Question

Read the passage from The Odyssey - Penelope. Ruses serve my turn to draw the time out—first a close-grained web I had the happy thought to set up weaving on my big loom in the hall. I said, that day: 'Young men—my suitors, now my lord is dead let me finish my weaving before I marry, or else my thread will have been spun in vain. It is a shroud I weave for Lord Laertes when cold Death comes to lay him on his bier. The country wives would hold me in dishonor if he, with all his fortune, lay unshrouded.' I reached their hearts that way, and they agreed. So every day I wove on the great loom, but every night by torchlight I unwove it; and so for three years I deceived the Akhaians. Which line from the passage best shows that Penelope is clever?

Answer 1

Answer:

And so for three years I deceived the Akhaians.

Explanation:

In Homer's "The Odyssey", the main protagonist Odysseus had been away from his home and kingdom for more than twenty years during which time his wife had to bring up their son alone and look after the kingdom. Added to that burden, she was also propositioned by numerous suitors to remarry and thus bring a new king. This has left her dejected and in a fix, for she firmly believes in her husband's safe return.

But being a woman alone, she can''t do much about the suitors. So, she decided to go along with their plan. But first, she requested them to let her finish her weaving of the shroud for her father-in-law Laertes. Since this is a customary practice where the daughters-in-law weave shrouds for their fathers-in-law to be used at the time of the latter's death, the suitors allowed her time to finish the weaving. But cleverly, she took her time to make sure that they don't question her while at the same time extending her remarriage. During the day, she weaves the shroud but by night, she undid all that she had done, thus making the work seem endless. In this way, she deceived the suitors from making her remarry until her husband comes home safe.

Answer 2

So every day I wove on the great loom, but every night by torchlight I unwove it; and so for three years I deceived the Akhaians.