NovelGuide: Odysseus: Novel Summary: Chapters 21-22

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Chapters 21-22

Chapter 21: Penelope begins the archery contest.� She gets Odysseus' bow, and promises that she will marry the suitor who best uses it.� Telemachus sets up the targets, but he cannot string the bow.� All of the other suitors fail as well, and do not hit any of the targets.� Odysseus talks to Eumaios in another room, and reveals himself to the pig shepherd.� Eumaios pledges his loyalty and willingness to help fight the suitors.� Then Odysseus comes back to the archery contest, and asks if he can try to shoot the bow.� The suitors threaten Odysseus, but Penelope demands that he be allowed to shoot the bow.� The suitors begrudgingly agree, but they send Penelope away from the hall.� Odysseus, since it is his bow, strings it easily, and shoots the arrow through all of the targets at once, as they are set in a straight line. The suitors realize that they are screwed, and Telemachus begins to draw his sword.
Chapter 22: Odysseus reveals himself, and the battle begins in earnest.� Telemachus runs to get some armor while Odysseus kills with his bow and arrows.� Melanthios, the disloyal servant, helps the suitors, but Odysseus ties him up.� Athena helps Odysseus in the form of Mentor.� These three kill all of the suitors, and do not accept any pleas for mercy.� The only ones who are spared are ones who did not fight, the singer, and Medon, a loyal servant who hid during the fighting.�� Odysseus summons Eurykleia, who rejoices at the slaughter.� He asks her to tell him which female servants have been loyal, and which have been disloyal, and the disloyal servants are killed along with Melanthios.�