Penelope essay

If you order your research paper from our custom writing service you will receive a perfectly written assignment on Penelope essay. What we need from you is to provide us with your detailed paper instructions for our experienced writers to follow all of your specific writing requirements. Specify your order details, state the exact number of pages required and our custom writing professionals will deliver the best quality Penelope essay paper right on time.

Our staff of freelance writers includes over 120 experts proficient in Penelope essay, therefore you can rest assured that your assignment will be handled by only top rated specialists. Order your Penelope essay paper at affordable prices!

Essay Homer's Characterization of Penelope in the Odyssey

The role of women in Homer's Odyssey is very limited, as it concentrates mainly on the significance of male characters. Penelope's character proves to be the most independent female depicted in the poem that is largely dominated by males. Throughout the play Penelope maintains the ultimate mother imagery as she portrays both the mother and father figure for her son Telemachus. Penelope is also portrayed as a woman of her own making, whose intelligence proves that she the perfect partner for Odysseus. Penelope's character proves to be faithful as she continually defends her husband's reputation and resists the suitor's persistence to marry her. Amongst all the struggles and pain that Penelope succumbs to, her physical beauty never fades as she is admired strongly by Odysseus and the male suitors. Penelope was given a considerable role as a woman in the Odyssey, as she used her strong will and intelligence to help her husband maintain his power and authority when he returned home.

Penelope continues to demonstrate her great mother imagery throughout the entire poem, as she continually shows her strong love and emotion for her son and at the same time educates him to act as his father would. Penelope's emotions take over her as she is overcome by emotion due to Telemachus' secret expedition to find news about his father. Penelope was overwhelmed by the anguish that racked her. She could not even bear to sit in one of the many chairs in her apartment, but sank down on the threshold of her lovely room weeping bitterly(Book 4. 715-0). The reaction of Penelope to Telemachus' expedition shows that as a mother, she becomes very emotionally distraught and fears that the worst may happen to her son that she cares for so deeply. Penelope shows that she is a mother that worries heavily about her son and will not be able to concentrate fully until she knows that her son is out of harms way. Penelope not only shows her strong emotions from her son's departure with tears but also denies herself from food and drink as she is longing for the safe homecoming of her son Telemachus. Wise Penelope lay there in her upper room, without touching food or drink, wondering whether her innocent son would escape death or fall victim to her brutal suitors. Doubts and fears chased through her mind as they do a lions when he finds himself surrounded by the beater and stands in terror as they close in (Book 4. 788-). Penelope deprives herself of food and drink because the concern for her son causes her to be so distraught that she cannot even take part in her daily rituals. Although she is filled with painful emotions and sorrow she confronts the suitors out of respect and love for her son, demanding that they put an end to their schemes to kill Telemachus. Odysseus at whose expense you are living free, whose wife you are courting, and whose son you are prepared to kill… You are causing me great anguish… I command you now to put and end to all this and make the rest obey you! (Book 4. 718-1). Penelope demonstrates great strength as a mother, as she can push aside her tears and carry herself strongly in order to confront the suitors and demand that they put an end to their plans to kill her son. Penelope allows herself to be overcome with passion as her son returns home safely from his journey. And now the wise Penelope came our from her room, looking like Artemis or golden Aphrodite, and dissolved in tears as she threw her arms around her sons neck…Your back Telemachus, light of my eyes!(Book.) The return of Telemachus demonstrates the strong connection Penelope has with her son. This is shown when Penelope transforms from a weeping mother occupied to a beautiful goddess crying tears of joy at the sight of her son. The great mother imagery of Penelope goes beyond her emotions and care for her son's well being as she also educates him to follow in the steps of wise and honorable Odysseus. Penelope steps up to her son and belies him for the treatment of the beggar. Telemachus she said, Your sense and judgment aren't what they were. As a boy you used to have much greater shrewdness, but now you have grown up and entered manhood…Look what has just happened in this shall, you allowed this visitor of ours to be shamefully treated (Book 18. 15-). Penelope confronts Telemachus for allowing such inappropriate treatment of the beggar to occur in their home. Penelope acknowledges her sons actions and talks with him to show him that his actions were neither honorable nor acceptable. This shows that Penelope is a mother who cares deeply for her son and is not submissive when he acts unacceptably.

Penelope is also portrayed as a woman of her own making, using her craftiness and intelligence to deal with problems and situations that arise. These qualities show that Penelope is the perfect match for Odysseus who also exudes the same qualities. Intelligence is the most apparent characteristic seen in Penelope's character. The suitors often refer to Penelope as Kerdea, a Greek word that usually refers to cunning intelligence and is associated with a fox or a skilled thief. Meanwhile they are pressing me to name my wedding day and I have to devise tricks to deceive them (Book 1. 14-). Penelope shows that she uses her intelligence and craftiness to avoid having to choose a suitor that allows her husband to maintain his power and authority while he is gone. Penelope devised a trick that kept the suitors at bay for almost four years. So by the day I used to weave a great web but every night I had torches set beside it and undid the work. For three years I took them on by this strategy until my maids caught me(Book 1. 14-55). Penelope fooled the suitors with her intelligence by telling the suitors that she will not wed until she has finished weaving a shroud for Laertes, her father in law. Penelope had undid all her work every night before she went to bed, and it took three years for the suitors to catch on to her scheme. Penelope continues demonstrate her cleverness when she brings upon the challenge of the axes. I shall now place the great bow of godlike Odysseus in front of you. Whoever strings the bow most easily and shoots an arrow through all twelve axes, with that man I will go (Book 1. 7-8). Penelope is in a position where she no longer has a reason to postpone her selection of a suitor, so she devices the challenge of the axes knowing that only Odysseus himself can string the bow and precisely hit all twelve points. This shows that like Odysseus, Penelope uses her intellect and craftiness to solve a situation that arises. The suitors parents themselves recognize Penelope's great intelligence as they talk with Telemachus about sending his mother away to marry. She must be aware of trying our young men's patience much further and counting to much on matchless gifts that she owes to Athene, her skill in handicraft, her excellent brain, and the genius she has for getting her way. In that respect I grant she has no equal, not even in story (Book . 115-0). Antinous talks of Penelope as if she is beyond a goddess, excelling not only as a housewife but has the intelligence of a goddess or nymph, using her craftiness to get her way.

Penelope's character proves to be extremely loyal and faithful to Odysseus as she continually defends her husband's reputation and resists the suitor's persistence in courting her to be their wife. Penelope's faithfulness is well known to all people as her fame has spread throughout Ithaca and the heavens. This is shown by Agamemnon who states, There is no trusting women (Book 11. 455-6). Although his view of women has been misconstrued due to the deceptiveness of his own wife, he still appears to have much respect for the loyal Penelope. Odysseus of many virtues, you won a wife endowed with great virtue. How good what proved that is in blameless Penelope…and how well she remembered Odysseus her wedded husband(Book 4. 1-6). Agamemnon spoke these words after the suitors are led to their position in the underworld. This shows that even a man such as Agamemnon who was deceived by his wife, sees that Penelope has proven herself to be the opposite of Clytaemnestra. Penelope shows her great faithfulness and loyalty to Odysseus by staying away from the suitor's lust to marry her. She seldom shows herself to the suitors in the hall, but keeps away from them and works in her loom in her room upstairs. By doing this Penelope shows that she would rather be alone then be unfaithful to Odysseus. This action also shows that her main concern is Odysseus' return home. Penelope also proves her faithfulness by continually boasting her husband's fame in public, most often in front of the suitors. As dear as he, do I long whenever I am reminded of my husband whose fame goes through Hellas and mid most Argos (Book 1. 4-45). Penelope continues to make comments such as, I lost a husband with a heart of a lion among the Donians surpassed in all virtues(Book 1. 56-7). In this way, Penelope reinforces her husband's authority and keeps his reputation great, proving her loyalty and love of her husband to the suitors.

Although Penelope has a life full of pain and distress, her physical beauty never fades away with that pain as her beauty is admired throughout the land. Throughout Homer's poem Penelope look are often related to those of a goddess, The wise Penelope now came down from her apartment to look like Artemis or a golden Aphrodite(Book 1. 5-4). In the Odyssey Penelope's character is continually described using a goddess such as Artemis and Aphrodite, showing that her beauty is beyond the beauty of an average woman. The suitors are often filled with great feelings of lust when Penelope presents herself to them, The suitors went weak in the knees. Their hearts melted with desire, and every man amongst them voiced a prayer that he might sleep with her (Book 18. 1-15). Penelope's beauty proves to be breathtaking as shown by the suitors who cannot control their desires at the sight of her. Penelope's beauty is also shown by the suitors who comment on their chance to go elsewhere to find a suitable bride. Yet they continue their stay in hopes that they will marry the incomparable Penelope. Meanwhile we stay, instead of each seeking a suitable bride, we feed our hopes from day to day on the thought of the incomparable prize for which we are competing (Book . 05-8). The suitors continue to wait for the chance to marry Penelope because no other bride can be compared to the beauty and wit of Penelope.

Penelope's character proves to be the most independent female in Homer's Odyssey, a poem that is largely concentrated on the significance of male charachters. Penelope's strong bond with Telelmachus gives the reader a strong mother imagery, as she shows great passion for her son. Penelope is also portrayed as a woman with cunning intelligence that exemplifies her strong connection with Odysseus. Penelope's character proves to be loyal and faithful to Odysseus while he is away from home by resisting the suitors who were competing to have her hand in marriage. Throughout all the difficulties and anguish that Penelope experiences, her physical beauty never fades as she is often described as a goddess. Penelope was given a considerable role as a woman in the Odyssey, as she used her strong will and intelligence to help her husband maintain his power and authority when he returned home.

 

Please note that this sample paper on Penelope essay is for your review only. In order to eliminate any of the plagiarism issues, it is highly recommended that you do not use it for you own writing purposes. In case you experience difficulties with writing a well structured and accurately composed paper on Penelope essay, we are here to assist you. Your persuasive essay on Penelope essay will be written from scratch, so you do not have to worry about its originality.

Order your authentic assignment and you will be amazed at how easy it is to complete a quality custom paper within the shortest time possible!