The use of death and blood imagery in this passage builds an intense tone of violence and reveals Odysseus’ fierce and merciless character towards the sinful suitors. After the bow contest, the suitors return to their feast. Meanwhile, Odysseus secretly retrieves his bow and arrow and aims it at Antínoös he is about to drink from his drinking cup. While Antínoös is enjoying his time of glory amongst his friends, Odysseus shoots an arrow that “[hits] him under the chin / and [punches] up to the feathers through his throat” (15-16). This description of Antínoös’ gruesome death produces a bloody imag

Another figurative language device often observed in this passage that further develops Odysseus’ aggression is chaotic image patterns. Words that resemble gore and mayhem constantly appear throughout the passage in addition to blood imagery. Odysseus strikes Antínoös by surprise and kills him. When the suitors see Antínoös lying dead on the ground, they “jostled in uproar down the hall / …wildly they turned and scanned the walls in the long room for arms” (23-25). The use of the words “jostled” and “wildly” demonstrate the suitors in disorder and upheaval. In addition, words such as “uproar” and “arms” reveal the short-tempered and violent characteristics of the suitors that cause chaos in the household. Another image pattern that reveals Odysseus’ violent life in this specific passage is shown after Antínoös is shot by Odysseus’ arrow. His dead corpse falls and knocks off “the bread and meat to soak in dusty blood” (21). The phrase “soak in dusty blood” implies the idea that there is an extensive amount of bloodshed with enough to “soak”

Some topics in this essay:
XXII Odysseus’, Meanwhile Odysseus, Book XXII, , image patterns, throughout passage, death imagery, figurative language, odysseus’ violent, odysseus’ life, passage book xxii, figurative language devices, bread meat, passage book, book xxii, blood imagery, odysseus shoots arrow, death imagery hyperboles,