Stoian Popow
Baruch College
Great Works of Literature
Professor Riccio
2/24/23
Penelope
Penelope is a significant character in Homer's epic poem "The Odyssey." She is the protagonist's wife, Odysseus, and her story gives us the plot of the book. Penelope's character is presented as a model of virtue and loyalty. The narrator describes her throughout the story as "wise Penelope" (Book 18, pg 418 286-287), highlighting her intelligence and cunningness. Penelope is also portrayed as a loving wife who misses her husband dearly, illustrating her grief throughout the whole story, as shown when she weeps for him (Book 13 pg 327, lines 337-339) and prays for his safe return.
While Odysseus is away, Penelope remains at home, managing
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These men hope to win her hand in marriage and take over Odysseus's kingdom, which would make her let go of her commitment to Odysseus. Penelope is aware of their true intentions and is highly determined to resist them. She uses her intelligence and wit to outsmart the suitors; one prime example, which was mentioned above is her shroud trick. In this trick, Penelope promises to marry one of the suitors once she has finished weaving a shroud for her father-in-law, Laertes (Book 2 pg 123, lines 104-107). However, she secretly undoes her work every night, indefinitely prolonging the shroud's completion. This buys her more time to wait for Odysseus's return while avoiding having to marry one of the suitors. Penelope's cleverness and resourcefulness are on full display in this scene, demonstrating her dedication to Oddesyus returning, despite the restrictions of her …show more content…
For instance, her delaying tactic of weaving and unweaving a shroud for her father-in-law is a testament to her intelligence, faithfulness, and resourcefulness. I chose this character because by exploring Penelope more deeply, readers can gain a greater appreciation for her story and the role of women in ancient Greece. Before I started researching her character I really did have the mindset that she was just another supporting character within the story and not the character that drives the whole story forward. It also allows us to understand ancient women's challenges and struggles during this time and how they navigated within a patriarchal society. In the article by Durand and Perrine(2018), the authors argue that Penelope's story has resonated with readers throughout the centuries because it explored gender and power dynamics in a patriarchal society where women were expected to be loyal and obedient to their husbands. In this way, Penelope's character serves as a window into ancient Greece's societal norms and