The Bow of Odysseus
To quote Crissy, "Book 21 of the Odyssey might be termed 'The Book on the Bow.'" It contains the history of the bow and an account of the contest which marks the beginning of Odysseus' final attack on the suitors. It is by means of the bow that Odysseus disposes with the suitors, retakes control of his household, and fully reclaims his lost identity. But this bow is not only a deadly weapon; it is also a symbolic link both between Odysseus and the bows and the heroes of the Greek mythic past, and between Odysseus and the kleos he would reclaim with it. Odysseus' bo…
