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Symbols are objects, characters, figures, and colors used to represent abstract ideas or concepts.
Although throwing a feast for a guest is a common part of hospitality, hunger and the consumption of food often have negative associations in The
In almost all cases, the monsters of The
The wedding bed in Book
During Odysseus’s long absence from Ithaca, his house fills with suitors seeking Penelope’s hand and her riches. Penelope tells them she will choose one to marry after she has finished weaving a burial shroud for her father-in-law, Laertes. This ruse symbolizes Penelope’s cunning resistance, as she weaves during the day and unravels her work at night. Her power over her own home rests on her ability to keep from remarrying.
Penelope’s cleverness and deception set her up as an equal match to Odysseus. Although they do not reunite until later in the poem, Penelope’s trick with the shroud implies a unified approach with her husband. The couple uses similar concealed tactics to achieve their goals, and Penelope’s intelligence fits well with quick-thinking Odysseus. Her lingering delay in completing the shroud works in tandem with Odysseus’s consistent fighting to get back home. Their parallel strategies ultimately symbolize their steadfast commitment to Odysseus’s return.
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