Nadhrah Bte Zainalabiden (A0157239X)

EN2201: Introduction to Western Literature

Penelope: The Uncredited Heroine

In The Odyssey, Penelope is portrayed as a distraught wife, lamenting over the loss of her
husband and very obviously expresses her distress over it throughout the book. This relatively
passive depiction of Penelope as a moping wife is one that can be argued to be a cursory
interpretation of her character as a deeper observation may unveil Penelope’s noble and
courageous attributes that argues against her character purely being a submissive female figure.
Therefore, this essay purports that while Penelope appears to be a passive and traditionally
feminine figure on a superficial level, it is undeniable that her character is one that is complex
and fraught with substance as her intellect appears to emulate that of her heroic husband,
Odysseus, suggesting to readers that she is not merely an accessory to Odysseus’ valourous self.
Through the adoption of a gendered lens, this essay will explore how Penelope is in fact a
heroine who acts to the best of her ability to defend Ithaca in a highly masculine and
male-dominated environment.

Penelope’s continued grief over Odysseus’ absence can superficially be seen as a mark of
weakness on her part, painting her out to be a stereotypical damsel in distress who merely plays
the accompanying role to the main hero. Contrary to this however, it is Penelope’s persistent
anguish that reveals her unyielding loyalty to Odysseus and enables her to indirectly prevent
Ithaca from collapsing. Penelope’s sentiment regarding her husband’s absence is relayed through
her wish to be “Shot by Artemis” so that “(she) still might go and see amid the shades Odysseus
in the rot of the underworld” (377), indicating her commendable and courageous desire to give
her life up rather than to give in to the suitors and continue on without her husband. Her ability to
remain loyal to Odysseus, seen from her desire to “see amid the shades Odysseus in the rot of the
underworld” (377) coupled with her tenacious refusal to capitulate to the men terrorising Ithaca
hints at Penelope’s limited, yet still existing agency. This accentuates her undying fidelity to her
husband which motivates and strengthens her willpower to avoid relenting to the men. The
jarring phrase “in the rot of the underworld” (377) underscores the gravity of choosing death
over becoming an unwilling wife, further aggravated by the term “rot” which implies the
unfavourable nature of death. Yet, her longing for death over acceding to the suitors simply
amplifies her gallant spirit, supporting the argument that Penelope is not solely a docile
character. This awareness is also reflected in her lambaste of the suitors as she calls them out for
“(having) no good repute in this realm, nor the faintest hope of it”, labelling them “men who
abused a prince’s house for years...Shame enough” (401), proving that Penelope is not a passive
character, but a vocal character against the unjust actions of the suitors. The praise given to
Penelope as a “valiant wife” who is “true to her husband’s honor and her own...mistress of her
own heart” (451), shows how Penelope is a character worthy of her praise for enduring the
challenges that have plagued Ithaca in her own way, as long as Odysseus himself was gone. The
reiteration of the word “own” emphasises yet again, Penelope’s agency and individuality.
Therefore, Penelope’s unwavering loyalty is a significant factor in averting Ithaca’s end and
complete destruction as it stops her and toughens her from giving in to the suitors. As Beth
Cohen herself says in “Female Representations and Interpreting the Odyssey”, “the ‘excellence’
that leads to such glory is redefined to refer not to supremacy in battle, but to the mental
toughness and faithfulness illustrated by Penelope ‘remembering’ Odysseus” (23), reinforcing
Penelope’s character as a consequential heroine that plays as much the part of Ithaca’s saviour as
Odysseus.

Penelope’s enduring devotion to her husband is not the only oblique way in which she helped
sustain Ithaca. Her guile, that can easily match that of Odysseus’, also demonstrates her active
yet cunning manner of safeguarding Ithaca, perhaps levelling her heroism with Odysseus.
Readers become aware of “an instance of her trickery” where she requested for the suitors to “let
(her) finish (her) weaving before (she) marries” only for her to “(weave) on the great loom” and
then “every night by torchlight...(unweave) it” (22), displaying her wily characteristic that gives
her an advantage over the suitors in a non-physical manner. The repetition of the term “weaving”
also foregrounds Penelope’s intricate way of scheming the enemies so as to halt the fall of Ithaca,
painting her out to be a supplemental heroine figure in The Odyssey that contributes to Ithaca’s
survival rather than a mere acquiescent damsel in distress. The fact that “for three years she
deceived the Akhaians” (22) further elevates her as a respectful and valiant character who
actively does her best to fight against the unwarranted attack on Ithaca, just as her own heroic
husband continuously struggles to return home to restore peace and justice. The equating of
Penelope’s cunning weaving to Odysseus journey is perfectly encapsulated by [so & so] who
makes the parallel that Penelope’s course of approaching and distancing herself from remarriage
through weaving and unraveling also echoes the very meandering of Odysseus’ return home”
(338). Her steadfastness to uphold Ithaca can also be witnessed even nearing the end when the
suitors’ persistence becomes overwhelming as she tells them to “Bend and string (Odysseus’
hunting bow) if (they) can” (393), exhibiting her final effort to hold off the suitors. The use of
the ambiguous and non-absolute term “if” stresses her knowledge that none of the suitors could
possibly fulfill her request, again uncovering her attempts to restrain the suitors from ensuring
the collapse of Ithaca. The adoption of the diction “dream” and absolute term “only” in her
promise to the man who can string Odysseus’ bow and arrow of “join(ing) (her) life with
his...though (she) dream(s) it only” (393) also exposes her understanding that only Odysseus is
able to string the bow and arrow as they hint at the impossibility of the suitors to execute her
request, that it is “only” possible in a “dream” due to the unrealistic nature of her requisition. The
idea that she “dream(s) it only” (393) also underlines her resolute opposition against the suitors,
proving her dogged determination to withstand the trials that have overcome Ithaca as she
repudiates the victory of the men.

Cohen’s description in “Female Representations and Interpreting the Odyssey” that “Penelope,
by contrast, becomes a virtually equal, second hero of the poem, along with Odysseus” therefore
epitomises Penelope as a dauntless heroine whose faithfulness and guile play a critical role in
guarding and fortifying Ithaca from complete destruction. Penelope’s constant lamentation over
her husband’s absence coupled with her lack of physical defiance can erroneously be interpreted
as her playing a meek and inactive part, serving as an extension to Odysseus so as to play up his
heroic character. However it is in her very lack of physical contention that the readers become
illuminated over her circuitous role in saving Ithaca, thus making her as much of a hero figure as
Odysseus in The Odyssey.

(1196 words)
 Works Cited
Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Robert Fitzgerald, Vintage Publishing, 2007.
Cohen, Beth. “Female Representations and Interpreting the Odyssey”. The Distaff Side:
Representing the Female in Homer’s Odyssey. Oxford University Press, 1995, pp. 17-26.
Lowenstam, Steven. “The Shroud of Laertes and Penelope’s Guile”. The Classical Journal, Vol.
95, No. 4, 2000, pp. 333-348.