Odysseus revealed his real identity by showing his long scar to Eumaeus and Philotius. Eumaeus and Philotius were the second and third people to find out that the beggar is actually Odysseus. Odysseus finally reunited with Eumaeus and Philotius after 20 years. They and Odysseus made a plan of how to overthrow the wicked Suitors from Odysseus’ palace. The plan shows that there’s still trust and friendship between Eumaeus, Philotius and Odysseus after 20 years. But By making a plan, this builds up tension which is added to book 21, to engage reader and make this chapter more important.
Odysseus’ plan builds up the death of the Suitors. Odysseus asks Eumaeus to bring the bow down the hall and put it on his hands even though the Suitors refuse to let Odysseus to try and string the bow. Odysseus also asks Eumaeus to tell the women to lock the door which leads to their rooms and say if they hear any noise, just stay quietly where they are. Odysseus then asked Philotius to bar the courtyard gate. Subsequently, Odysseus himself just went back to the hall and remained seated. The plan shows Odysseus starts to get his whole kingdom back. The plan is important to book 21 as it shows how smart Odysseus is as well as a wise person. He thinks of everything that can be happen when confronting with the Suitors as if there are only himself and 103 Suitors; he definitely would get killed. He thinks of a spectacular plan which hasn’t reveal his real identity but made a path for him to get his palace back at a much easier way. In addition, it also shows us how patient Odysseus is and how he can endure the teasing from the Suitors, because he is confronting with people who fleeced his house for twenty years and made his wife’s life bad. Even so, Odysseus still acts as if nothing happens and has conversation with them as a beggar. The plan deliberately brought out the characters of Odysseus as make the story important and dramatic.
Dramatic irony is used at this situation because we know that the man who is going to kill the Suitors is the beggar but the Suitors do not realise it and instead insulting him. The contest of Odysseus’ bow shows that even though the beggar is old, he could still string the bow with unmatched strength and skill at his age. This is being proved when Homer described Odysseus “Not a single axe did he miss.” This shows that Odysseus is skilful even though he took the shot while he was sitting down. Homer also emphasises the strength and power of Odysseus by comparing the way how Odysseus stretches the bow to “twisted sheep-gut at both ends”. Dramatic irony makes this scene important in book 21 because it sounds realistic and vivid by using similes comparing Odysseus to other things.
As the main character of the story, the characterisation is crucial in keeping book 21 important. Penelope is clever as she sets a fair challenge for Suitors as she says the challenge is to string the bow most easily and need to shoot an arrow thought the twelve, without missing any one of it. Penelope even says she will marry to the Suitor who is able to string the bow and shoot an arrow correctly. Penelope is clever because she knows none of the suitors can shoot the arrow but this is fair to the Suitors as they need to have the personality that Odysseus has.
However, although the beggar can shoot the arrow thought the axes without missing any one of them, Penelope says she won’t marry to the beggar. Instead, she will give the beggar a fine new cloak and tunic, a sharp javelin and a two-edged sword, as well as sandals for his feet, and send him safely wherever the beggar wants to go. This proves that Penelope is still loyal to Odysseus as if other people can shoot the arrow, she won’t marry him as she is the wife of Odysseus. And Penelope thinks Odysseus is the only one who can string the bow.
For Telemachus, book 21 shows a huge contrast with book 1 as he is timid at the moment. In book 21, after his mother spoke to the Suitors, Telemachus is angry with her mothers. This shows Telemachus is now having power in the palace and is in charge of the palace, by saying “I am mastering this house.” This shows he is being assertive and has tallen his responsibility. When his father Odysseus shot the arrow, he took up his weapons and stand by his father side. This shows Telemachus is grown-up as he is brave and is ready to fight the Suitors.
The Suitors in book 21 are lead by Antinous. The Suitor laugh when Telemachus asked Eumaeus to bring the down the hall and he says “I maybe young, but I am more powerful than you.” The laughter shows the Suitors are rude and have no respect to other people. One of the Suitor’s Leodes, he fails to string the bow and is lament is that it’s better to die than to live on without winning Penelope that they are hoping for here at Ithaca everyday because it is impossible for the Suitors to string the bow. This shows Leodes is a hypocrite as he can’t string the bow.
To end with, I think book 21 is important to Odyssey. As details are essential to a successful story which link up everything together like the contrast of the bow, build up the death of the Suitors and most importantly is the characterisation. Consequently, these information shows and proves book 21 is important to the Odyssey.