There are many people in Greek mythology that represent an important theme or value. Penelope is a great example of what many ancient Greeks wanted in a wife because she showed that she was faithful to her husband from the day that they were married, remaining committed to her marriage even when her husband was was gone and many other men were fighting for her, and being clever enough to come up with an impossible task for a suitor to complete before he could marry her. While she may not seem that important or extraordinary to many people because she isn’t a goddess, she still represents a significant characteristic in a marriage.
According to Myths Encyclopedia, Penelope was the child of Prince Icarius of Sparta and the nymph Periboea. When
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Penelope was born, Periboea knew that her husband had wanted a son, so she immediately hid the child, knowing that Icarius would be furious when he found out. Soon enough, Icarius found out about his daughter and threw her into the sea in hope that she would drown, but instead, she was saved by a family of ducks. Icarius saw her survival as a sign and named her Penelope, the Greek word for duck, and she became his favorite child (Myths Encyclopedia). Odysseus, Penelope’s future husband, was one of the suitors of Helen. According to Penelope - Greek Mythology Link, as the suitors were fighting for Helen’s hand in marriage, Odysseus suggested to King Tyndareus that he should have all of the suitors take an oath requiring them to defend the man that won Helen’s hand if anyone wronged him in a way concerning his marriage. Odysseus did not win Helen’s hand in marriage, but because of the oath that he suggested to the king, Tyndareus helped him win the hand of his niece, Penelope. The first time that Penelope showed her devotion to her husband was right after they were married. On page 1104 of Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology, it is said that Penelope’s father didn’t want her to leave him, so he tried to convince her not to go. Penelope then put her veil over her face, showing her father that she was going to pursue her new life with Odysseus. As was mentioned earlier, Penelope was close to her father because she was his favorite child, so she must have been very committed to her marriage if she was that willing to just leave Icarius behind. Penelope is most commonly known for being loyal to her husband.
Shortly after Penelope gave birth to her son Telemachus, Odysseus had to leave his family because of the oath he made to King Tyndareus as a suitor of Helen (Penelope - Greek Mythology Link). On page 821 of the Encyclopedia of World Mythology, it tells that Penelope waited for Odysseus during a war that lasted ten years. Once the war was finally over, nothing had been heard from Odysseus, so many people believed he was dead. Penelope, though, remained hopeful of his return home. Assuming that she would remarry, over 100 men arrived at Penelope’s palace in Ithaca, wanting to win her hand in marriage. Penelope spent six years avoiding the suitors before they insisted that she remarry. Penelope, never giving up hope for her husband’s return and wanting to avoid the suitors, said that she would choose a man to marry after she finished weaving a shroud for Laertes, her father in law. Penelope went about weaving the shroud during the day and unravelling it at night for about three years before one of her servants discovered what she was doing and forced her to finish her work (Encyclopedia of World Mythology, page …show more content…
821). Penelope, still not wanting to marry one of the suitors, said that she would marry whichever suitor could string Odysseus’s bow.
Myth Encyclopedia and Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology have conflicting details about part of Penelope’s trial for the suitors. Myth encyclopedia states that the suitors had to shoot an arrow through twelve ax heads, but Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology says that they had to shoot an arrow through twelve ax handles. Even though there are differing stories about which part of the ax the suitors had to shoot through, it is still sure that either task would be extremely difficult. This shows Penelope’s devotion to her husband because she knew that this task was impossible for anyone but Odysseus, meaning that she wouldn’t have to remarry. Odysseus had arrived home disguised by the gods as a beggar, so that no one, including his wife, would recognise him. He won the contest between the suitors and proceeded to kill them with the help of his son. Once he had finished, he called for Penelope, but she, wanting to be completely sure that it really was Odysseus, commanded that he remove her bed from her room. Knowing that he had built it with living trees as bedposts, Odysseus refused and explained to Penelope why he could not. This proved to Penelope that her husband had truly returned to her, so all of her loyalty during Odysseus’s twenty years away was worth it. (Gods, Goddesses, and Mythology, pages 1104 and
1105) Because she was faithful to her husband starting the day they became married, she stayed committed to him even while he was away and many others were pursuing her, and she was clever enough to come up with a way to get rid of the suitors, Penelope is an important example of what ancient Greeks looked for in a wife. Even though her story took place long ago, it still applies today. She reminds people that if you are faithful to your spouse, your marriage could make it through almost anything.
However, she felt comfortable when he was talking to her and she mentioned that he is the first stranger that warm her heart with the news that he has about Odysseus. Nonetheless, she decides that she will marry one of the suiters if he will be able to shoot an arrows through the holes of twelve axes set, but the axes should be in a line. The Odyssey supported her idea because he knew that he will be able to answer her riddle and it will be hard for any man to do so. It was obvious how confident he was when he said “do not delay this contest in the palace for the resourceful Odysseus, himself will be here long before those polished bow and shoot the arrow through the iron axes” (P:264). Which made it very clear that this stranger knew and certain that Odysseus is coming back to Ithaca and to save his beautiful wife. After he won the contest, she was shocked to the point that she felt that he is Odysseus. She wanted to test him if that man was him or not. With a big fear in her heart, she could not believe her eyes. She told him that his bed was moved, which shocked him because he belted that bedroom and that bed in a way that no man can move it and he told her about all the details in that room. She was surprised of how much details he knew, “Bursting into tears she ran up
Such a society obviously places severe restrictions on the position of women and what is considered to be acceptable behaviour for women”. (Whittaker 39) Penelope is forced to step out of the typical Homeric Greek woman role in order to make sure Odysseus has a success homecoming. She does this by proving to be clever, like her husband, when she tricks the suitors, claiming that she will choose one once she finishes a burial shroud for Laertes. Every night she undoes the weaving she has done for the day. This works until some of her house servants catch her. Another example of this trickery, is her promise to marry any suitor that can string and shoot Odysseus 's bow. Penelope knew no one but Odysseus could do this. There are many different interpretations of Penelope 's role as a woman in this moment of the epic. Homer has Penelope show a role that isn’t what you would normally see in a Homeric Greek woman. She depicts that she can be just as manipulative as a man can
... as the suitors. “Would I play such a trick on you, dear child? It is true, true, as I tell you, he has come! That stranger they were baiting was Odysseus. Telemakhos knew it days ago- cool head, never to give his father away, till he paid off those swollen dogs!” (Book XXIII, Lines 27-32). Like most heroes, Odysseus was able to use his leadership abilities to get to his beloved, Penelope.
Firstly, Penelope who plays Odysseus’s wife is alone tending to her city Ithica until her husband returns. Meanwhile Odysseus is out fighting in the Trojan War and against many of the Greek God’s who are trying to make his trip back home as eventful and hard as possible; “…work out his journey home so Odysseus can return” (Homer 276). While King Odysseus is away Penelope is to deal with a bunch of suitors who are eating and trashing out Ithica, “…if those suitors have truly paid in blood for all their reckless outrage” (559). In order for Penelope to keep peace until Odysseus returns she has to come up with a clever plan to keep the suitors from completely taking over. For almost 2 years Penelope was able to keep the suitors from getting out of hand by saying she will find someone to marry and replace Odysseus after she is d...
She is loyal, having waited for Odysseus for twenty years, not remarrying, though she thought he was gone for good. She also plays a much more active role in the marriage she has with Odysseus. Perhaps the most defining characteristics attributed to Penelope involve her role as a woman, in marriage and as a presumed “widow”. First, there seems to be a double standard, like described in Calypso’s case, between the loyalty of Penelope and the loyalty of Odysseus. Penelope is physically and emotionally loyal to Odysseus, while Odysseus is only emotionally loyal, meaning he has had sexual relations with other women within the twenty years he has been gone. During this time period in Greek culture, this was not frowned upon and was quite normal, suggesting that women were held to a different standard than men. In addition, as Penelope is presumed to be a widow, at least by the suitors, she is prized solely for her beauty. The suitors speak only of her beauty and none of her intelligence or of her personality or soul. This suggests that marriage was not always about love, and that women were judged and valued merely for their beauty. This idea further proves the act of sexualizing women during this
She is faithful to Odysseus for twenty years, devoted, and loving. Yet she is also strong, clever, and crafty. Penelope is so faithful, that she would rather die than never see Odysseus again, "How I wish chaste Artemis would give me a death so soft, and now, so I would not go on in my heart grieving all my life, and longing for love of a husband excellent in every virtue.” While some might consider this problematic, Penelope is faithful out of her Penelope devises brilliant plans to buy herself time for Odysseus to come home, such as her scheme with the loom and the contest she creates, which she knows only her husband can accomplish. Despite everything, Odysseus and Penelope have a strong relationship. When Odysseus is captured and tempted by Calypso in book five, he decides to go back home with Penelope. Calypso tries to change his mind, yet he says, “Don't be angry with me, please. All that you say is true, how well I know. Look at my wise Penelope. She falls far short of you, your beauty, stature.” This illustrates that Odysseus is truly in love with Penelope. He loves her for more than her looks and he doesn't mind if she isn´t more beautiful than Calypso or if she has gotten
In the ending chapters of The Odyssey Homer bring about many interesting points in which would bring us to believe that in fact Penelope had helped to slay the suitors. Penelope did not physically help to slay the suitors when Odysseus had been in the room killing them. It was Penelope’s actions leading up to this scene that may have helped Odysseus in his successful killing spree of the suitors. For the case of the argument we will discuss points in which it is believed that she had recognized him disguised as the old man, which gave her the ability to help Odysseus. On the other hand, the argument that she may have not recognized Odysseus would contribute us into believing that she did not help Odysseus to slay the suitors but that things
In Homer’s account, Odysseus is coming home to Ithaca from the Trojan War but along the way he faces many challenges and obstacles from the sea and land. Odysseus and his crews were held captive in a Cyclops cave, angered Poseidon, the god of the sea, trapped in island of sorceress Circe and had a few bad lucks and ended up seven more years as prisoners on Kalypso’s island. Penelope, on the other hand, is a faithful wife who waits for Odysseus to return home for 20 years despite having her house invaded by more than 100 suitors with one she has to marry. However on Ovid’s account, Penelope does not appear to be the heroine of epic but instead as the mournful lover. Both Homer and Ovid’s accounts have similarities on how Odysseus and Penelope are alike in their way of defending themselves against the enemy and that they refused to give up and their determination kept them focused on achieving their goal.
Odysseus and Penelope have a strong love towards one-another. Odysseus would not give up on fighting for eventually getting back to both Penelope and Ithaca. They are a married couple which is what makes them so much more attached and loyal to each other. Penelope has had many opportunities to re-marry after her husband left for 20 years. Odysseus also let down the opportunity on living an immortal life with a beautiful woman in order to make it back to his true love. An example of Penelope’s loyalty to Odysseus is that she rejects the many suitors that approach her for marriage because she believes that Odysseus is still alive somewhere and she remains loyal to their marriage. Before Odysseus left for the Trojan War, he told Penelope that if he did not return by the time their son, Telemachus, could grow a full beard, she must remarry at her own will. Penelope remains loyal to her marriage with Odysseus, even though Telemachus had grown a beard. QUOTE!! Odysseus’s’ loyalty...
However, his journey isn’t over yet. This last leg of Odysseus’s journey is perhaps the most important and crucial. Odysseus’s nurse and maidservant, Eurycleia is the first woman in Ithaca to know that Odysseus is back after she recognizes the scar on his leg while she is washing him. Eurycleia vows to keep his identity a secret. Odysseus’s wife, Penelope has stayed faithful to Odysseus for all the years that he was gone. Penelope was consistently unweaving her web to the delay the suitors. The reader even grows sympathetic for Penelope as “we see her struggle to make the virtuous choice about her marriage, despite pressures from her suitors, her son’s endangered situation, and her own uncertainty about Odysseus’s survival” (Foley ). Finally, Odysseus reveals his identity and Penelope is bewildered, but quickly embraces her husband after he tells her the secret of their immovable bed. It is the faithfulness of Penelope and nurse Eurycleia that insures Odysseus’s survival to the very end.
One important characteristic that Penelope and Odysseus share is their loyalty to each other. Odysseus failed to return home seven years after the Trojan war. Because he is assumed dead, 108 wealthy noblemen and princes invade his palace and refuse to leave until Penelope has married one of them. By marrying her, the suitors hope to gain control over Odysseus’s wealth and power. However, Penelope remains faithful to Odysseus. But, as a woman, she is powerless to remove the suitors from the palace. And without a man in the household, she is subject to her father’s decisions. However, despite his wish for her to remarry, Penelope clings to the hope of Odysseus’s return and remains faithful to him. She waits and gathers information by asking strangers who arrive in Ithaca about Odysseus. She goes through the stories of their encounter point by point, and asks about every detail while tears stream down her eyes. Although the suitors promise her a secure future, Penelope continues to wait for Odysseus. Without Odysseus, she does not believe that she will ever be happy again.
From all the above we see that Penelope reflects successfully the faithful wife, the strong woman, the responsible woman the woman who cares about herself. She is loyal both to the principles of the palace and the principles of those times. During Odysseu's absence she continued to perform the duties expected of her very well and that is the reason, I believe that she managed to achieve the best reputation for Odysseus and herself, even though woman's role was restricted at that time. Like I always say behind evey great man there stands a greater woman.
Although women are one of his weaknesses, Odysseus does not get distracted by the offerings of luxury and immortality offered to him by women throughout his journey, that could interfere with his dedication to get home. The women he meets are beautiful and have many wonderful pleasures to offer to Odysseus but he is still looking forward to reuniting with his wife, Penelope. The women that he meets are both wealthy morals and immortals who will provide Odysseus a life of lavishness. However, he gives it all up for the true adoration he has for Penelope. Odysseus was unsure of how faithful Penelope was to him while he was at war in Troy but he was still willing to come back for her and risk his life doing so. The love that bonds Odysseus with Penelope was strong because he was faithful to Penelope even though he had been away for a long period of time.
The first major female character that is introduced in this epic is Penelope. Penelope is the wife of Odysseus, and the mother of Telemachus. She is portrayed as a strong-willed widow, who even after not seeing Odysseus for twenty years, keeps her trust in her