacians had tricked him.

Athena then puts a fog around him concealing her and Odysseus so she may explain the plan to him.

She disguises as a Sheppard boy and explains to Odysseus that he is on indeed on Ithaka. Then Odysseus realizes that the shepherd is Athena.

The plan

Athena explains to Odysseus about the suitors and how they have destroyed his house and he must kill them.

She then informs about how Telemachus is away looking for him.

Then, Athena takes Odysseus to a cave to hide his treasures

She dresses him like a poor old man with raged cloth.

The chapter ends with Athena leaving to assist Telemachus and Odysseus hides in Eumaeus’s house.

The Characters Odysseus-finally reaches Ithaka. Athena-informs Odysseus of the plan

and is ready to put the plan into action.

Alkinoos-helps Odysseus but his ship is destroyed by Poseidon because of it.

Poseidon-Angered that Odysseus has landed on Ithaka and kills Alkinoos and his crew.

Zeus-Allows Poseidon to take revenge on Alkinoos’s ship but not on the port town.

Settings

Alkinoos’ boat Mount Olympus Ithaka

Main idea

The main idea of the chapter is the fact that Odysseus is home and he is prepared to put the plan into action by disguising as a poor man to get into his own house.

Another idea of the book is the fate of people who try to help Odysseus. The good Phaeacian people who do a good cause, find that they are punished.

Critical Analysis

Book 13 of the Odyssey is a short chapter of the book but brings up many topics about the book. Some of the main ideas about the topic are identity, kindness and good/bad.

IDENTITY

Kindness

Good/

Bad

Identity

Odysseus’ identity is seen throughout the text of book 13. “Many critics have seen Odysseus as the one figure in all literature who most uniquely establishes and sustains his own identity. Certainly, few characters in Western literature have so firm a conviction as to precisely how their identity is to be confirmed and renewed.”(from bloom on the odyssey)

What is Odysseus’ identity?

Odysseus is first and foremost is very loyal to his wife and refuses to stop at nothing to get back to Ithaka. This is proven when he is very rejoiced he has reached Ithaka or how he is willing to look like a very poor old man to save his wife.

His identity is also very close to that of Athena. This is part of his identity is shown is when Athena herself tells Odysseus, “Two of a kind, we are, contrivers, both. Of all men alive you are the best in plots and story telling.”(pg 239 line 379-381)

Other form of Identity

Another form of identity was the fact Zeus changed his identity. Usually, Zeus protects wanders and people who help them but, Zeus allows Poseidon to take revenge on the Phaeacians.

Kindness

Kindness is relevant through out the book manly due to the fact that the Phaeacians helped Odysseus in his time of need. But, although kindness was shown throughout the book so was hostility.

Poseidon also showed kindness, although a very small amount, when he didn’t destroy the port city completely.

Good vs. Bad

“In the Odyssey, moral issues are infinitely simpler; not only during the adventures narrated by Odysseus, with their marked element of folktale, but even in Ithaca, where daily life is depicted with such great naturalism, good and bad and right and wrong are separated almost as clearly as in a Western film.”(Lloyd-Jones on the Odyssey)

This quote not only fits the whole book but is clearly shown in book 13

Examples

The main example, is Poseidon. He is depicted as the bad guy in the Odyssey and proves it once more by killing the Phaeacians who helped Odysseus get back home.

Odysseus, the “good” guy, is rewarded like in most stories by reaching his wanted destination while the “bad guy” looses because the good guy triumphs.

Bibliography

Bloom, Harold. "Bloom on The Odyssey." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 5 Dec. 2013 <http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&WID=17730&SID=5&iPin=BGTBJTO001&SingleRecord=True>.

Lloyd-Jones, Hugh. "The Odyssey as Moral Fable." Bloom's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 7 Dec. 2013 <http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&WID=17730&SID=5&iPin=BMPHom23&SingleRecord=True>.

ANY QUESTIONS?