Odysseus: Just Angry?
In Book 19, why do you think Odysseus is so harsh on Eurycleia after she recognized him?
Eurycleia recognized Odysseus while bathing him from one of his scars and immediately became filled with joy. If it were not for the gods, Penelope would also know because Eurycleia tried to tell her but she was distracted. When Eurycleia saw Odysseus through his disguise Odysseus becomes very angry at her, giving her a few harsh words and threats. He becomes this enraged because he has seen many of the people he trusted, the maids, friends, etc., in his house, using his estate as their own and/or trying to court his wife. He is also feeling really tense because he has to actively to his wife in order to fulfill the plan he has created. Odysseus does not want a whistleblower to put any of this emotional and physical torture he has gone and is going through to go to waste. I do wonder why Athena did not prevent Eurycleia from noticing that this was Odysseus because it seems that nothing happens on accident.
Eurycleia recognized Odysseus while bathing him from one of his scars and immediately became filled with joy. If it were not for the gods, Penelope would also know because Eurycleia tried to tell her but she was distracted. When Eurycleia saw Odysseus through his disguise Odysseus becomes very angry at her, giving her a few harsh words and threats. He becomes this enraged because he has seen many of the people he trusted, the maids, friends, etc., in his house, using his estate as their own and/or trying to court his wife. He is also feeling really tense because he has to actively to his wife in order to fulfill the plan he has created. Odysseus does not want a whistleblower to put any of this emotional and physical torture he has gone and is going through to go to waste. I do wonder why Athena did not prevent Eurycleia from noticing that this was Odysseus because it seems that nothing happens on accident.
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