Sabrina McLeod, CL 101

Homers Odyssey Book Eleven: Three Future Options!

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In Homers Odyssey Book 11 of the numerous ghost to whom Odysseus speaks which are
your favorite three and why? Does Odysseus learn anything from them and if so, what? I shall
argue that Agamemnon, Tantalus, and Antiklea are my favorite ghosts because they all give
possibilities of what Odysseus future may hold.
Agamemnon represents a possibility of what could happen in Odysseus future when he
goes home. Agamemnon goes on a rant about not trusting women (198). He tells his story about
how his wife, Klytaimnestra, was arranging his death with her lover, Aigisthos as he was fighting
against Troy (198). Bitter about his death, he calls his wife heartless, a traitress, and a whore
(198). Agamemnon continues, saying that she defiled all women including the virtuous ones
(198). Realizing he is cursing all women in front of Odysseus, who has a faithful wife at home,
Agamemnon quickly and unsuccessfully tries to cover up his mistake by praising Penelope
(199). He calls Penelope too wise and clear-eyed to fall to the prey of defilement as all other
women have (199). This creates the thought that Penelope may have changed into a woman who
plots Odysseus murder with her hypothetical new lover. Agamemnon realizes that he just
created fear and a possible issue Odysseus will have to deal with when he gets home, telling him
to beware.
Tantalus gives another future possibility for Odysseus about always being out of reach of
what he truly desires. Though we are never told why Tantalus ends up in the Underworld, we
know he has a thirst that cannot be quenched and a hunger that cannot be satisfied (204). The
water turns to mud and the food, hanging from the branch, blows out of his reach before he can
be satisfied (204). This ability to always be within reaching distance of your desire, but never
fully able to grasp it, mirrors Odysseus past, but not all of the future, of wishing to go home to
Ithaca. Always within a maximum three days boat ride from Ithaca, Odysseus suffers the same as
Tantalus, unable to reach his desire. By seeing Tantalus, Odysseus sees the possibility of never
reaching Ithaca, but having it always within seeing distance.
Antiklea tells Odysseus of what is happening presently at Ithaca. She tells of Penelopes
faithfulness amongst the suitors though she spends her life weeping for him. She conveys
Telemakhos attempts to care for Ithaca by caring for the plots and fields, even with Odysseus

missing presence (190). Though she says his father still waits for him, he lives like a slave in old
cloaks, no bedding, keeping near embers for warmth (190). Though his home is in pieces, she
gives him hope of his home still waiting for him, even if she is no longer there (191). She gives
the future possibility of Odysseus still being welcomed and wanted in his home after 10 years,
though she could not hold out longer for his return.
Agamemnon, Tantalus, and Antiklea all imply a possible future for Odysseus. His wife
could attempt to kill him as Agamemnon says through his rant, though he has doubts of Penelope
as the type of woman to do that. He could always never reach Ithaca as Tantalus demonstrates
through the inability to reach for your desires regardless of their proximity. Conversely,
something positive could happen to Odysseus and he could still be welcomed home as Antiklea
says. My favorite ghosts teach Odysseus the possibilities his future could hold after he escapes
from the Underworld.