Disguise can be defined as a behavior or appearance that conceals an individual’s true identity. Many people fear cloaks because they are mysterious and intangible. Every mask has its uniqueness and is created for a specific purpose. Disguises help to shape the characteristics of different people in the poem, for example, Telemachus. They are also crucial in the poem because they assist individuals in helping themselves and others. Therefore, the cloaks are used by characters in the Odyssey as an essential element that helps them overcome evil.
Odysseus and Athena are excellent examples of characters who used cloaks in the Odyssey to achieve their goals. Odysseus led his men to trick the Trojans by hiding themselves in the Trojan horse’s body. He built a wooden horse, hid an elite force in it, and convinced people to wheel it around the city as a trophy. The disguise helped Odysseus and his men win the war by killing the men but sparing the women (Homer & Fitzgerald, 1961, p. 28). Odysseus and his group also used a trick to get away from the Cyclops after throwing the red-hot timber into his eyes. The men tied themselves under Polyphemus rams’ wool and escaped without his knowledge (Homer & Fitzgerald, 1961, p. 224). Odysseus used a cloak to leave the cave of Cyclops where they were tortured. In the last part of the poem, Odysseus uses disguise and appears as a beggar with Athena’s help. This behavior helps him to conquer the prisoners and show loyalty to Penelope. Odysseus wore tatters and rags and convinced the suitors to allow him in the palace (Homer & Fitzgerald, 1961, p. 355). Eventually, he takes his rightful place as Ithaca’s king after overthrowing and killing Penelope’s suitors.
The use of disguise by Athena proves that it was a perfect tool for manipulating humanity. Athena played a crucial role in helping Odysseus return to Ithaca, kill the admirers and regain his kingship position. First, Athena befriended Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, and helped him obtain essential information about his father. Athena pretended to be Mentes, an old friend to Odysseus’ family while approaching Telemachus to ensure that he trusted her (Homer & Fitzgerald, 1961, p. 83). Goddess Athena knew that Telemachus would collaborate with his father to fight against the individuals who destroyed the palace and become the king eventually. Telemachus left to inquire about Odysseus’s whereabouts after Athena told him that he was alive (Homer & Fitzgerald, 1961, p. 10).
Additionally, Athena helped Odysseus to disguise himself after arriving at Ithaca without being recognized. With Goddess Athena’s help, Odysseus deflected the six spears the admirers threw at him with Athena’s help. As a result, Odysseus killed all the suitors and reclaimed his position in the palace (Homer & Fitzgerald, 1961, p. 249). There was a possibility that the suitors would have killed Odysseus if the Goddess was absent.
In summary, disguise is used by characters in the Odyssey to help them overcome evil. Cloaks involve showing behaviors or characteristics that hide an individual’s true identity. Although individuals fear cloaks, it does not mean they cannot be used. Characters in the Odyssey used disguises on various occasions to help themselves and other people. Goddess Athena used cloaks to assist Odysseus in killing Penelope’s admirers and become the king of Ithaca. On the contrary, Odysseus concealed his identity to escape from the Cyclops, rescue his family, and the palace from people who had tainted its image.
Reference
Homer, & Fitzgerald, R. The Odyssey. Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, 1961.