Theme Of Archetype In The Odyssey

Penelope is introduced in the Odyessey as the wife of Odysseus. According to Greek mythology, Penelope is the half-sister of Helen of Troy. Odysseus is the one who devises the idea of having all of the suitors give an oath to protect Helen and respect her marriage to whomever her stepfather chooses. Icarus, Penelope’s father and Helen’s stepfather, then gives Penelope’s hand in marriage to Odysseus as thanks for creating the idea of the pact. When the Odyssey begins, Penelope has been waiting for Odysseus in Ithaca for almost 20 years. She takes care of the island, rules in his stead, and does her best to fend off the suitors advances. Penelope’s archetype is the caregiver. She takes care of Telemachus, her son, and the island. She fits the

She proves how loyal and steadfast she is. Even though Odysseus has been gone for 20 years, and could be dead or never return home, Penelope has not remarried. She does her best to protect Telemachus, and raises him by herself. The reason for her loyalty, is likely that she could not imagine a world in which she was not Odysseus’ wife. After being married to him for so long, she likely uses her marital status as a defining part of herself. She likely also has a fear for what would happen if Odysseus returned and found her married to someone else. A “negative” trait is her lack of initiative. Even though the suitors eat and drink the food and drink that belongs to Penelope, she does not force them to leave. She also does not outrightly tell them she will not marry, she delays. The reason for her lack of directness, likely also stems from a place of fear. She worried that she could not muster enough people to support her or that the island would turn against

Many aritsic depictions of her include her loom. The loom is important because it is one of her tactics of delaying the suitors. Penelope also would have used a loom to weave art and garments for herself and her family. The loom’s symbolism relates to the caregiver archetype, because Penelope holds everyone together, just like the loom weaves thread together. This speaks to her strength as a protector, helper, and mother of Telemachus. It also speaks to her weakness of not being forthright. The loom never gets the glory of a piece of art or clothing, the piece itself gets the glory, just as Penelope does not get as much fame or recognition as her son of