Especially considering Foley's half-page presentation and interpretation of Carol Gilligan's feminist theory, it seems as though she is simply trying to fill up space. In the first place, a modern feminist theorist would have little or no bearing on classical interpretations of gender roles influencing decision-making because of the inherent differences in cultures and historical contexts in which each author is writing. More than likely, Gilligan did not have Penelope in mind when she came to her own conclusions on how men differ from women in making decisions. Foley says it herself that "Gilligan's distinctions...are not applicable in any simple sense to the Odyssey" because of "the formulaic nature of oral epic (Foley 107)." In other words, the inherent structure of an epic poem necessitates using recurring language in describing thought processes in decision-making because of the need to retain syllable count, etc. Her point here is somewhat redundant because she is simply restating what she writes on page ninety-five:

In addition, I cannot but be aware of the fact that there is little direct comparison between Homer's epic poem and the outside works Foley uses, and especially by Aristotle. In fact, whenever she does make a direct comparison is when she discounts the relevance of the outside source. One of the few times the philosophies of Aristotle and Homer are referred to in the same sentence is when she says, "A closer look at Aristotle's assumptions about women as moral agents, however, makes clear that one cannot generalize so easily from Oedipus to Penelope" (Foley 93). Additionally, on page 99, she resists using the term kurios or guardianship (one she used to determine Classical Athenian opinion about women's roles in decision-making) because the passages "raise serious doubt about the exact parameters involved in male guardianship of a wife in the Odyssey." Another (and more constructive) example of when the philosophy of Aristotle and the depiction by Homer of women and their roles and responsibilities in society is on page 108 in the last sentence of her essay:

On the surface at least, the Odyssey's women are [sic] endowed with the same moral capacities [sic] as men...The same formulas are used to describe the way [men and women] reason about questions of strategy or moral dilemmas. The thumos (heart) of both sexes can be deliberate, be divided, and then decide in a rational fashion that one alternative is better than another.

These expectations of Penelope in her decision-making aside, it is important to realize what Penelope has been told and/or believes to be true. This is a fact that I felt was ignored in Foley's essay. She does mention this fact on page 101 when she says that "critics have argued that because Penelope has received repeated signs that Odysseus' return is imminent, her decision to remarry is both ill-timed and an inadvertent betrayal of her husband" (Foley 101). However she refutes this view by saying that this point comes as a result of a focus on "the narrative context in which her choice is made" (Foley 101). Personally, I cannot see the value in this argument. The validity of Penelope's verbal admissions, in my opinion, cannot be ignored. I would argue that Penelope is much more intelligent and aware than most critics give her credit for.

I would also contradict Foley when she says that Penelope puts her fate into male hands but does so in a way that ensures him to be like her former husband (Foley 104). To that, I say that she is ensuring the winner to be her husband or none other. It cannot be ignored that the text indicates that only Odysseus would ever be able to accomplish the task Penelope sets before the suitors. Even Eumaios, a suitor, admits, "I do not think/ that this well-positioned bow can ever be strung so easily./ There is no man among the lot of us who is such a one/ as Odysseus used to be" (Homer 21.91-94). Surely, the wife of the godlike O

Some common words found in the essay are:
Classical Athenian, Foley Gilligan's, Ithaka Homer, Politics Greek, Pallas Athene, Troy Homer, Odysseus Homer, Hades Greek, Foley Penelope, Aristotle Hippocrates, outside texts, moral agent, classical athenian, direct comparison, question fidelity, assumptions women moral, decision mother, penelope's remarriage, husband foley, set aristotle, introductory paragraph, odyssey outside texts, women moral agents,
Approximate Word count = 3023
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)