In The Odyssey, it is mentioned throughout the epic, many times, that when Odysseus has returned to his homeland he does not recognize anything, and feels no joy to be home, only sadness for …show more content…
Vincent. Millay, shows how upset Penelope was at the loss of her husband, and how she procrastinated choosing a new husband, until her breaking point, when she “burst into tears” (Line 8). The author explains that Penelope used this technique of weaving and unweaving her web to stall her inevitable choice of a new husband, but eventually it caused her so much stress that she ended up not knowing what to do and could only cry. Crying is considered an ancient gesture because it was used by many to show that they “were too moved to speak” (Line 15). In some cases, such as Penelope’s, crying was used because she had no idea of what else to do, but in other cases, such as Odysseus’, it was used as a way to gain sympathy from others, proving once again, that it could be used by anyone, just in some ways different than