The Penelopiad Analysis

The author, Margaret Atwood, wrote a book called The Penelopiad. Margaret Atwood is from Ottawa (margaretatwood.ca). She attended University of Toronto and Radcliffe College, where she received her undergraduate degree and master’s degree(margaretatwood.ca) She has written more than forty books that are based on fiction, poetry, and critical essays. Margaret and the character from The Penelopiad, Penelope, are both females, therefore Margaret understands what Penelope goes through as a woman. Margaret is giving the side of the story from Penelope’s view. Margaret is seen as a feminist due to how she expresses the views of Penelope’s life. Margaret wants to show the audience or women, through the feminist criticism theory, that through history

One way the audience can understand what she goes through is by feminist criticism. Feminist criticism is “reinforce or undermine the economic, political, social, and psychological oppression of women” (owl.english.purdeo.edu). She suffered since she was young. First, her father wanted to drown her because he saw her as a threat to his life. When she was in the water, ducks save her life. Secondly, suitors were not fighting for her love but for her wealth. Her emotions were the feeling of being seen as an object. Women were seen as an object and whoever marry them would be rich. Thirdly, she was judge on her appearance. Suitors always favor Helen due to beauty. All of this are example of feminist criticism showed in literature. Penelope, Helen, the maids, and other females where told what to do and were seen less than men. Through the story, women are treated as objects and not as human beings. In today’s world, females are still judged based on their looks. This goes on in the media and with social media. That is why the audience for this book is mostly females due to the main character and author being females who understand the struggles women

By her examples, it showed that she was more than a wife seen as a prize. She was a hero because she raised her son with no father for twenty years. She managed to take care of her husband’s land by planting and raising animals. While the suitors where bothering her to choose a new husband, she stayed loyal and had hope for the return of Odysseus. She never gave up on her husband. Even though the story contains a lot of feminist criticism, she showed what women are capable of. She was more than just a