Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, translated by Allen Mandelbaum, is about Odysseus journey back home after the Trojan War and all the obstacles that he has to overcome in order to get back. Penelope wife of Odysseus long awaits his return and is seen as the perfect wife and one who sets high standards for loyalty. She does not care how much she suffers in waiting for him to come home she avoids marriage in any way she possibly could. When the suitors invade their house at Ithaca they demand and ask to marry Penelope, but she does not want to marry them because she believes Odysseus is alive and will come back.
Antinous blamed the impasse on Penelope because he believed that she was seducing the suitors, but would not commit to one. Penelope …show more content…
Penelope's maid goes and tells her that Odysseus is back and even though she sees him later on with her own eyes, she stays in disbelief because she feels like the gods are playing a trick on her. In book 23, Penelope tells her maid, “Yes, Eurycleia, prepare the sturdy bedstead for him now outside the solid bridal room that he himself constructed; carry out the bed, and over it throw cloaks, bright blankets, fleece ”,(462-463 line 20-27) because if it really is him he can tell her all the details about their bed. He reacted exactly as she thought he would because he was confused on how they were able to move the bed since he knew it could not be moved.
If Penelope was not a devoted wife and mother she would not have stayed loyal to Odysseus even if he was gone for so long. Throughout the book she demonstrates her loyalty to Odysseus by avoiding marriage to one of the suitors for four years by coming up with the excuse of weaving the shroud for her father in law. Even though the suitors get frustrated because they believe she is just seducing them, but will not commit she does not give in, instead says she will test
Antinous blamed the impasse on Penelope because he believed that she was seducing the suitors, but would not commit to one. Penelope …show more content…
Penelope's maid goes and tells her that Odysseus is back and even though she sees him later on with her own eyes, she stays in disbelief because she feels like the gods are playing a trick on her. In book 23, Penelope tells her maid, “Yes, Eurycleia, prepare the sturdy bedstead for him now outside the solid bridal room that he himself constructed; carry out the bed, and over it throw cloaks, bright blankets, fleece ”,(462-463 line 20-27) because if it really is him he can tell her all the details about their bed. He reacted exactly as she thought he would because he was confused on how they were able to move the bed since he knew it could not be moved.
If Penelope was not a devoted wife and mother she would not have stayed loyal to Odysseus even if he was gone for so long. Throughout the book she demonstrates her loyalty to Odysseus by avoiding marriage to one of the suitors for four years by coming up with the excuse of weaving the shroud for her father in law. Even though the suitors get frustrated because they believe she is just seducing them, but will not commit she does not give in, instead says she will test