Interruption In The Odyssey

Book 11 of Homer’s The Odyssey continues Odysseus’s tale of how he came to arrive in Scheria, with him relating his voyage to the underworld. He makes the interesting choice of cutting his narrative choice halfway through his tale in order to incite a reaction from his Phaeacian audience. Odysseus makes this interruption because he is telling his tale not to relate what actually occurred in his travels, but because he needed help from the Phaeacians and used the story to obtain that help. Odysseus abruptly interrupts his tale after he tells of the deceased princesses he met, and it is testament to his captivation of his audience that, “…not a sound was heard in the whole length of the shadowy hall…” (Homer). After the queen declares her admiration
One observation that is glaringly obvious is the abrupt and irregular placing of Odysseus’s interruption to his narrative. He didn’t resolve what he was talking about, find a lull, or otherwise find a good place to pause. The reason he did this is likely similar to the use of cliffhangers in other forms of storytelling; he deliberately left the audience wanting more, and he wanted something from the audience in return. Another observation that can be made is how enthralled the audience was in his tale, so much so that there was complete silence as he finished speaking. This was advantageous to Odysseus, as he needed to appeal to his audience in order to be able to obtain something from them. It is also apparent that Queen Arete in particular is captivated by Odysseus’s tale. She tells her subjects not to urge him away so quickly, which is her way of indirectly asking him to stay and finish his story. The captivation demonstrated by both the queen and her subjects suggests the idea that Odysseus is no longer playing the role of a traveler recounting his woes, but rather of a storyteller that is reciting an epic piece of fiction. It is then the king’s turn to speak, and he suggests that Odysseus must remain in Scheria until the next day so that proper preparations for his departure may be made, as his passage home is now top priority for he and his subjects. This is the prize that Odysseus has earned through his storytelling, and the one that he was likely seeking under the circumstances. Odysseus than expresses appreciation for this reward, stating that he would do much if only he may earn safe passage home. This all but confirms the idea that this is the recompense he was speaking. It is also of note that he included the detail that he would be sent safely and loaded with the Phaeacian’s splendid gifts. Now that he had the king captivated by