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In Book XI of The Odyssey, in the underworld, Tiresias describes to Odysseus a final journey he must take to ‘have a gentle, painless death… with all [his] people there in blessed peace around [him]” (Homer, XI. 155,157). Tiresias says that Odysseus must walk inland with an oar until he gets to a place where people mistake it for a winnowing fan. Then, he must plant the oar and appease Poseidon with sacrifices. The scene where Tiresias instructs Odysseus is an important passage within the epic because it illustrates how Odysseus must transition from a warrior striving for glory to a caring husband, father, and ruler. In this essay, I will explain how Homer uses various rhetorical elements to show that the oar symbolizes Odysseus’ great accomplishments at war and how he must leave behind his trauma before he settles back into civilian life.
Tiresias begins his instructions by commanding Odysseus to take a ‘well-planned oar’ (XI. 139). It is important to note that the meaning of well-planed is that the oar is smooth and all of the sides have been brought to a uniform level. He wanted Odysseus to use a well-made oar because the oar represented seafaring, which Odysseus spent a large part of his adult life doing. Throughout the epic, the oar is a tool that is used to get from one area of war to another. It is consistently used as a symbol of the prestige that seafarers get after raiding, plundering, and killing their enemies. In addition, the repetition of words like “know nothing”, “never”, and “strangers” (XI. 140-141) demonstrate that the inhabitants of the place where he is going are completely unacquainted with the sea and the life of glory that the sea brings. Instead of seeing the oar as a magnificent symbol of glory, they see it as a tool to separate the chaff from the grain when they are winnowing. They would not have heard the songs of glory sung about Odysseus and the idea of raiding and plundering would be foreign to them. Odysseus must go to such a place to plant his oar because there he is not worshipped and seen as a hero.
The oar represented more than just a tool used to steer the ship; it represented the end of their life at sea. This is shown in the case of Elpenor, one of the men who traveled with Odysseus. In book XII, the crew buries Elpenor, who died when he fell from Circe’s roof. After his shipmates burned ‘the dead man and the dead man’s armor’ (XII. 13), they ‘planted his balanced oar aloft to crown his tomb’ (XII. 272). The oar is used as a grave marker and it indicates that Elpenor would no longer be able to row with them as they went to new places of war. His journey had ended.
Additionally, Homer uses other rhetorical devices to explain the significance of leaving the oar. He describes the oars as ‘wings that make ships fly’ (XI. 143). This metaphor illustrates that when rowers row the boat on each side, it looks like it is flying. Homer beautifies this scene to show the glory of seafaring. It also shows the importance of what Odysseus is giving up when he plants the oar. Tiresias explains to Odysseus that the sign will be ‘clear, so clear you cannot miss it’ (XI.144) and he includes an alliteration of ‘bladed, balanced oar’ (XI. 147). This amplification is used for emphasis and shows that Odysseus is supposed to have a very specific encounter with a person who is not knowledgeable about the function of an oar.
Furthermore, Odysseus is instructed to ‘plant… [the] oar in the earth’ (XI. 147). This is a noteworthy choice of words because typically, things are planted in the ground so that they can grow. Since the area that he was supposed to go to was primarily agricultural (as evidenced by them mistaking the oar for a winnowing fan), the planting of the oar shows that it would be transformed into something useful for agrarian life, not a life on the sea. Tiresias is advising Odysseus to leave his seafaring days behind him and resume his life surrounded by loved ones and at peace with the gods. As a result, Odysseus planting the oar signifies him sacrificing his desire for glory to have a peaceful domestic life.
Tiresias ends by explaining that Odysseus’ death ‘will steal upon” (XI. 153) him. By phrasing it this way, it is given a negative connotation and means that his death is going to sneak up on him when he is least expecting it. However, that is in direct contrast with the positive ending of the stanza, which describes how he will be a ‘ripe old age’ (XI. 155) and will die with ‘all [his] people in blessed peace around [him]’ (XI. 156). Odysseus’ death will be “far from the sea” (XI. 154) and away from his glorious pursuits and adventures. Despite facing many near-death experiences on the sea due to Poseidon’s anger, his death is going to be peaceful. The idea of domestic glory is illustrated here because he will die after a long and satisfying life with his loved ones near him. Although he will not hear any songs sung about his heroic achievements, he will die knowing that his kingdom is free from strife.
Even though he never got the chance to plant the oar, Odysseus was forced to leave behind his desire for glory and his accomplishments because Zeus wanted ‘peace and wealth [to] come cresting through the land’ (XXIV. 537-538). This decree suggests that peace was not achievable while Odysseus continued to strain his relationship with his family and his people in the pursuit of fame and honor. Zeus instructed Athena to make everyone forget the slaughtering of the suitors because although it was shocking and terrible, it was a necessary part of cleaning out Odysseus’ home. He brought the war into his home space and Zeus helped him to restore tranquility to his kingdom. All of his great and magnificent feats were forgotten because of Zeus’ proclamation. There would no longer be any more songs sung about his cunning tactics and brilliant schemes during the Trojan War. Despite that, he is given the chance to rule till he dies and live the life he spent twenty years trying to get back to.
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