In the odyssey how is penelope a hero

Penelope, like Odysseus is quick minded and cleverly manipulates the people in the palace to get what she wants, showing she is a classical hero. Although being mentally strong, compassionate, and clever are classic traits of a hero Penelope did not necessarily overcome any trials like a classical hero.

It was simply something she had to do because her husband left for a long journey. But with much implication of her journey over the 20 years Odysseus was gone, Penelope acquired the traits of a classic hero by learning to run the palace and all the people. Throughout the years she learned to be strong, to keep her genuine compassion, and to be a clever thinker in order to stay in control.

The classical hero is easily described as a strong champion, a compassionate rescuer, someone who overcomes all. Most of her journey is implied but her heroism shines through when Odysseus returns. Although she did not overcome trials that the audiences are use to hearing about, her display of traits such as strength dealing with the people of the palace, her compassion for the beggar, and her cleverness to get Odysseus out in the open, prove that Penelope is also a classical hero.

This is a nicely organized, coherent argument. You choose good quotes to support your points, and you present an alternative perspective that tempers your main argument well. You are commenting using your WordPress.

You are commenting using your Google account. You are commenting using your Twitter account. You are commenting using your Facebook account. Notify me of new comments via email. Notify me of new posts via email. Skip to content. Ruth Benander English Literature 01 Oct Penelope: A Traditional Hero A classic hero would often be described as a strong champion, a compassionate rescuer who cleverly defies all odds and comes out on top.

Share this: Twitter Facebook. Like this: Like Loading October 3, at am. For this reason, Odysseus, Telemachus, and Athena often prefer to leave her in the dark about matters rather than upset her.

Athena often comes to her in dreams to reassure or comfort her, for Penelope would otherwise spend her nights weeping in her bed. Though her love for Odysseus is unyielding, she responds to the suitors with some indecision. She never refuses to remarry outright. Instead, she puts off her decision and leads them on with promises that she will choose a new husband as soon as certain things happen.

Her astute delaying tactics reveal her sly and artful side. The notion of not remarrying until she completes a burial shroud that she will never complete cleverly buys her time. Similarly, some commentators claim that her decision to marry whomever wins the archery contest of Book 21 results from her awareness that only her husband can win it. Some even claim that she recognizes her husband before she admits it to him in Book Ace your assignments with our guide to The Odyssey!

In writing The Penelopiad, she felt she was able to answer those questions. She wanted. The two main heroes of the Greeks were Achilles and Odysseus, from the two great Epic poems.

After reading The Odyssey, it left Atwood with more questions than answers about the maids and Penelope. Atwood waned to explore the poem from a female perspective. Atwood found many inconstancies in the story of the maids which she wanted to explore. Margaret Atwood said.

When Homer wrote The Odyssey, it seems that his intention was to make Odysseus the hero. There are certainly parts of him that are heroic, and he does exemplify some of the most important Greek values. But, there is someone worthy of that title.

There is someone who exemplified. Characters such as Penelope, Athene, Circe and Calypso are developed into varied and stimulating characters through the use of various stylistic and narrative features.

Homer uses the stylistic feature of epic similes to depict Penelope as a diverse and interesting character.