1Penelope
In Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey, Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, is highly significant and represents the epitome of the Greek ideal, because she embodies the "ideal wife." Penelope embodies the "ideal" wife, because she conforms to the ideals of her society. The ideals of her society include, tremendous will power, faithfulness, honor, sadness, helplessness and long suffering. Penelope's husband, Odysseus, has been exiled for 20 years, since he left home to fight in the Trojan War. Penelope has tremendous will power and is intensely faithful to Odysseus, despite his absence. In his absence, she anxiously awaits his homecoming and preserves her honor. However, she is sad and helpless, and has experienced long suffering. She incessantly dwells on his memory and is very solitary. Penelope embodies the "ideal" wife, because she conforms to the ideals of her society and remains faithful to her husband Odysseus. Penelope has tremendous will power and is intensely faithful to Odysseus, despite his absence. In his absence, she anxiously awaits his homecoming and preserves her honor. However, she is sad and helpless, and has experienced long suffering. She incessantly dwells on his memory and is very solit
ary. For example, when the minstrel sings of the homecoming of the Akhaians, Penelope, who "heeded" the song, is reminded of Odysseus, and comes down with a "veil" over her face, from her "high room," and "through her tears," urges the minstrel to cease his song. She tells him that the song, "wears my heart away. It opens in me again the wound of longing for one incomparable, ever in my mind (Book I)." In this passage, Penelope shows the qualities of tremendous will power, faithfulness, honor, sadness, helplessness and long suffering. She exhibits these qualities because she stays with Odysseus. The fact that she wears a veil around the palace, indicates that she is sad and helpless and in mourning for her husband. The veil places a wall between her mourning for her husband and reality. She uses a veil as a device to block out reality and concentrate on her qualities. The fact that she comes down from her "high room," is another example of this device. Penelope cries and tells the minstrel to stop his song, because she wants to concentrate on her will power, faithfulness, honor and staying with Odysseus. She does not want to face reality and see that Odysseus is absent. She asks the minstrel to stop hi
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Approximate Word count = 814
Approximate Pages = 3 (250 words per page double spaced)
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