Who Is Penelope In The Odyssey

Penelope is a great example of how Greek women should act in early society. Penelope was loyal to her husband, she was clever, and she was a good mother to her son Telemachos. Penelope honored her husband and didn’t go against him even though he was gone for over 20 years. She also had to face over 100 suitors while Odysseus was gone. Penelope showed her cleverness when she told the town she would remarry when she finished weaving the rug. Every night Penelope would undo the work she weaved so she could buy time for her husband. She was very faithful to her husband and believed him that he would return to her. These traits that Penelope show are how other Greek women should act in society. The roles women played in society was that they

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.

The Odyssey, written by Homer, tells the story of Odysseus after the Trojan War. It not only includes an insight on the adventures and return of Odysseus, but it also includes the stories of Telemakhos and Penelope. Telemakhos is the courageous son of Odysseus who goes on a quest in search for information about his father’s whereabouts. Penelope is an extremely clever woman who could match Odysseus in his wit. Penelope is able manipulate the suitors that have come to pursue her in Odysseus’s absence. Though Penelope often spends many nights weeping over the absence of her husband, it seems as if she never loses faith in her husband, and she truly believes that he will return to her and punish the suitors that have taken over their

            Penelope did not have any idea whether her husband was alive for most of the twenty-years he was gone.  She had promised Odysseus that she would not marry until their son, Telemakos, reached the age of adulthood.  Just

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.

As the request is made of his own mother she simply abides to her son’s wishes, “She bathed now, put on some fresh clothes,” (Homer l 17.60). All throughout the Odyssey Penelope shows her strength to ward off suitors and she manages to live without her husband for years. Remaining faithful the entire time to her husband Odysseus she discloses to her maid, “Eurynome, don’t try to coax me, care for me as you do, to bathe myself, refresh my face with oils. Whatever glow I had died long ago… the gods of Olympus snuffed it out that day my husband sailed away in the hollow ships,” (Homer ll 18.201-206) presenting to the reader that she lost all desire for anyone else when Odysseus’ left for war. This further substantiates the Greek view of how women should remain loyal at all times forsaking others. Lastly Penelope is rewarded for her lasting devotion to her husband with his return. In these characters and their specific roles in the Odyssey the Greeks’ insisted upon their women to accept such roles in their culture of certain hypocrisy when compared to that of their female counterpart. Without Athena’s support Odysseus would have never reached Ithaca and Telemachus would not have been pushed into becoming a man. Without Penelope’s loyalty, devotion, and support Odysseus’ efforts in his journey home would have held little merit of reward. What is most important to note is the male character of Odysseus plays the most prominent role in the epic but

Odysseus’ actions in the hall can be explained through his strong feelings towards his wife and queen, Penelope. Odysseus clearly loves Penelope, to the point of doing radical things for her becomes expected out of such love. This point of love and desperation to be with Penelope is shown when Odysseus was held captive by the lustrous goddess Calypso, where “he’d sit on the rocks and beaches, wrenching his heart with sobs and groans and anguish, gazing out over the barren sea through blinding tears” (Fagles 157 line 173). The intensity of his emotion in Ogygia is that of a sad movie. The minute details of imagery in the quote correlate to the minute details of a scene, contributing to the drama and emotion of a work. This level of sadness must

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.

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.

Odysseus's wife, Penelope plays a crucial role in Homer's ‘The Odyssey’, with not only providing the motivation for Odysseus's return to Ithaca, but she is also the center of the plot involving the suitors and the fate of Telemakos and Ithaca itself.  Therefore the objective of this essay is to analyze the importance of Penelope’s role in ‘The Odyssey’.

In Homer's epic, The Odyssey, Odysseus is an epic hero with an epic wife, Penelope. Penelope is also the Queen of Ithaca, a vital role indeed. Penelope's love and devotion towards Odysseus is proven when she waits nineteen years for her husband to return from the wine dark sea, rather than losing faith and marrying another man. Penelope's character is strong and solid, and her personality remains consistent throughout Homer's Odyssey.

This is the final test that Penelope gives her husband. She is holding onto her control throughout this entire test. She is showing that she has never lost control of her homeland during the time that Odysseus has been away. This is where Odysseus becomes aware that his wife is testing him. He of coarse passes this test, because he knows that the bed cannot be moved. He becomes angry that his wife is testing him however; he wanted her to take his word and actions against the suitors as proof of his identity. Instead of taking everything at face value however Penelope decides to prove her own strength and test her husband one last time. Who is in control during this scene? Personally I believe Penelope is, because is she wanted to have Odysseus

            There were far more restrictions placed on the women of the ancient world than on the men.  To many, this may appear to be an obvious fact.  However, the comparison of women to men in the Odyssey does not show such a discrepancy.  The women created by Homer had certain characteristics that set them apart from ordinary women.  Penelope was a woman who did not give in to the demands of her surroundings.  She suffered throughout the twenty year absence of her husband, Odysseus.  She maintained her dignity and her chastity through her refusal of the hoards of suitors that flocked to her home. Penelope represents the ideal woman for balancing her refusals of marriage and the preservation of her respect.  When ready to address her suitors, Eurymachus, a suitor himself, speaks out from the crowd in praise of Penelope.  He states, "Ah, daughter of Icarius, wise Penelope . . . You surpass all women in build and beauty, refined and steady mind" (18. 276,280).  The acts of Penelope would not have been allowed of an ordinary woman of those times.  Her loyalty to Odysseus was unflagging and quite contrary to Clytaemestra's loyalty, another character in the Odyssey, though she is never mentioned by name.

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.

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.