The Penelopiad By: Margaret Atwood
• Introduction
Story of Odysseus’ return to home country, Ithaca, best known from Homer’s Odyssey.
Absent from Ithaca for 20 years, half of those years said to be fighting in Trojan War, the other half slaying monster, sleeping with goddess’s etc.
Penelope daughter of Icarus of Sparta and cousin of Helen of Troy.
Penelope thought to be faithful to Odysseus.
• Introduction
Story of Odysseus’ return to home country, Ithaca, best known from Homer’s Odyssey.
Absent from Ithaca for 20 years, half of those years said to be fighting in Trojan War, the other half slaying monster, sleeping with goddess’s etc.
Penelope daughter of Icarus of Sparta and cousin of Helen of Troy.
Penelope thought to be faithful to Odysseus.
• Chapter 1 A Low Art (pg. 14)
Told from the perspective of Penelope after her death, she knows everything now that she is dead (wishes she didn’t?).
Arrive in the underworld with a sack filled with everything you have said, everything said about you, and words you’ve heard.
Penelope’s sack filled with words about her husband
Odysseus used in tricks and lies on Penelope even though she was faithful.
Penelope has waited through all the various renditions of The Odyssey? To finally tell her story in The Penelopaid.
Told from the perspective of Penelope after her death, she knows everything now that she is dead (wishes she didn’t?).
Arrive in the underworld with a sack filled with everything you have said, everything said about you, and words you’ve heard.
Penelope’s sack filled with words about her husband
Odysseus used in tricks and lies on Penelope even though she was faithful.
Penelope has waited through all the various renditions of The Odyssey? To finally tell her story in The Penelopaid.
-
Chapter 2 A Rope Jumping Rhyme ( pg. 56)
Poem told from the perspective of the 12 maids killed by being hung by Odysseus after
his return.
-
Chapter 3 – My Childhood (pg. 712)
Mother was a Naiad, born semidivine.
Father, Icarus of Sparta, ordered Penelope to be thrown into the sea possibly because of an oracle said she would weave her fathers shroud.
Naiad’s element is water, purplestripped duck saved her from drowning.
Nick named “duck” from then on.
-
Chapter 5 – Asphodel (pg. 1522)
“The gloomy halls of Hades”, Penelope in the underworld. -The dead can go on “outings” by the sacrifice of an animal people can talk to whomever they wish, through dreams, and being conjured by a magician. -Magicians conjure up Helen rather the Penelope. -Helen didn’t get punished when she died like most did for driving men mad in lust and causing the destruction of Troy.
• Chapter 6 – My Marriage (pg. 2338)
Marriages were only for the important people.
There were contests to see who would marry the women.
Penelope not sure to this day why her father threw her into the ocean.
Every time she sees him in the Asphodel (light part of the underworld) her father
hurries away.
Sacrifice to the God of the sea??
Odysseus was never expected to win Penelope’s hand in marriage.
Contest was a race (varies in different places).
Odysseus was one of Helen’s suitors but didn’t win the
competition.
Odysseus cheated and one race.
Penelope’s Uncle, Helen’s father, gave wine to competitors to slow them down, and gave Odysseus a potion to make him fast.
Helped Odysseus win as payment for ensuring the Helen had wedding.
Both Penelope and Odysseus described as being “CLEVER”.
Marriages were only for the important people.
There were contests to see who would marry the women.
Penelope not sure to this day why her father threw her into the ocean.
Every time she sees him in the Asphodel (light part of the underworld) her father
hurries away.
Sacrifice to the God of the sea??
Odysseus was never expected to win Penelope’s hand in marriage.
Contest was a race (varies in different places).
Odysseus was one of Helen’s suitors but didn’t win the
competition.
Odysseus cheated and one race.
Penelope’s Uncle, Helen’s father, gave wine to competitors to slow them down, and gave Odysseus a potion to make him fast.
Helped Odysseus win as payment for ensuring the Helen had wedding.
Both Penelope and Odysseus described as being “CLEVER”.
• Chapter 7 – The Scar (pg.3949)
a peaceful
Wedding feast
Penelope’s Naiad mother attended her wedding
Odysseus tells Penelope to scream in pain to pretend to have had sex after their wedding and then take the time to become friends.
Odysseus’s grandfather claimed to be the son of Hermes, a God who cheated, stole, and lied.
Perhaps where Odysseus got these characteristics?
He has a scar on his thigh, from a boar while retrieving gifts promised to him at birth from Mount Parnassus.
Penelope suspects that his grandfather had something to do with it since no one
else was injured.
Penelope feels connection to Odysseus; both were almost destroyed in youth by family members.
Odysseus takes Penelope away from Sparta to his homeland, Ithaca.
Worried why Odysseus is always thinking about Helen.
Act doesn’t work when they threaten their son, Odysseus runs to get him showing that he knows
who he is.
Penelope learns how to run a palace on her own is husband’s absence and parentsinlaw
increasing age.
*Back to retelling of life* Suitors came when they felt there was no hope in Odysseus returning.
Penelope’s Naiad mother attended her wedding
Odysseus tells Penelope to scream in pain to pretend to have had sex after their wedding and then take the time to become friends.
Odysseus’s grandfather claimed to be the son of Hermes, a God who cheated, stole, and lied.
Perhaps where Odysseus got these characteristics?
He has a scar on his thigh, from a boar while retrieving gifts promised to him at birth from Mount Parnassus.
Penelope suspects that his grandfather had something to do with it since no one
else was injured.
Penelope feels connection to Odysseus; both were almost destroyed in youth by family members.
Odysseus takes Penelope away from Sparta to his homeland, Ithaca.
Chapter9–TheTrustedCackleHen (pg.5564)
Voyage from Sparta to Ithaca.
Growing attraction to Odysseus.
Arrive in Ithaca with maid father gave her as a wedding present.
Maid died not long after
Everyone looks up to Odysseus, and people come from far and wide to consult him to undo complicated knots.
Odysseus’s mother does not like/approve of Penelope.
Nurse teaches Penelope customs of Ithaca since motherinlaw will not.
Penelope has a son, Telemachus, and Odysseus says that Helen has not yet.
Voyage from Sparta to Ithaca.
Growing attraction to Odysseus.
Arrive in Ithaca with maid father gave her as a wedding present.
Maid died not long after
Everyone looks up to Odysseus, and people come from far and wide to consult him to undo complicated knots.
Odysseus’s mother does not like/approve of Penelope.
Nurse teaches Penelope customs of Ithaca since motherinlaw will not.
Penelope has a son, Telemachus, and Odysseus says that Helen has not yet.
Chapter 11 – Helen Ruins My Life (pg. 7180)
After making love Odysseus likes to talk and tell stories to Penelope.
When Telemachus was one Helen ran away with Paris from Troy.
Helen’s husband and brotherinlaw try to retrieve Helen from Troy with no success.
All swore an oath on a sacred horse so now Odysseus must sail to Troy to wage war to get Helen back.
Oath was Odysseus’s idea.
Penelope doesn’t want Odysseus to leave because she doesn’t want to be alone in the palace without any friends or allies.
Pretends to be crazy, not remembering who his son and Penelope are, to try and get out of fighting against Troy.
CLEVER idea was Penelope’s
After making love Odysseus likes to talk and tell stories to Penelope.
When Telemachus was one Helen ran away with Paris from Troy.
Helen’s husband and brotherinlaw try to retrieve Helen from Troy with no success.
All swore an oath on a sacred horse so now Odysseus must sail to Troy to wage war to get Helen back.
Oath was Odysseus’s idea.
Penelope doesn’t want Odysseus to leave because she doesn’t want to be alone in the palace without any friends or allies.
Pretends to be crazy, not remembering who his son and Penelope are, to try and get out of fighting against Troy.
CLEVER idea was Penelope’s
Chapter 12 – Waiting (pg.8192)
Ten years later and Penelope is still alone in Ithaca and Odysseus is fighting in the Trojan War. News travels about Odysseus’s involvement in the war, all his contribution are not of fighting but rather acts of cleverness.
Made wooden Trojan Horse.
Troy fell and the Greeks set sail for home, but Odysseus did not return.
Stories were told about the things he was doing.
Ten years later and Penelope is still alone in Ithaca and Odysseus is fighting in the Trojan War. News travels about Odysseus’s involvement in the war, all his contribution are not of fighting but rather acts of cleverness.
Made wooden Trojan Horse.
Troy fell and the Greeks set sail for home, but Odysseus did not return.
Stories were told about the things he was doing.
Chapter 14 – The Suitors Stuff Their Faces (pg.99 108)
Back in the present with Penelope in the underworld.
Back in the present with Penelope in the underworld.
Questions suitor why he wanted her when she was old enough to be his mother and getting fat by
that point.
-Reason was for the treasure of Sparta of course.
-Reason was for the treasure of Sparta of course.
Chapter 15 The Shroud (pg. 109 119)
Spends whole day in room, but not the room she shared with Odysseus. Weeps all day.
If Telemachus were to kill his mother to get his inheritance he would be haunted and die a horrible death raving madness.
Made a plan that she would not pick a suitor until she was done weaving a shroud in case of the death or her fatherinlaw.
Every night she would undo what she had done so that the shroud would never get any bigger.
Picked 12 young maids to help in her scheme.
One maid let the secret slip.
Instructed maids to get close to suitors to find out anything they could about them.
Some maids inevitably fell in love with the suitors.
Has a dreams where her mush older sister comes to her and says that Telemachus will return
Telemachus tells Penelope what she wants to hear, that Helen is looking old and wrinkly, though
she knows that her son is lying and she looks as gorgeous as ever.
Penelope set up a little surprise for Odysseus’s nurse to know it was him.
Asked his nurse to give beggar a bath and she noticed his scar.
Spends whole day in room, but not the room she shared with Odysseus. Weeps all day.
If Telemachus were to kill his mother to get his inheritance he would be haunted and die a horrible death raving madness.
Made a plan that she would not pick a suitor until she was done weaving a shroud in case of the death or her fatherinlaw.
Every night she would undo what she had done so that the shroud would never get any bigger.
Picked 12 young maids to help in her scheme.
One maid let the secret slip.
Instructed maids to get close to suitors to find out anything they could about them.
Some maids inevitably fell in love with the suitors.
Chapter 16 – Bad Dreams (pg.121 124)
Telemachus of age to order his mother, Penelope, around.
Telemachus sails around looking for father, Odysseus, and Penelope’s suitors plan to ambush and kill him upon his return since he has started standing up to them.
Penelope weeps.
Telemachus of age to order his mother, Penelope, around.
Telemachus sails around looking for father, Odysseus, and Penelope’s suitors plan to ambush and kill him upon his return since he has started standing up to them.
Penelope weeps.
Chapter 18 – News of Helen (pg. 127 133)
Penelope and Telemachus have a fight when he returns from his voyage.
Telemachus was told that Odysseus is trapped on an island with a goddess forced to make love with her every night.
Penelope and Telemachus have a fight when he returns from his voyage.
Telemachus was told that Odysseus is trapped on an island with a goddess forced to make love with her every night.
Chapter 19 – Yelp of Joy (pg.135 141)
Finally Penelope’s pray fro Odysseus to return is answered.
Finally Penelope’s pray fro Odysseus to return is answered.
Dressed in a disguise as a dirty old beggar.
No one but Penelope knew it was him, by his short legs.
No one but Penelope knew it was him, by his short legs.
Chapter 20 – Slanderous Gossip (pg.143 145)
Rumors that Penelope slept with a suitor.
Another that she slept with all the suitors, one after the other (over 100).
The maids haunt Odysseus is all his new lived, until he has an accident or commits suicide.
And the cycle continues.
Rumors that Penelope slept with a suitor.
Another that she slept with all the suitors, one after the other (over 100).
Chapter 23 – Odysseus and Telemachus Snuff the Maids (Pg.157 161)
Odysseus wins the bow and arrow competition, winning Penelope as his wife for the second time from the suitors.
He then killed all the suitors.
Made the 12 maids drags to bodies of the suitors outside (some of them loved some of the suitors) and clean up the gore.
Telemachus hangs all the maids in a row.
Odysseus wins the bow and arrow competition, winning Penelope as his wife for the second time from the suitors.
He then killed all the suitors.
Made the 12 maids drags to bodies of the suitors outside (some of them loved some of the suitors) and clean up the gore.
Telemachus hangs all the maids in a row.
No comments:
Post a Comment