Why Is Penelope Important In The Odyssey

Penelope is arguably one of the most important characters in the Odyssey. Penelope is the epitome of what men want in a wife. She takes responsibility and manages to run the estate and raise Telemachus while Odysseus is away. She is more faithful than any other women in Greek epics. She waits for Odysseus to return home for almost 20 years. She is permitted to remarry after he is presumed dead; however, she holds onto hope her husband is coming home. Some may argue Penelope was not faithful because she kept the suitors around; however, she was demonstrating the hospitality Greeks were supposed to give to their guest. She used her wit to devised a clever plan to hold off the suitors until her husband returned. She could not just blantly deny the suitors because she was a

Others would also debate Penelope was contemplating choosing a suitor when she told the men to fire Odysseus’ bow. Penelope never had the intention of choosing a suitor because she knew only Odysseus could shoot his bow. Penelope was not looking to choose the suitor that could shoot the bow the best; she was trying to find her husband in the contest. Penelope is not only important to the story because she is faithful, but also because she is the driving force of the story. Odysseus had it good on the island with Calypso; however, he wanted to return home to Penelope. If Penelope did not exist, Odysseus would most likely not have a reason to return home. The Odyssey would not have a plot is Penelope and Odysseus did not have an undenying love for eachother. Odysseus was unfaithful to Penelope, but he loved her enough not to bring home another women like other men. Many men brought home women as war prizes, but Penelope was enough for Odysseus. Penelope is a major role in The