How Is Penelope A Hero In The Odyssey

How Is Penelope A Hero In The Odyssey
The Odyssey by Homer portrays Odysseus as a hero who spends his time defeating the Trojans, fighting a six headed monster, and going to exotic
lands. The only thing Odysseus did not do was stay loyal to his family or keep hope the whole time. Who they don't mention is Penelope who shows
loyalty, hope and other characteristics that also make her a hero. Because Penelope shows loyalty and hope in The Odyssey, Penelope is the greatest
character. Through out time men have always been seen as heroic. The Odyssey definitely conveys Odysseus as the hero. For a while Penelope had a
happy life, until she was left alone then surrounded by suitors wanting to take Odysseus's land and money. Through the twenty years Penelope remains
loyal to Odysseus even ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Towards the end of The Odyssey, Penelope starts to lose trust in Odysseus but she did not lose hope. She has told the suitors an impossible job of
stringing an arrow and shooting it through iron axe–helve sockets. Penelope gives this challenge saying "except your lust to marry me, Stand up, then:
we now declare a contest for that prize" (Homer 1152). Knowing that only her husband can do this task none of the suitors can accomplish this
task. Through twenty years of tricks and broken promises Penelope has stayed loyal and hopeful for more than enough years. For a normal person
to stay loyal and have hope is only 10 or less years. Although Odysseus is portrayed as the hero, behind closed doors Penelope shows more
characteristics of a hero. Throughout The Odyssey Odysseus goes on many adventures through epic lands, encounters dangerous creatures, and has
affairs with goddesses. At home in Ithaca Penelope is surrounded by suitors trying to take everything and rising a son on her own. Penelope is the
true hero being everything. She stays true to many attributes of a hero, more than Odysseus. She is clever and a fast thinker always thinking of new
ideas to persuade and trick hundreds of suitors. Odysseus isn't the real hero Penelope is and she is much
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Penelope In Homer's Odyssey
Hot white lightning flashed across the foreboding sky echoing in the clear blue eyes of the woman sitting, observing the gale before her. Penelope
sat in her dark chambers, one candle lit on the table offering a cold warmth. Everything seemed dark to Penelope after the disappearance of Odysseus.
She stood slowly, the pain of her loss bearing into her bones causing the slight deterioration of her physical and mental state. A goblet of wine was left
untouched from when a servant left it to soothe the queen's frayed nerves. Penelope's mind was a tapestry woven with brilliance and ideas, but with time
sprinting by after Odysseus left for Troy the tapestry had begun to unweave itself, a once brilliant pattern faded with age and longing for a ship ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Telemakhos, Penelope's only child, had sailed from the island a fortnight ago leaving a weeping mother and suitors who were desperate for her hand
in marriage. Her hands trembled as the pulled back the blankets on her bed. The moon shone a liquid silver onto the floor as Poseidon calmed the seas
and the swirling onyx black mass mollified and settled into a flat plain stretching past the fingertips of the world.
World's held their breath as one single tear rolled down the cheek of a broken queen. Not a sound was uttered as the breath was released and
Penelope wiped her cheeks clean of any sign that she had been mourning as she slid out from between the blankets. She crept through her house,
though it could have been a stranger's without her lord to make it a home. As she stepped onto the soft grass a warm wind whispered in her ears.
Penelope finally reached her destination as the moon reached its acme in the sky. Sand shifted beneath her weight as she climbed down the dunes to
the water. Crouching next to the now placid sea that flowed with the secrets of her family's fate, one soft white hand tentatively reached towards the
water, scooping it up and bring it to her gaunt

Role Of Penelope In The Odyssey
In Homer's Odyssey, we see a small side of Penelope as she greets her husband Odysseus after his return from his 20–year long journey; she is sweet
and gentle, treating him as if he left for a day. In T.H.S. Wallace's "So the Old Beggar with Bow Can Shoot Straight as Death" and Dorothy Parker's
"Penelope", Penelope is transformed from a gentle woman into a harsher one. In The Odyssey, Penelope is described as a somber lady that misses her
husband dearly. In the poems, however, she is depicted in a different light. The Penelope of T.H.S. Wallace's and Dorothy Parker's poems is different
from Homer's Penelope; she is harsh, vengeful, strong, and overall more complex. Primarily, it would be helpful to recount Homer's portrayal of
Penelope in ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In "Penelope", she is bitter towards her husband, claiming that all the hard work that she did at home will be forgotten when Odysseus returns. In the
poems, she describes Odysseus' journey as relaxed. Odysseus' journey is not easy nor relaxed, in fact, it was dangerous and much more difficult
than it seemed to be. The last line of Parker's "Penelope" has Penelope saying, "They will call him brave" which makes her sound resentful toward
Odysseus for getting all of the recognition for doing "hard work". Compared to The Odyssey, Penelope within the poem, "So the Old Beggar with
Bow Can Shoot Straight as Death", it seems like she does not trust him as much as she did within Homer's Odyssey. Within the poem, Penelope
assumes the commotion she hears within her home is Odysseus' return, yet rather than being happy, she is simply just ready to face him for being
unfaithful to her. In The Odyssey, Penelope does not assume that it is Odysseus, nor does she know of his infidelity. As soon as she realizes the
man she sees is Odysseus, she runs into his arms, crying tears of happiness and joy. In both poems, we see Penelope as envious and vengeful. She is
envious that no one will see her as brave for putting up against the suitors and doing hard, household work, and she is vengeful because her husband
was unfaithful and gone for so long. Penelope is not envious, nor is she vengeful in The Odyssey. Penelope was happy that her husband has returned
and knows that as he was returning home, his journey was that of a difficult one. As a result, the Penelope within both poems is not a good
representation of the Penelope within Homer's Odyssey because it emphasizes her bad qualities: harshness, vengeance, envy, and

The Character Of Penelope In Homer's Odyssey
In the Odyssey, written by Homer, there are many prominent female characters. Of these characters, Penelope is my favorite. She is my favorite
because she held her ground while Odysseus was gone. She made it clear that she was not ready to move on. Penelope was faithful to her husband
while he was at war, even when faced with the temptation of her many suitors. She used her intelligence to trick the suitors. All women should be
faithful and strong–willed like Penelope. When Odysseus is at war, Penelope remains faithful to him. He is fighting for ten years, but Penelope never
gives up on him. She patiently awaits his return, even when the world is telling her to move on. Penelope makes it clear to everyone that she will
never give up on her husband. Even when she is tempted by the suitors, she remains strong in her decision. Nothing the suitors say influences her stance.
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Rather than choosing a man, she made them a deal. She would choose one of them when she finished weaving a shroud for her father–in–law, Laertes.
This seems like a normal gesture, as Laertes would have been grieving the loss of his son. The suitors agree to this, and Penelope begins weaving the
shroud. The suitors are unaware that they have just been tricked. During the day, Penelope works tirelessly to weave the shroud. However, at night,
she unweaves what she weaved that day. By doing this, Penelope will never finish the shroud, so she will never choose a suitor. After three years, the
suitors figure out what she has been doing, and they demand that she pick a suitor. Even after this, Penelope comes up with a

Penelope In The Odyssey Essay
The Strong Character of Penelope in Homer's Odyssey
Homer's Odyssey is a story of the homecoming of Odysseus after the Trojan War. Odysseus left his wife, Penelope, and their young son, Telemachos,
almost twenty years before the telling of this story to fight in the Trojan War. His absence places Penelope in a rather precarious position. Faced with
many different circumstances, both good and bad, Penelope is on her own to decide the path she wishes to take. Depending on her decisions, the
situations could either be filled with wonderful opportunities or perilous dangers. The strong character of Penelope is revealed by her decisions.
While Odysseus is away from home, Penelope finds herself playing the role of dutiful wife ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"For my mother, against her will, is beset by suitors... (Odyssey 2.50)." Assuming that Odysseus had died in the course of the war, they wish to marry
her, although no news has yet been delivered as to Odysseus' true fate. Meanwhile, the suitors are eating all her food, killing off all her livestock, and
generally using up all the resources of the household (Odyssey 1.248–251). Elders of the town suggest Penelope forget her pride and go home to her
father and for him to arrange a new wedding for her. "Let him urge his mother to go back to her father's, / and they shall appoint the marriage and
arrange for the wedding presents... (Odyssey 2.195–196)" Thus, the suitors pose multiple dangers for Penelope. If the suitors ruin all the household's
resources, or if one were to successfully persuade her to marry him, she would lose her power position. Likewise, if the resources run out and she is
forced to move back in with her father, she would lose both her power position and her autonomy.
Along with the suitors, Penelope also faces possible dangers from her own son. Even though Telemachos is not in support of sending Penelope back to
her father, he does not fail to underestimate and otherwise disregard her. Following with the typical Greek mindset, Telemachos views women as
inherently inferior to men. This view includes how he sees his mother. He automatically assumes that she cannot run a

In The Odyssey, Odysseus's wife, Penelope, proves herself in many ways that she is the mistress of her own heart because of her ability to control
her reactions in certain situations, and manipulate others. Penelope is Queen of Ithaca. She is the mighty Odysseus's wife, and she has been grieving
over the loss of her husband ever since he left for Troy. Though she hasn't seen her husband in 20 years, and suitors who want to marry her keep lining
up at her door, she still has some faith left for Odysseus's return. The suitors are eating her food, messing up her home, and later plan to kill her son to
get him out of the way. Not only does she take control of these situations, but she is able to hide her depression of her husband's absence by taking ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Penelope is able to stay strong while everything around her is falling apart. For instance, book 16 page 202 states, "Infatuate steeped in evil!"
"Madman, why do you keep forever knitting death for Telemakhos? Have you no pity towards dependent on another's mercy?.... Or are you not
aware that your own father fled to us when the realm was up in arms against him? It is Odysseus's house you now consume, his wife you court, his
son you kill, or try to kill." This is when Penelope finds out that someone she trusted and welcomed in her home, Antinoos, is secretly plotting to kill
her only son, Telemakhos. If Penelope didn't take matters into her own hands by confronting him, then she could have lost her son. The loss of her
son, combined with the loss of Odysseus, would have completely devastated her. Though she is crushed inside by Odysseus's departure, she is still
able to follow Odysseus's instructions which are to take care of the house and continue to rule. Penelope's speech to Odysseus shows her ability to take
control of her household and be patient. Penelope's patience is expressed by her ability to deal with all that the suitors have put her through, and still
untiringly await the return of her beloved husband. Overall, Penelope possesses the capability to be authoritative and take control of many situations.
She is also

The Role Of Penelope In The Odyssey
1.Penelope
In the epic poem of "The Odyssey" Penelope plays Odysseus' wife. Though "The Odyssey" relates the events and triumphs of Odysseus, the poem
also tells one of Penelope who, too, is fighting a battle of her own. "Grieving and breaking her heart, and doing nothing but weep, both night and day
continually" (Book 16, page 15) Penelope sulks not only for her husband who has not returned from battle, but also for her son who set sail in search
for his father, Odysseus. Poor Penelope is now left alone with the suitors who are pushing her to remarry since King Odysseus has yet to return, after
all it has been twenty years.
Penelope, though depressed, allows for nothing to stand in her way of her continuance to hold dear to her husband. Trying to avoid the suitors at all
cost, Antinoos explains Penelope's trickery, "This three years past, and close on four, she had been driving us out of our minds, by encouraging
each of us, and sending him messages without meaning one word of what she says. And then there was the other trick she played us. She set up a
great tambour frame in her room, and began to work on an enormous piece of fine needlework. 'Sweet hearts," said she, 'Ulysses is indeed dead, still
do not press me to marry again immediately, wait–for I would not have skill in needlework perish unrecorded–till I have completed a pall for the hero
Laertes, to be in readiness against the time when death shall take him. He is very rich, and the women of the place will talk

Penelope In Homer's The Odyssey
In Homer's the Odyssey and subsequent adaptations, Odysseus had gone to fight the Trojans, and he had stayed away from his hometown Ithaca, while
his wife Penelope and their son Telemachus have to deal with various suitors try to get her hand in marriage. However, Penelope manages to avoid the
suitors hoping that her heroic husband would return, and Odysseus is a cunning man who managed to return to Ithaca even after being captured. Athena
the protecting goddess facilitates Odysseus's plan to go back to Ithaca. Homer's the Odyssey, the adaptations, Margaret Atwood's Penelopiad and The
lost books of the odyssey highlight Odysseus' fantastic voyage and encounters where his wife Penelope, recognizes his disguises and cunningness in the
adaptations. In Margaret Atwood's Penelopiad, Penelope and the maids are the main narrators, and
Penelope considered herself a stranger among the people of Ithaca, and it is as though she did not fit in the place, and even mistrusted those around
her (Atwood (35). In reinterpreted the Odyssey through the words of Penelope, Odysseus is not so much of a hero like in Homer's the Odyssey, while
the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
As such, Penelope questioned the heroic history unlike in the classical tale where Odysseus is celebrated for his heroism, and Penelope could pretend
when around other people including her husband so that they would not uncover what she knew and doubted about Odysseus's story. "Odysseus spent
his first hours in the palace snooping around and being abused by the Suitors, who jeered and threw things at him" (Atwood 69). Penelope is not a
helpless person like in the original story and even as she is villainous compared to Homer's epic poem she does with good intentions to help her
husband without his

Comparing Demeter And Penelope In The Odyssey
Although Calypso portrays herself as being similar to Demeter, Penelope correlates more to Demeter in how they both go through a grieving process
when they lose their loved ones. Penelope is akin to Demeter as they both hold a semblance of power over certain individuals, however, both are still
restrained by the patriarchal ideals of their society. In The Odyssey, Calypso expresses her outrage when Zeus sends Hermes to her island to relay his
order to let Odysseus return home to Ithaca. Unable to go against Zeus's commands, Calypso shows her futile defiance by declaring Zeus's unfairness
and her likeness to Demeter. Calypso exclaims:
And so when Demeter the graceful one with lovely braids gave way to her passion and made love with Iasion ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
In The Odyssey, Penelope exhibits small amount of power over her suitors by using schemes and beauty. She deceives them by orchestrating a lie that
she cannot marry until she finish weaving a shroud for Laertes. She admits to the in–disguise Odysseus her scheme:
This passage reveals how Penelope uses great cunning and the suitor's desire for her to stall them from marrying her by leading them on for a long
period of time. She uses everything that she can to gain leverage over her suitors even if temporarily. She takes advantage of her captivating qualities
to manipulate them and give her time in hopes that Odysseus will return before she is forced to remarry again. Penelope achieves a substantial
success in gaining even a little bit of power because women usually holds no power and must listen to the males of the

Many people while reading Homer's epic The Odyssey don't think of Penelope as a hero at all. Well according to the Oxford dictionaries a hero is a
person who is admired or ideas for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Penelope without doubt possesses noble qualities such as
intelligence, patience, and loyalty Penelope herself has a heroic stature.
Penelope is the wife of Odysseus the protagonist this is a fact because in the Odyssey translated by Allen Mandelbaum, it states, "for her dear husband,
her Odysseus"(1,364). Penelope is the queen of Ithaca and the mother of Telemachus. She is a devoted wife and mother.
Penelope is a very clever wife. Throughout the Odyssey it seems that Penelope's intelligence matches her husband's who is known for his brains.
Penelope was so quick–witted that she even even developed a test to help Odysseus on his return. The test that she developed armed her husband and
gave him a chance to kill the suitors. The test demonstrate that her intelligence is what made her a cautious and wise wife.
Penelope remains exceedingly patient throughout this epic. For nearly twenty years she's been waiting for her husband. In the waiting process she had
to raise her son Telemachus... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
For such a long period of time her husband was gone, she remained humbly loyal. Even in spite of the couple's uncertain future together. While
Odysseus is gone Penelope becomes constantly pressured by several suitors or woorers into marriage. While Athena has a conversation with
Telemachus on the topic of suitors, Telemachus states, "she will neither rejec this situation odious marriage nor can she make herself carry it through
(1,259–250). The quote above explains that Penelope recognizes the dangers of denying marriage from one of her suitors because she's chose to stay
faithful to her Odysseus and optimistic in the sense that he will

Most of Book Nineteen focuses on Penelope, thus showing some of her character traits which we had not seen much of before. Many of Odysseus and
Penelope's similarities, the main reasons they are a compatible couple, are brought to light including their loyalty, cautious behavior, and physical
attractiveness. A trait of Penelope andOdysseus that is mentioned several times in the text is their beauty. Penelope is often portrayed as beautiful and
the most notable evidence for this is the suitors. The suitors have been waiting for twenty years to marry Penelope make comments about her beauty
several times. They mention how intensely they are lusting after her and their desire to sleep with her. Penelope is also compared to goddesses. "Looking
Odysseus is always a topic of conversation with Penelope and, twenty years later, is still waiting and hoping for Odysseus to come home. She
weeps for him every day and "[her] heart pines away" (394). Her loyalty to Odysseus is displayed when the suitors come into question. Penelope is
extraordinarily opposed to the idea remarriage and continues to put off the topic despite the persistence of the suitors. To keep the suitors at bay
she even tells the suitors that she cannot marry until she finishes weaving the shroud for her father. The catch is, she unravels her work every
night. This trick allowed Penelope to occupy the suitors for three years. Her loyalty persists enough though she believes Odysseus to be dead.
Odysseus is not faithful, however, he is loyal. He has several affairs with different women, yet that does not change how much he loves Penelope.
When we first see him on Calypso's island, he is weeping for his wife and home and even denies the offer of immortality so he can return to Ithaca
and see his wife. When he returns home, he still worries about Penelope and tries to offer her comfort as best he can. Odysseus also shows his
loyalty when he is offered a foot bath by Penelope once returning to his palace and specifically requests an older woman bathe his feet. Part of the
reasoning behind that could be that he wishes to show himself as faithful once he reveals himself as not a beggar, but the old king.

Similarities Between Penelope And The Odyssey
Throughout the course of this year we have read many books deemed as "classics." Though the authors, time periods, and the purpose of each novel
differed, there are many undeniable similarities between the books. Not only are the plot lines and morals alike, the characters in the books share
many admirable qualities. For me, Penelope from The Odyssey and Joe from Great Expectations are very comparable.
Joe Gargery and Penelope have many things in common, however their loyalty stood out to me. While Pip was off gallivanting, trying to become a
"gentleman" and neglecting the man that raised him, Joe stayed loyal and did not let Pip's ignorant comments destroy their precious relationship. Pip
was embarrassed of Joe and his 'lack' of knowledge ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Joe Gargery was not brilliant, but he desired an education. And where he lacked the smarts he made up for it in experience for her was very wise.
Penelope was both book smart and clever. She demonstrated this when she said, ""I have no wish to set myself up, nor to depreciate you; but I am
not struck by your appearance, for I very well remember what kind of a man you were when you set sail from Ithaca. Nevertheless, Euryclea, take his
bed outside the bed chamber that he himself built. Bring the bed outside this room, and put bedding upon it with fleeces, good coverlets, and
blankets." (Book 23) In order to test if it was really Odysseus, she asked to have their bed moved, only Odysseus would know that it couldn't be moved.
This sent him into a rage, but Penelope knew it was actually him. Though Penelope and Joe were not the smartest people, they were shrewd and quick
which is often time more important than having the

The Role Of Penelope In Homer's Odyssey
Throughout Homer's the Odyssey, Penelope is depicted as a faithful and clever woman, revealing that the women of ancient Greece played a crucial
role in affairs and in their own lives, yet were still regarded as inferior.
Despite not seeing or hearing from Odysseus in nearly twenty years, and being pressured for years to remarry one of many young suitors, Penelope
remains faithful to Odysseus for twenty years. Penelope's son, Telemachus, explained to Athena, "For now the lords of the islands ... are here courting
my mother; and they use our house as if it were a house to plunder. Spurn them she dare not, though she hates that marriage, nor can she bring herself to
choose among them." (Book I. 290–298) From this dialogue, Penelope's loyalty and

What Is The Role Of Penelope In The Odyssey
Penelope serves as one of the most crucial characters within the Odyssey. She one of the few driving forces for our main protagonist's journey home
and she is also an exemplar model of female character breaking the mold of the damsel in distress. She actually takes it upon herself to take command,
to some extent, of her own situation while her husband is presumably making his way back home from war. Penelope even matches Odysseus in
craftiness and sly personality. For example, Penelope had told the suitors that she would assume a new husband after she was done weaving a shroud,
but she would secretly unweave her progress every night. This behavior is a reoccurring theme. Penelope sets up other tests, such as having to shoot an
arrow through ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Agamemnon had fought in the Trojan war, just as Odysseus had but when he returned home he was stuck down by his own spouse. When Odysseus
meets Agamemnon in the underworld, Agamemnon recounts about his death when he states, "I lifted my hands and beat the ground as I lay dying
with a sword in my chest, but that bitch, my wife, turned her back on me and would not shut my eyes or close my lips as I was going down to
Death" (Book 11, Lines 439–443). This brief tale alludes to Adam and Eve in the book of Genesis. In both cases, the male figure's downfall is a
direct causation of their female counterpart. In fact, there exists a blatant dichotomy between the relationship of Odysseus and Penelope the
relationship between Adam and Eve. As seen in the passage above, Eve was purely created to accompany Adam and to serve as his partner. In the
context of the relationship, Eve causes a downward trajectory for the pair. Both Adam and Eve were living in the best conditions, in God's
hand–crafted garden, but this is stripped from them due to her inquisitive nature. In the beginning of the Odyssey, we see that Odysseus and Penelope
are at a low point, but Odysseus utilizes the thought of Penelope to fuel his rise. These two relationships drastically differ from each other, but they
also share some similarity. Both female characters are depicted as subordinate beings. In the Genesis,

Examples Of Penelope In The Odyssey
Penelope's Hints Through Penelope's hints, Homer suggests that Penelope does know that the beggar Aethon is actually her husband Odysseus. To
begin with, Penelope was speaking with the beggar and asking really specific questions about Odysseus. She was asking about the kind of clothes he
wore, who he was with while away from Ithaca, and questions only Odysseus himself could answer: "His words renewed her deep desire to weep,
recognizing the strong clear signs Odysseus offered" (19.285–286). Throughout the book, Odysseus has been known for having a way with words to
express and benefit himself: such as when he was granted his release from Ogygia and, by use of his words, received help from Calypso. Penelope
weeping and recognizing Aethon's use of words implies she has a sense ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Next, Odysseus is offered by Penelope to have his feet washed by his old nurse, Eurycleia, and he turns down the offer. Odysseus replies saying that
no woman should have to wash his feet. Penelope acknowledges how wise and hospitable the beggar truly is: "Never has any man so thoughtful––of
all the guests in my palace come from foreign parts–– been as welcome as you" (19.397–400). One of the main traits Odysseus is known for is being
hospitable, and even becoming angry when others are not showing hospitality. Penelope sees the character of the beggar is unusual for his type, and
praises that to him by complimenting him for his thoughtfulness and geniality. Penelope implies that she has had very many guests enter into her
palace, and out of every single guest, he has been the most impressive, showing Penelope believes that the beggar could be Odysseus. To conclude,
Penelope even feels more comforted when being around Aethon, a feeling that would be odd if the beggar were not Odysseus. Penelope was on her
way to sleep when she revealed her true feelings for the beggar: "If only, my friend, you were willing to sit beside me in the house, indulging me in the
comfort of your

The Importance Of Penelope In The Odyssey
The season of old Greece appears like its own story in a different universe, one in no way like our own. Capable divine beings and goddesses, overcome
warriors, magical creatures, and the abuse of ladies lead the plot. But that ladies have been ignored in our reality for quite a long time. The
irrelevance of ladies was a piece of Greek life that isn't lofty or ethereal. In the epic lyric The Odyssey by Homer, Penelope forms into her own
particular character amid a period where ladies are prized as belonging more than individuals. Homer makes Penelope into her own particular individual
and not only an expansion to her significant other by his long nonattendance and the inconveniences she should look without anyone else through
troublesome circumstances. Homer gives her characteristics of unwaveringness, quality, and clever to have the capacity to get by without a spouse
when all others figure she should simply take another. Penelope ends up plainly like a character not at all like numerous ladies in Greek circumstances,
for example, Agamemnon's significant other, however like Circe and Athena. She is transformed into a lady of energy by Homer.
Odysseus reluctantly withdraws to go battle in the Trojan War, abandoning his better half and new child, and winds up remaining ceaselessly for a
long time. During each time of it, Penelope stays more steadfast to her better half than he is to her. She never submits to the impulses of the suitors
asking for her turn in marriage and

Penelope Odyssey Quotes
Penelope admits that she might have been able to continue tricking the suitors with the shroud had one of her maids not let it slip what she was
doing. Penelope doesn't blame the unknown maid for her slip up but rather is accepting of what happened and acknowledged that it was to be
expected, "Unfortunately one of them betrayed the secret of my interminable weaving. I'm sure it was an accident: [...] The fact that my secret
berated was, strictly speaking, my own fault," (page 115). This shows Penelope to be kind and caring. She doesn't let her high class status blind her to
the correct course of action which was to not punish the maids for one mistake. When her actions are compared to Odysseus, who blinded by his
superiority, felt he was justified... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In The Odyssey, Penelope, is stated to not recognize her own husband and is completely clueless to what is going on around her. Attwood wrote this
novel with several goals in mind and one of those was to explain how Penelope wasn't able to recognize her own husband just because he was slightly
older, had a beard, and was wearing rags which Attwood believed was completely unbelievable. In The Penelopiad, Attwood explains Penelope's
so–called ignorance to her husband's identity by making Penelope pretend to not recognize Odysseus for his sake and not hers. Penelope mentions
that she does not wish to insult her husband's feelings by seeing through his disguise, "I didn't let on I knew. It would have been dangerous for him.
Also, it a man takes pride in his disguising skills, it would be a foolish wife who would claim to recognize him: [...]" (page 136), (ATWOOD, M.
(2012). PENELOPIAD

Penelope Loyalty In The Odyssey
Penelope is Loyal
Penelope shows loyalty even when things weren't going good, because she does this she gets something good out of it. The Odyssey, written by
Homer and translated Robert Fagles, shows a loyal wife waiting for her husband to return. While her husband is away, Penelope is pressured by
suitors to choose a new husband, but strings a web of lies in order to hold off making a decision. For twenty years she remains loyal in his absence,
and, when he finally returns, she tests to make sure it is really him. Throughout the book the Odyssey Penelope shows loyalty at all times. She shows
this trait when she breaks down in sadness at even a mention of Odysseus or Troy, when she stays loyal despite the constant pressure to marry a suitor,
/ take it out now, sturdy bed that it is, / and spread it deep with fleece, / blankets and lustrous throws to keep him warm." (23.198–202) She said this
because only Odysseus would know that the bed's to sturdy that no one can move it. Penelope is then only one that knows that Odysseus out of all
the suitors is the only one that knows that you can't move the bed. In a similar fashion, Penelope is tricking the suitors to think that she will marry
one of them but she knows that only Odysseus can complete this task: "I set before you the great bow of king odysseus now! / The hand that can
string this bow with greatest ease, / that shoots an arrow clean through all twelve axes– / he is the man I follow, yes, for saking this house / where I was
once a bride, this gracious house." She told the suitors to complete a task that can only be completed by Odysseus. She did this because then the suitors
will think that she will marry one of them if they complete this, but Odysseus is the only one that can complete this

A Summary Of Penelope In Homer's Odyssey
Penelope. The mother of Telemachus and the wife of Odysseus. She felt as if everything in her life was going wrong. Her dear husband had been
gone for several years at this point, the suitors would soon be arriving, and her son Telemachus had left in the morning to find Odysseus. This leaves
Penelope with who? She could not bare the thought of living in a world where she was constantly surrounded by suitors, so she decided to follow her
son. He had left tht town of Ithica several hours before, but she was determined to catch up to him. Penelope packed her bag and left. The journey to
find her husband and son was not going to be easy, but anything was better than staying at home. Athena saw that Penelope was in need of a disguise so
that she ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Atena warns Penelope that she only has 12 hours to get back to Ithica, before the suitros start to look for her, and her disguise wll no longer do its
job. Penelope thanked the well disguised Athena and ran off into the forest with her new look. Penelope had not thought of the dificulties that
would come once she entered the maze like forest. Penelope is once again ecountered by Athena, disguised now as a suitor. Penelope sees the
"suitor" and hides behind a tree. Penelope was very confused, and didnt understand how a suitor could have alread known that she was missing,
she was requestioning the promise that AThena made to her. Athena disguised as the suitor quickly giggles to her self and then runs away.
Penelope knew that she should stay away, but she did not have any more time to waste, the forest got very cold and very dark early in the day.
Penelope had lived the past 20 years of her life without her lover. She had gotten used to not having anyone to sleep next to her, and talk about hiow
she was feeling, but for some reason the forest made her lonlier and sadder than she had ever been before. The level of silence was

Comparison Of The Odyssey And The Penelope By Margaret Atwood
We create a sense of appreciation and good understanding when we make a connection between the epic movie, "The Odyssey "and "The Penelope,"
a novel written by the author Margaret Atwood's. The Odyssey was a written form in 800BCE by celebrated Greek Poet Homer. It tells us about the
great man Odysseus and his journey to home. On the other side, "The Penelope," is a retelling of Odysseus, from the perspective of Penelope the trust
worthy wife of Odysseus. The story is leads Penelope telling us the underworld she had. Since it was based on events of Odysseus's journey, its
feminist discerption of its characters and themes, the focus of this essay is to analyze the focus on two characters Penelope and Odysseus and their
stronger relationship. Margaret Atwood is a famous novelist. She was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada in 1939. Her father worked as an
Entomologist, and her mother was a dietitian and a nutritionist. At the age of six Atwood was writing plays, poems and comics. She found writing to
be the most enjoyable subject. She also is the author of more than 40 books of fiction, poetry and critical essays published in over 35 countries is
particularly well known for The Handmaid's Tale, her shocking and prescient 1985 novel, which also was converted into the 1990s film (Leigh ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
She can be described as the Ideal woman. She is a wife, mother, heroine and a queen. She has a great power and very resourceful, she was loyal and
had pride in her home and family. Throughout this epic, Penelope faced with many obstacles that try and break her down, one main obstacle is that the
Odysseus absence and this shows her ultimate loyalty to Odysseus. During the time of his wait, suitors have overcome to her house, these suitors were
disrespectful and showed no regard for Penelope. These suitors want to court her, and were sleeping around with the maids and destroying everything
that Odysseus had

Penelope in The Odyssey Essay
Penelope: In the opening chapters of The Odyssey Penelope is angry, frustrated, and helpless. She misses her husband, Odysseus. She worries about
the safety of her son, Telemakhos. Her house is overrun with arrogant men who are making love to her servants and eating her out of house and home,
all the while saying that they are courting her. She doesn't want to marry any of them, and their rude behavior can hardly be called proper courtship. She
has wealth and position; she has beauty and intelligence; most of all she has loyalty to her husband. But against this corrupt horde who gather in her
courtyard shooting dice, throwing the discus, killing her husband's cattle for their feasts, and drinking his wine, she is powerless.
After the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
He is both brutal and sensitive, bold and shy.
Loyalty: Loyalty is most apparent in Penelope's resisting of the suitors, but it is a trait essential to all the characters in Odysseus' family. For twenty
years Odysseus never stops wanting to return home. Telemakhos will not send his mother back to her father and force her to choose another husband.
Instead, he sets out to find news of his father. The servants Eurykleia and Eumaios are also important exemplars of loyalty. Athena's devotion to
Odysseus is another.
Intelligence: The ability to solve problems is vital to an epic hero. Odysseus, as James Joyce put it, invented the first tank when he devised the Trojan
horse. Penelope's ruse of unweaving the shroud shows her intelligence. Odysseus' quick wit and invention of believable lies, helping him to conceal his
identity and assess situations, are much admired by Athena.
The Odyssey and The Pearl: Loyalty
Loyalty to another person or to a cause may be an admirable trait, but it can lead to either positive or negative consequences. In Homer's epic The
Odyssey and John Steinbeck's novel The Pearl there are characters that show great examples of this trait. Penelope in The Odyssey and Juana in The
Pearl are the most obvious, although there are many. Penelope stayed loyal to
Odysseus while he was on his twenty–year journey and Juana stayed by her husband through his time of

Penelope In Homer's The Odyssey : Penelope As A Hero
While traditional readers of Homer's, The Odyssey, view Odysseus as a hero, they often reduce Penelope to Odysseus's helpless wife, but Penelope is
more than just a damsel–in–distress. Penelope proves to be Odysseus's heroic equal, as through her resilient, witty and strategic actions she ensures
Odysseus fighting advantages over the suitors.
Unlike Odysseus Penelope is confined by the gender roles of her time and cannot use physical strength against the suitors or even direct verbal
rejection, instead Penelope resorts to her emotional resilience and wit in order to challenge the suitors. She wrongly reassures the suitors that once
she finishes weaving a gift for Odysseus's father, she will choose someone to marry her, "'Young men, my suitors, let me finish my weaving, before I
marry'...every day she wove on the great loom but every night by torchlight she unwove it." (II. 103–104, 112–113) Penelope's actions are strategic and
well calculated. Her main goal, like Odysseus, is to successfully overcome her situation. She understands that she may not be able to physically fight the
suitors but she can trick them until Telemachus or Odysseus are able to. By crafting a lie that delays the suitors from marrying her immediately,
Penelope restrains the suitors from seizing Ithaca, her household, and posing a threat to Telemachus or Odysseus. Her lie gives Odysseus a crucial
advantage in the physical fight against the suitors as he comes back to a city and household where Penelope

How Is Penelope A Clever In The Odyssey
Is she clever? In the Odyssey women are portrayed in a very positive manner for the most part. Homer really proves this by portraying Penelope as
very clever, showing that we can trust her. Some scenes that show this is when Penelope is weaving the burial shroud. Another example he uses is
tricking the suitors to shower her with presents. Even the scene where Penelope will not speech to Odysseus until he proves that it is really him. All of
these scenes show how Penelope has thought things out so that eventually she will hopefully be reunited with Odysseus.
Throughout the Odyssey we are shown how clever Odysseus is that it brought attention away from how clever Penelope really is. "Young men, my
suitors now that the great Odysseus has perished, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
"But now since you have given me accurate proof describing our bed, which no other mortal man beside has ever seen, but only you and I... so you
persuade my heart, though it has been very stubborn" (Homer's Odyssey, book 23. lines 225–230). This really proves how trustworthy Penelope really
is stating how no one else had been in their bed. Also, that she did not believe any random guy that showed up saying he was Odysseus and staying
faithful to the real Odysseus. Another reason this shows we can trust Penelope is because before this scene Odysseus went through all the trouble to
find out if she was faithful or not and then she continues with the same thing that Odysseus had found out. This even shows how clever Penelope
was because she could have come right out and asked him a question that he would only know but she waited, so she wouldn't get her hopes up but
also find the real truth since it had been so long since she seen her husband. Also, she could have asked any question, but she knew this was the one
thing that would get Odysseus all worked up to find out the truth. Throughout the book we are told stories to show how wise Odysseus is, but is
shown that he can be out smarted. All in all, she was able to keep outsmarting people when she needed to stall some time or to find out the truth

Odysseus Wife And Penelope In Homer's Odyssey
Odysseus Wife, Penelope was a very important character in The Odyssey. Odysseus left for the Trojan War leaving behind his loving wife and
newborn son named Telemachus. Penelope had to learn to survive with the circumstances of being the Queen of Ithaca and being left with all the
money and power to uphold until Odysseus, The King of Ithaca returned. Her bravery and wisdom help her stay strong and overcome the obstacles
that she had to face while her husband was away. The only hope that she had staying strong for her Odysseus hoping that he will return home to her
and her son.
As Penelope being a married woman, she had to uphold the duties as wife and mother well as the duties around the kingdom. It may seem easy
being left with servers while her husband is away from war but in Penelope case it wasn't. This period was a time to test her loyalty to Odysseus.
Penelope had to be wise and sly to keep the suitors from trying to bring down her kingdom and preventing from marrying someone else. If she did,
then one man will become the new King of Ithaca and that was something she did not want. She end up coming with techniques that will help throw off
some of suitors while she wait for her dear Odysseus.(Homer, The Odyssey 19:145–151) One of the techniques she end up encountering was weaving a
shroud. She told suitors that once she is finishing weaving then she will choose one of them as her King but, little did they know Penelope was sly.
She would unweave the basket at

Athena And Penelope In Homer's The Odyssey
Women in literature are often depicted as inferior to men, both by authors and critics. Female characters are often used as objects that further the male
characters' storylines. They are reduced to one–dimensional stereotypes, like a damsel in distress or a seductress. However, in The Odyssey, Homer
demonstrates respect for women by writing them as courageous and brave, traits which are valued in classical heroes. Athena and Penelope specifically
are complex characters with agency and individual storylines. The goddess Athena's purpose and bravery make her an strong stand–alone female
character. She initiates one of the most important parts of the story and the inciting incident in Telemachos's life by giving him the idea and the
confidence... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Her strong, wise behavior was in fact very similar to that of Odysseus. To start, many readers believe that Penelope is portrayed as weak because
she cries and stays sedentary for long periods of time, yet on Ogygia when we first encounter Odysseus, "The tears were never dry in [Odysseus's]
eyes...he spent the days sitting upon the rocks or the sands staring at the barren sea and sorrowing." (65) However, Odysseus is hailed as a brave
yet troubled hero and Penelope is seen as feeble. Also, Penelope had hundreds of men accustomed to doing as they pleased living in her house.
Living in that situation took a great amount of strength, as it would have been, judging by the Iliad, both easy and forgivable for any of them to
assault her. Despite the threat looming over her, she still carried out her weaving trick in order to remain loyal to Odysseus. Penelope and Odysseus
are also equally clever. For example. Antinous says this about Penelope in the market–place: "[Penelope] told us... I know you are in a hurry for
marriage; but wait until I finish this cloth... and we swallowed our pride and consented... There she was all day long, working away at the great web;
but at night she used to unravel it by torchlight. So for three years she deluded the whole nation..." (18) In order to plan her deceptive idea, she must
have been exceedingly wise. Penelope is often viewed as a seductress

Throughout her paper, Helen Foley endeavors to examine Penelope, a noteworthy character in Homer's The Odyssey, regarding Classical Athenian
depictions of ladies and, as her title proposes, as far as what she calls an "ethical specialist." Foley chooses that Penelope meets benchmarks that
includes her social, familial, and individual obligations assuming to be indispensable parts in settling on that choice. Foley's cases and her inside and
out investigation of The Odyssey all help out her proposal. Counting both Homer's works, The Odyssey and The Iliad, he echoes his societies
origination of ladies as being either assistants of men or blocks or limitations to them; however, basically pitiful in their own particular right. The main
special

Penelope Loyalty In The Odyssey
What happens when the person you love has gone off and been gone for over 20 years? Would you decide to get remarried or would you stay loyal and
wait for the person you love? The Odyssey by Homer is about Odysseus' journey home to his wife Penelope, who has been waiting for him to come
back for over 20 years. In the Odyssey there are many questions to be debated on, but the one discussed today will be if Penelope is loyal to Odysseus. I
believe that yes, Penelope is loyal to Odysseus throughout the whole book. She proves her loyalty to him throughout the book by finding discreet
ways to distract the suitors longer, never truly believing that he was dead and staying to take care of the house and servants in it.
First off, over the course of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Even though they find out, she manages to distract them so enough time passes until odysseus got back. Like towards the end of the book when
Odysseus gets the bow. "So they mocked, but Odysseus, mastermind in action, once handled the great bow and scanned every inch, then, like an expert
singer skilled at lyre and song–" Book 21, 451–3 She managed to make enough time from her distractions for Odysseus to get the bow. Other people
may think that even though she doesn't say that he is dead, she always kind of implies it. Though the book everyone implies it or say they think
/know that he is dead, but she never said out loud that he was dead just that she wants him to come home and be by her. "Climbing up to the lofty
chamber with her women, she fell to weeping for Odysseus, her beloved husband." Book 1, 417–18. It implies that she is weeping because he is dead,
but no one knows for sure. She could be crying in hope that he will come home. You could say that she never really took care of anything while he
was gone. She didn't just leave Telemachus and the servants, she took care of him and kept the servants busy. "And down the steep stair from her
chamber she descended, not alone: two of her women followed closely behind." Book 1, 380–1. After all that time she still had her servants by her and
kept them in

What Role Does Penelope Play In The Odyssey
In book 2 of the Odyssey, Odysseys' family is being drained of its wealth by a crowd of suitors wishing to marry Penelope. While nobody is without
fault in this situation I believe that Penelope plays a large role in causing the unfavorable situation the family is in by her being deceptive towards the
suitors.
While suitors were being held in the company of Odysseys' family Penelope decides to deceive the suitors by saying she will announce who she
would marry by the time she finishes he weaving. Penelope would weave and unweave for years putting a burden on the family as they were caring
for the suitors for all that time. This stalling no doubt put a burden on the family as they would have to provide for the suitors as they were waiting for

Penelope And Penelope In The Odyssey
Both Penelope and Odysseus put others through trials in books 19, 21, and 23 in order to test their loyalty and identity. The trait of constantly testing
others eludes to the little trust that Odysseus and Penelope have in others making them a perfect match for each other. In Book 19 Homer shows
Odysseus in the presence Penelope describing to her how well she is known and why. He suggests that her fame "has reached the vaulting skies" and
that the kingdom she has built is "proud and strong" and under her "sovereign way" her people "flourish" (19: 118–120, 124). All of these positive
attributes Odysseus is mentioning serve the purpose of testing Penelope on if she is still loyal by acknowledging how these are all things Odysseus
thinks he has

What Role Does Penelope Play In The Odyssey
Penelope serves a significant role in The Odyssey by serving as a source of motivation for Odysseus and portraying the ideal woman in Greek society.
Penelope throughout the story is displayed as a woman who is not swayed by the suitors, and Odysseus repeatedly draws from her person to motivate
himself. Penelope first displays a great sense of loyalty to Odysseus by attempting to delay the suitors through tricks. Penelope employs tricks such as
weaving a shroud for Laertes, Odysseus's father, but "...every night by torchlight she unwove it;/ and so for three years she deceived the Achaeans"
(92). This act showcases Penelope's loyalty to Odysseus, and shows her role displaying the ideal woman in Greek society by providing a practical and
understandable example of loyalty to the audience. In addition to depicting ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This juxtaposition shows the effects of faithfulness to a husband, and displays how fidelity to the husband can bring great benefits and unity to the
family, while infidelity will bring many negative consequences. The juxtaposition between Penelope and Helen is used to teach Greek woman
reasons on why to be loyal to the husband. Penelope lastly serves a role in inspiring Odysseus as well, in addition to her role of portraying the ideal
Greek woman. Odysseus uses Penelope as a reason to continue repeatedly throughout the journey and in times of hardship, such as when leaving
Calypso, when he mentions "My quiet Penelope–how well I know–/would seem a shade before your majesty,/ death and old age being unknown to
you,/while she must die" (739). Odysseus implicitly states that he must return to Penelope due to her being mortal, which shows him using her as a
reason to

Gender Roles Of Odysseus And Penelope In Homer's Odyssey
Traditional gender roles unfortunately remain an influential part of society today. In some parts of the world, it is illegal for women to do anything
without the permission or sometimes even accompaniment of a male guardian. While it is true that the world has made considerable progress in
eliminating gender stereotypes overall, there is much work that has yet to be done, and people must continue to strive for equality in order to eliminate
unhealthy relationships like that of Odysseus and Penelope in Homer's Odyssey. The epic poem explores Odysseus' unnecessarily long journey home
after helping Greece win the Trojan War while his wife Penelope waits for him in Ithaca. The contrast between Penelope's faithfulness at home and how
Odysseus often strays from his path of return, in many cases by being unfaithful to his wife, highlights the traditional expectations set for men and
women during this time and how differently they are supposed to behave.
Odysseus' yearning for adventure spurs him to explore the many places he encounters without having a need to, causing his route home to be
particularly indirect. After landing on the island of the Cyclops, Odysseus deems it a good idea for him to explore the island, even though he knows
that the people he meet may not be friendly. He takes a group of men to "find out what the mainland natives are– / for they may be wild savages and
lawless, / or hospitable and god fearing men" (Book IX, 187–189). Odysseus is putting himself and

Compare And Contrast Penelope In The Odyssey
Compare and Contrast: In The Odyssey it seems that Penelope has lost all hope. She prays: "O honored goddess Artemis, daughter of Zeus, strike
now I pray an arrow in my breast and take away my life this very instant..." (Homer 250). Her prayer sends off a chain of events. Odysseus wakes up
and also prays, but he prays to Zeus, who thunders although there are no clouds (Homer 251). A woman outside then foreshadows the end of the
suitors. These are crucial events in the story that warn the reader of what will happen, all started by Penelope's prayer to Artemis. In Mythology
neither Penelope's dream nor any of these events are mentioned. Hamilton once again sticks to only main events. She probably does this to keep the
story moving since the facts of the story can remain the same without these events. Hamilton should have mentioned Penelope's dream though, because
she is asking to be killed and although it doesn't affect the story it is still an important part that shows how Penelope is feeling. Homer moves the story
along smoother while Hamilton keeps out small details like these to quickly summarize the story.
Infer: From what Penelope has said in this book, I can infer that she is losing hope quickly. After staying strong and hopeful for twenty years she is
finally beginning to give up on Odysseus' homecoming. She mentions in her prayer that her situation would be more bearable if the heavens didn't ...
Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Telemachus is Odysseus' son which may give him the strength to string the bow, if Odysseus doesn't interfere. This behavior also makes it seem that
Odysseus knows that Telemachus can string the bow, but he wants to be the one to claim Penelope. Odysseus may also want to hide Telemachus' true
strength from him, as it could become a problem in the future if Telemachus knows he is as strong as his

Role Of Penelope In The Odyssey
Imagine having a husband who runs off and leaves for 20 years in order to fight in a war that was none of his business in the first place. That's how
Penelope from The Odyssey must feel. Her husband Odysseus leaves her to be a part of the Trojan war and then goes on many of his own
expeditions. Each of the three texts: The Odyssey by Homer, Penelope to Ulysses by Anne Kilegrew, and Penelope by Dorothy Parker presents
Odysseus' wife in a different manner.
In Homers The Odyssey, Penelope is depicted as clever yet melancholy and defeated. Penelope is quite clever because she is able to come up with
ruses to prevent her remarriage to one of her many suitors. One of these ruses is that she tells her suitors she cannot get married until she finishes
weaving a blanket for her father, but every night she unweaves the blanket a small amount so it takes longer to make. Despite being clever, Penelope
is feeling melancholy since Odysseus has been away for so long and she misses him. She describes her feelings as having "years of pain" (Homer
1312) Along with melancholy, she is defeated from trying to fend off her... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Odysseus is out having a good and relaxing time out on the seas. She believes he is "riding the silver seas" out in the ocean which she thinks is
unfair while she's stuck at home. Meanwhile, Penelope is sitting at home doing jobs that women are supposed to do. She does boring hard work
like bleaching linen, sewing, and brewing tea all while Odysseus is sailing away. This causes Penelope to be bitter because Odysseus will get all
the credit and she will get no recognition. She states that "they will call him brave." while he has been having a great time "where the world and sky
are one". Penelope's point of view in this poem demonstrates how unfair gender roles can be and how frustrating it is to not get credit for hard

Odysseus And Penelope In The Odyssey
In the classic, The Odyssey, the male and female expectations for the Greeks are mentioned. Homer and modern day people have very different
opinions on what values the perfect man or woman are obliged to fulfill. Odysseus and Penelope had desirable traits and together they were the image
of perfection. Today,Odysseus would have been disgraced for his values and Penelope would have been praised for her weaknesses then. Although
Odysseus and Penelope were the ideal man and woman in their time, many standards have changed for the modern male and female. Penelope was
perfect for many reasons in her time, she was beautiful and loyal. Women were expected to take care of the household and children. Women did not
have any control over their life. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Penelope was not physically strong but she was morally and mentally strong. She was smart because tricked her suitors dozens of times. She told
them if they could string her husband's bow they could marry her. This was her way of giving Odysseus a chance to show himself. She outsmarted
the suitors to ward them off so she could stay loyal to Odysseus. Yet, a women was only allowed to be so loyal. After her husband apparently died
she was expected to remarry. The suitors thought of her as weak and emotional because she was so loyal to her husband. Women were just another
aspect of a man's life, they weren't considered citizens, but property of her husband. A woman was a way for men to display their power.
Odysseus, the perfect man, was strong, determined, and got all the ladies. Men were expected to be strong and to fight outside threats. They had
to be fit and tall so they could attract women. Odysseus willingly had affairs with Calypso and Circe on his journey to get back to his wife, which
would also be a desirable trait in Ancient Greece. Sex was an accomplishment for males. Sex was very powerful because Zeus, a powerful god, had
affairs with almost every women he met, and everyone wanted to be like Zeus! Odysseus was praised because of his many affairs with

Examples Of Penelope In The Odyssey
Penelope may not have as exciting of a life as some of the other characters in Homer's The Odyssey, but she makes up for it by being very clever,
which makes her a good match for her husband, Odysseus. Penelope plays a very important role in Odysseus's journey home, in fact, she is the main
reason for his return to Ithaca. When the suitors begin invading her house and asking, then demanding, her hand in marriage, Penelope knows she must
handle them herself. Being a woman in ancient Greece, she does not have the ability to force the suitors to leave her house, and neither does
Telemachus. This means that Penelope must continue to allow them to abuse the hospitality that was expected at that time, and all she can do is try to
outsmart the suitors until her husband comes home. In Homer's The Odyssey, Penelope is a good match for Odysseus because she is clever, and she
shows that cleverness when she stalls the suitors by weaving the burial shroud, when she devises the contest with ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Penelope says she is weaving the shroud for the eventual funeral of Odysseus's father, her father–in–law, Laertes. Penelope does a very good job of
convincing the suitors to keep waiting for her. Antinous complains about it at an assembly in Book 2. He says "So she spoke, and the proud heart
in us was persuaded thereafter in the daytime she would weave at her great loom, but in the night she would have torches set by, and undo it. So
for three years she was secret in her design," (2). Penelope spends all day weaving, but at night she undoes all of her work from the previous day,
promising to choose a husband as soon as she finishes the shroud. Because the suitors see her working all day, they assume she is making progress.
This buys Penelope nearly four years to wait for Odysseus, until a maid reveals her

Penelope As Manipulators In Homer's Odyssey
Women: A.K.A. Powerful Manipulators
Thesis: Men seemingly have more power in The Odyssey, but Homer portrays the women as manipulators and influencers, which allows them to gain
control and power. In The Odyssey, Penelope is able to manipulate men using her sexuality, symbolizing that women have the true power and control in
society. With many suitors at home, Penelope chooses to seduce them only to lead them on, "For three years now, getting on to four,/ she's played it
fast and loose with all our hearts,/ building each man's hopes–/ dangling promises, dropping hints to each–/ but all the while with something else in
mind" (Homer 2.96–100). Homer portrays Penelope as a cunning queen and seducer, which causes the suitors to all want to ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Odysseus arrives at the island of the Phaeacians and King Alcinuous explains, "Just as Phaeacian men excel the world at sailing,/ driving their swift
ships on the open seas,/ so the women excel at all the arts of weaving" (Homer 7.124–126). A stereotype in ancient Greece is introduced showing that
the men are physically stronger and more powerful as they have the ability to sail, but as weavers, the women act as manipulators. Weaving is a
symbol of deception, or trickery. By saying that the women excel at weaving, Homer is allowing them to manipulate and gain control. For
example, Penelope weaves a "shroud of lies" for Laertes that is purely used to deceive the suitors. If women went out to sail and physically travel
by water, rather than just stay at home and weave, they would lose this power to manipulate men. Later Alcandre gives Helen gifts including, "a
golden spindle" (Homer 4.146), and "Phylo her servant rolled it in beside her,/ heaped to the brim with yarn prepared for weaving;/ the spindle swathed
in violet wool lay tipped across it" (Homer 4.148–150). This gift of weaving symbolizes more deception and more power. Helen is later able to control
a man's emotions and entirely manipulate him with drugs. Each piece of thread, yarn, or lace in The Odyssey constructs more power for women and is
able to

Telemachia frames the character of Penelope, wife of protagonist Odysseus, through her loyalty her husband. Telemachia presents Penelope as the
epitome of faithfulness by giving her a storyline that consistently tests it. In the books, Penelope's home has been flooded by suitors seeking her hand
in marriage for years after Odysseus' disappearance, as her son, Telemakhos tells Athena they "are here courting my mother... Spurn them she dare not,
though she hates that marriage, nor can she bring herself to choose among them." (1.293, 1.295–296.) Through the initial exposition of Penelope's
resistance to the suitors, her unfailing loyalty to Odysseus is established early in the poem. Penelope's other important character traits are also revealed
through

Penelope In The Odyssey
As someone who recently read Homer's The Odyssey I was very excited to read this book as I love re–telling of old myths. Like Atwood, I too
struggled to understand or find justice in the treatment of the maids at the end of the Odyssey, so a story telling their side of things is very compelling
for me.
The Penelopiad opens with our heroine Penelope in the afterlife. Penelope explains that she has been long dead and will now tell her side of the
story. She begins at the beginning with her childhood. Born to the king of Sparta and a Naiad, Penelope grew up privileged as a semi–divine noble.
When she was very young her father had her thrown into the sea, in order to avoid a prophecy that she would be his undoing. After being rescued by
some ducks ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Penelope was only 15 at the time, and the marriage was arranged as was custom. Helen makes an appearance in this chapter, floating in only to insult
Penelope before exiting again. She is depicted as a rather callous and vain character, who relishes the attentions of all. To gain her hand in marriage
Odysseus and many other suitors compete through a running contest. Odysseus wins by drugging the other contestants. Penelope suspects that this
plot was not Odysseus' alone, that he was supported by her uncle. Penelope's uncle, wishes to overthrow the king of Sparta and plots to remove
Penelope and any potential sons she may have from the picture. Odysseus is the perfect means to this as he wishes to change the usual customs
(husband stays with the wife's family) and take Penelope home to Ithaca with him. At their wedding Penelope is nervous as her maids have told
her stories of how horrible sex can be. The consummation of marriage is described by Penelope as a play at a "sanctioned rape", guards are posted
and the woman is expected to attempt to escape. Despite this, Odysseus treats her well and they bond later through sharing of childhood stories.
Throughout these first 50 pages Penelope often reflects on how she was portrayed by history versus how she behaved in actuality. Her reputation as a
modest devoted wife was built on misreadings of the true actions of a child. I really enjoyed how Atwood

How Is Penelope A Hero In The Odyssey

Recommended

Recommended

More Related Content

More from Donna Kuhns

More from Donna Kuhns (20)

Recently uploaded

Recently uploaded (20)

How Is Penelope A Hero In The Odyssey