Odyssey Paper

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Recommended: The use of disguise in The Odyssey

Throughout The Odyssey, disguises are used to hide true intentions. Most prominent are the disguises Athene takes on before interacting with mortals to help Odysseus reach Ithaka. She takes on alternate forms such as Mente to advise Telemachos in Book 1, the daughter of Dymas to inspire Nausikaa in Book 6, as well as a man to establish confidence in Odysseus in Book 8 without revealing her true identity. Each time, she uses the honor-shame code in Homeric society to manipulate the recipients of her disguises. This prompts them to do as she expects and thus helps Odysseus move along in his journey. In Book 13, Athene disguises as a young boy in order to speak with Odysseus. This disguise is significant in light of the rest of the Odyssey and in light of the disguises that Athene takes on previously. This disguise will ultimately determine how Odysseus is to reclaim his house from the suitors. Disguise and sensitivity to the honor-shame code of Homeric society is manipulated tacitly and explicitly by Athene in order to accomplish her plans in bringing Odysseus back home.
In Odyssey 1.105-318, Athene disguises as Mente to advise Telemachos to leave in search for news of Odysseus. Mente is a friend and a leader of the Taphians (1.105). Being an older and wiser man who is also a friend, Athene is able to gain Telemachos’ trust and thence guide him. Her true intention was for Telemachos to grow and mature as a person so that he can protect his family while Odysseus is not home. Athene uses the principles of honor-shame code in her dialogue with Telemachos to manipulate him in realizing his dependency on Odysseus. Telemachos claims that the suitors are shameless. Yet, he notices that he shouldn’t feel any less shameful of his actions...

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...the epic. She simply disguises as a young boy and then confesses her identity because her intentions were fulfilled. This will then help him move along in his plan as he knows Athene will be assisting him to retrieve his home from the grasp of the suitors.
Disguises develop through the epic as a way for Athene to accomplish her goal in bringing Odysseus back home. The principle of honor-shame code of Homeric society is implemented to fulfill Athene’s true intention with each disguise. Athene uses the honor-shame code to inspire Telemachos to find himself glory and honor by going off on a journey, to inspire Nausikaa to encounter and help Odysseus, and to shame the Phaiakians to help Odysseus move along in his journey. At the end of the epic, she is able to disguise Odysseus as a beggar to retrieve his house back from the grasp of the suitors and regain his honor.

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