The Importance of Penelope in The Odyssey

Blake Polizzi

English 3

Homer’s Odyssey translated by Robert Fagles is a powerful, world renowned poem. It

takes you on the journey of Odysseus as he struggles for twenty long, arduous years to make it

back home to Ithaca after the war at Troy. Within this epic story, Odysseus has a devout, loving

wife hopelessly awaiting his return in Ithaca. She spends her days anxiously pacing her room

thinking about her long lost husband. On top of this sorrow, Penelope has relentless suitors who

are doing everything in their power to marry her in order to take over the land in place of

Odysseus. Although Penelope may seem to just be the depressed wife waiting for the war hero to

come home, she is actually very tactical, and clever. For twenty years she manages to keep the

suitors waiting by using her quick-wittedness to manipulate them and buy more time. Penelope

is a historical figure exemplifying a strong, willful woman who does not fill the stereotype of the

typical housewife. Her constant astute delaying tactics and new ways to test her men throughout

the book reveal her sly and artful side and show how her intelligence always shines through no

matter how distraught she is over Odysseus’ absence.

While Odysseus was gone, Penelope’s duty was to keep Ithaca intact, which meant doing

everything in her power to stay loyal and strong and not marry any of the suitors. She had to be

very careful of who she interacted with and what information she revealed in order to not fall

into any trouble with the suitors. Fortunately, her ability to quickly come up with schemes and

tests helped her immensely throughout the story. When Penelope hears about the mysterious

beggar who has arrived on Ithaca may know some information about Odysseus, she immediately

wants to speak to him. Little does she know that the beggar is actually Odysseus in disguise. He
wants to comfort Penelope without revealing himself, so he assures her that he met Odysseus and

that he is alive and on his way home. Penelope, being understandably skeptical, tests the

“beggar.” She asks him many specific detailed questions that only one who has met Odysseus

could answer. He answers the questions well and very thoroughly, making Penelope weep. This

shows that although Penelope wants very much to hear about Odysseus and believe he is alive,

she knows she needs to keep her guard up and first ensure that the beggar is a trustworthy

person. During this encounter with the beggar, the reader can see Penelope’s brightness even at

her most vulnerable of times.

After Penelope’s long talk with the beggar she decides to hold a competition for the

suitors. She instructs them to all use Odysseus’ bow and arrow to try and shoot through all

twelve axes. She tells the suitors she will marry the one who can complete the challenge.

Everyone believes Penelope is finally making a decision, but the competition is merely another

one of her stalling schemes. She knows that only Odysseus has the sublime ability and skill to

shoot an arrow through twelve axes, so when all of the suitors failed she would not be forced to

marry one. Penelope’s clever strategies are simple yet very effective in keeping Ithaca intact and

out of the reach of the suitors.

Apart from Penelope’s convenient slick and cunning ways, she is also a very loyal and

respectful woman. She is determined to have a strong, love-filled marriage. When Odysseus

returns to Ithaca in disguise as a beggar, he finally reveals himself to Penelope after a few days

of being there. Since she had not seen him in twenty years, she was not sure if it was really him.

Penelope decided to test him. She ordered her maid to make up Odysseus' bed and move it from

their bedchamber into hall outside his room. Odysseus objected to this instruction because he

knew one of the bed posts were made from an olive tree as he designed it this way himself. He
told Penelope that it was impossible to be moved by a human. Penelope then realizes it really is

her long lost and beloved husband. Her test shows both her intelligence and her ongoing

marriage despite the hardships it had gone through. The fact that both she and Odysseus could

remember the small detail about the bed after twenty years of being apart exposes the strong

foundation and true love of their relationship.

While Odysseus is fighting to get home, Penelope is fighting to keep the home in one

piece, and she shows her vigor and power through this. Penelope is very poised and feminine but

at the same time is intelligent and crafty. She is a hero to the modern woman fighting for respect

from society and wanting to be seen as equal to men. The Odyssey shows its readers that behind

every great man is a great women.