Symbolism And Irony In Homer's The Odyssey

In “The Odyssey,” Homer effectively uses symbolism and irony to show the challenges of interrelation family commitment and spiritual patronage can influence the course of one’s destiny. During the classical period of Greek societal custom women were under the protection of their father, husband or a male relative. The opening scene in book 1 illustrates how the twenty-year absence of King Odysseus caused great legal and economic threat to the royal crown placing Telemachus the son and young prince as the interim leader to save his mother Penelope the queen from a forced marital arrangement. As the narrator informs the reader that over 100 suitors live off the estate’s wealth detained the palace and provisions while courting Penelope, in