The Revenge of Odysseus Essay Example

It is Odysseus guile that allows him to successfully reclaim his kingdom in part two of the Odyssey. When Odysseus, finally, returns to Ithaca after 20 years, he finds out that his home is being invaded by suitors who intend to marry his wife Penelope. So he then decides to trick and  seek for people who are still loyal to him. Odysseus on one hand did this by using Athena’s disguise as an old beggar which she gives him so none of the suitors can recognize him. He asks Eumaeus the swineherd and Philoetius the cowherd “Would you be men enough to stand by Odysseus if he comes back”, he asks this to try to get Eumaeus and Philoetius to be his allies for he knows that this fight was unachievable if he himself comes across the battle all alone. In addition to this Odysseus uses more strategic ways to organize how to trap the suitors. 

While Odysseus was analyzing how to ambush the suitors he said “Philoetius run to the outer gate and lock it”, he said this for he knows that as a result of his intervention with the suitors, some of them might escape or go out into the town and bring in more people to fight Odysseus. And this could lead to some terrible side effects or loss of battle. Furthermore, Odysseus uses more thoughtful ways to figure out where to begin the fight to have the chance to eliminate all the suitors at the end of the battle.

Odysseus, the brave and ambitious fighter of Ithaca, decides to kill Antinous first during the battle, as it says in the book “Odysseus arrow hit him under his chin and punched up to the feathers through his throat”. However, Odysseus did not kill Antinous first to illustrate anything, but did so in accordance that Antinous was the leader of the other suitors. Without a leader or ruler the rest of the suitors will be lost and confused. This will give Odysseus the chance to kill the rest of the suitors and reclaim his kingdom. At this level, it can, therefore, be concluded that Odysseus uses his wisdom, bravery, and his tactic to overcome the suitors and take what rightfully belongs to him.