Since classical times, the legitimacy of this final section has been controversial. Some scholars maintain that a later, inferior poet wrote it. They suggest that the epic should end when Odysseus and Penelope reunite. (For a thorough discussion of the issue, see Fagles and Knox, pp. 59–64.) The consensus of opinion, however, is that the last book does belong. It ties up at least three loose ends.
The scene in the Land of the Dead may seem tedious, even intrusive, to modern readers; but it serves to complete the Agamemnon parallel. Agamemnon’s ghost celebrates Penelope’s fidelity and compares her favorably to his treacherous wife, Clytemnestra (24.210–23). The retelling of Penelope’s story and Odysseus’ revenge may be better understood if we remember that the epic was presented orally, probably over a period of several days or even weeks. As the rhapsode (a bard specializing in epics) is about to conclude his performance, this interlude updates the audience and anticipates the conclusion.
