Non-recognition as a Homeric theme

What is it about?

Although there have been many treatments of recognition in the Odyssey, very little attention has been given to non-recognition. As it turns out, non-recognition is a key component to stories about Odysseus's death, so the Odyssey seems to tread lightly when one of Odysseus's family members does not recognize him. This article argues that the Odyssey's trepidation about non-recognition is motivated by these well-known stories of Odysseus's death.

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Why is it important?

This article shows how the Odyssey not only suppresses material from the Telegony tradition but relies on it to create tension in the epic. Overall, this article expands what we know about the Odyssey's relationship to the Epic Cycle and demonstrates that both Homer and the Epic Cycle were drawing on a traditional body of motifs.