Argus

1. Argus How did O get there? Odysseus attempts to enter the castle disguised as a beggar. At the gate he recognizes something from his past.   Who did O meet? O is recognized by Argus, a broken-down old dog that he raised as a pup. Argus recognizes his master, immediately. What problems did he face? Seeing Argus makes O realize how things have changed in Ithaca (for the worse) since he has been away at sea. O is disgusted with the current state of his homeland. How did O solve the problem? O decides that he needs to take action in order to restore Ithaca to its original state. What was the result? Having seen his master for one last time, Argus, O’s faithful hound, dies.

2. The Suitors How did O get there? Athena urges O to beg for food from the suitors as he enters the castle. Who did O meet? O meets the suitors, and more specifically, Antinous (the leader). The suitors are reluctant to give O (disguised as an old beggar) food, but they eventually give in. What problems did he face? Antinous insults O and O responds by throwing an insult back at Antinous. Antinous becomes angry and throws a chair at O. This action surprises and disgusts the other suitors (they could not believe that Antinous would pick a fight with an old homeless man). How did O solve the problem? O chooses not to fight/confront Antinous because the timing is not right. He has a plan to finally reveal his identity and to regain control of his kingdom. What was the end result? Penelope is made aware of the cruel act against the old beggar. She then asks to have the beggar brought to her so that she can question him about O. She still is unaware that the beggar is her husband.

3. Penelope How did O get there? Penelope asks to meet with the beggar to question him about her husband, O. Who does O meet? O meets Penelope to answer her questions regarding her husband. What problems does he face? Penelope has been tricking the suitors by stating that she will remarry once she is done weaving a burial shroud (for burial at sea) for her father-in-law. However, at night she unravels it in order to postpone having to remarry. The suitors find out about her trick and she is running out of excuses. Telemachus, O’s son, is tired of dealing with all of them men trying to marry his mother. He wants to fight them. How did O solve the problem? O makes up a story regarding his knowledge of Penelope’s husband. However, he tells her to be patient and that her husband will be returning to Ithaca soon to take back what is rightfully his. What was the result? O gives Penelope hope that her husband will return home safely and he will put everything back to normal upon his return. Penelope still does not know that the beggar is O in disguise. He makes up this story to give Penelope some hope and to hint to his plan without revealing his identity.

4. The Challenge How did O get there? Penelope proposed the challenge of stringing O’s bow and shooting an arrow through 12 axes. She will agree to marry the first successful suitor. Because this challenge was issued, O now has to win the it to win back his wife. Who did O meet? O met and faced off against the suitors in the challenge. What problems did he face? O faced the problem of having to succeed in the challenge against the suitors or his wife, Penelope would end up marrying someone else. How did O solve the problem? O solved the problem by winning the challenge. What was the result? O won the challenge while disguised as an old beggar and prevented Penelope from marrying any of the suitors. O also showed his superiority to the suitors by accomplishing a task none of them could.

5. Odysseus’ Revenge How did O get there? This scene occurs right after O wins the challenge against the other suitors. He revealed his true identity to everyone and begins to kill of the suitors. Who did O meet? O is still with the suitors. Telemachus, O’s son, aids him in battle against the suitors. O’s loyal servants also aided in the battle. What problems did he face? O had to kill all the suitors with the help of only his son and a few servants. How did O solve the problem? O, a few of his men, and Telemachus (his son) were able to kill all the suitors. What was the result? After killing all the suitors, O can now reclaim his wife and kingdom.

6. Penelope’s Test How did O get there? O has defeated all the suitors and is taking back his kingdom, but because of his long absence, Penelope does not completely believe O is truly back. Who did O meet? O and his wife Penelope are the main subjects in this scene. What problems did he face? Penelope is testing O to make him prove he is truly who he says he is. She tests him by talking about their marriage bed, something no other man has ever seen. How did O solve the problem? O is outraged that Penelope said she is going to move their bed. The bed was impossible to move because it was built using an olive tree trunk rooted into the group. The bed and his entire house were built around this tree. What was the result? O’s knowledge of how their marital bed was built assures Penelope of his identity and she finally believes him.