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Foreshadowing And Irony In Homer's Odyssey

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Homer’s epic, “The Odyssey” includes many fascinating and intriguing characters that readers can become engaged upon. Although not entirely fascinating or in any way praised, Penelope’s suitors are characterized in a stupidly ignorant and egotistical manner. Upon Athena first encounters in Ithaca, she sees the suitors abusing xenia as the “Heralds poured water over their hands for rinsing, serving maids brought bread heaped high in trays and young men brimmed the mixing-bowls with wine” (171-173). The suitors are living luxuriously as if they are the true ruler of the house, who has lived there all their lives, due to the heralds’ obedience in “rinsing” their hands and their wine “brimmed” to their mixing-bowls. A very disorderly tone is surfaced in this image, due to the suitor’s presumptuous demeanor. …show more content…

Such brave talk. I pray that Zeus will never make you king of Ithaca,”(441-443). In this way of syntax, “you” is italicized to emphasize the suitors dislike for Telemachus. In addition, foreshadowing and irony is inserted in this phrase, when Antinous “[prays] that Zeus” would punish Telemachus, but truly, the suitors themselves are more likely to be punished, due to their ignorance to xenia. Another suitor, Eurymachus asks “dear boy, I have some questions. Where does he come from?...How he lept to his feet and off he went! No waiting around for proper introductions. And no mean man, not by the looks of him, I’d

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