The "marriage" bed or more formally known as the "bridal" bed, was the bed that Odysseus made with his bare hands, and he carved it into a tree that was growing through his house. Odysseus had taken years to build the bed, and it was a gift to Penelope, as a symbol of his love for her. When Penelope tells him the bed had been moved, he gets upset (which only Odysseus would do, because only he and Penelope even knew about the bed.) and this proves to Penelope that he really is Odysseus.
The marriage bed/bridal bed was very sacred to Odysseus and Penelope, and only the two of them knew about it. There was a tree that was growing through a small room in their house, so Odysseus built a beautiful bed (bridal bed) he carved into it flowers, and ivory, and built it all by his self and with his bare hands. Odysseus initially built his entire house around this tree, and when Penelope states that she moved the bed, meaning she cut it out of the tree, it infuriates Odysseus (which Penelope knew it would) and then she knows that it really is him. But the basic point of the bed is that only he and Penelope knew about it, so it was used as a test.
In Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey," the secret of Odysseus and Penelope's marriage bed is its immovability. Odysseus constructed their marriage bed around a living olive tree in their home, symbolizing their deep-rooted connection and fidelity. By revealing this secret, Odysseus proves his identity to Penelope, as only he would know this detail.
The secret that reveals Odysseus is that the marriage bed is made from live olive roots. This convinces Penelope.
The secret is that one of the bed legs is a living olive tree.
Odysseus convinces Penelope that he is her husband by revealing the secret detail of their bed, that he alone knows. This detail is that their bed was constructed by Odysseus himself and cannot be moved as one of its legs is made from a living olive tree. This intimate knowledge proves to Penelope that it is indeed her husband Odysseus returned to her.
He tells her about their bed and how its made out of the olive tree and immovable. Only something that Odysseus and her knew.
Penelope tells Eurycleia to move the bed, Odysseus responds by saying that is impossible because he has made the bed around the Olive tree.
Penelope doubts Odysseus is home due to his disheveled appearance and the possibility of him being an imposter. She tests him with a secret about their bed to confirm his identity.
Penelope asks the servant to move the bed as a test, to see if the stranger is truly Odysseus. She knows the bed cannot be moved because it was built around an olive tree that is still standing. Only Odysseus would know this secret detail.
Penelope asked the beggar (Odysseus in disguise) about their bed, which was made from the trunk of an olive tree and couldn't be moved. Odysseus passed the test by knowing only he and Penelope had this secret, proving his true identity.
1. (XXI.85-) When Penelope sets out the axes and challenges the suitors to archery, knowing only Odysseus will be able to shoot it. 2. (XXIII.197-202) Penelope commands Eurycleia to move the unmovable bed (that Odysseus himself built) so that Odysseus (before Penelope believes it to be him) will have sleeping accomodations. Odysseus then opposes that idea, claiming that the bed cannot be moved, convincing Penelope that it truly is Odysseus. Only Odysseus, Penelope, and Eurycleia know about the bed being unmovable.
Odysseus proves his identity to Penelope by recounting a secret about their bed that only he would know, as it was constructed by him and is immovable. This knowledge convinces Penelope that the man before her is truly her husband, Odysseus, and not an imposter.
Penelope knows that only Odysseus knows that their bed is unmovable because one of the posts is a living tree. She was testing if it was the real Odysseus and not a fake
Penelope's final test for Odysseus is to ask him to move their bed, which Odysseus built himself and knows cannot be moved because it is constructed from an olive tree trunk that is part of the structure of their home. Odysseus passes the test by revealing this secret detail, allowing Penelope to finally recognize him as her husband.