Reading Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad
I came across The Penelopiad at a used book store in Cambridge. Before this, I had no idea what to expect with any sort of Odyssey-based books. I was set to take Classics 553, “How to find Home(r)” in the winter, in which I would be reading the Odyssey. I had already known the story of the Odyssey quite well, but I was hoping to expand my perspective on the poem. As one of the most famous works of poetry, the Odyssey has a cast of memorable characters that are constantly referenced in today’s literature. Modern authors create intricate backstories and elaborate on the characters readers know and love. There is something to be appreciated about these novels, as they can expand on a world that was underdeveloped in the Odyssey. The Penelopiad is one of these novels.
The Penelopiad, written by Margaret Atwood, details the life of Odysseus’s wife, Penelope, who is left at home as the queen of Ithaca. When Odysseus leaves for the Trojan War, Penelope has to grapple with ruling a country that has no respect for her. As Odysseus fails to come back quickly, a group of unlikeable suitors attempt to win her over. As they wait for her to choose one of them they consume everything the royal family has saved up. The Odyssey itself focuses on Odysseus’ journey home, but doesn’t delve into what Penlope thinks and feels — at least not in as much detail as The Penelopiad does.
As the author of novels like The Handmaid’s Tale there is no doubt that Margaret Atwood has a striking feminist voice in her writing. This works to illuminate the fates of the people who usually go unnoticed in the story of the Odyssey. Penelope is one example of a woman who gets overshadowed by the men in her story. We get to know how Penelope came to be the queen of Ithaca. She was first under control of her father until he planned her marriage. There was not a breath of freedom for her, even before she got married. Once she married Odysseus, she was expected to be under control of her husband as well as his family. Atwood describes the anguish of Penelope as she realizes how men have control over women and how women have control over other women. She struggles to maintain power as no one respects her voice. Even while Odysseus is gone, people don’t recognize her authority. Atwood also dives into the world of the maids who are subjected to such gendered authority. Maids have no control over their decisions, yet get punished as such. Specifically, Odysseus slaughters twelve maids once he returns because they slept with suitors. These maids did not have the power to give their consent freely; it was expected that they say yes, or else consequences could be severe. They do not have the power to make their own decisions, even when it comes to their own bodies. This social commentary has still left an impression on me, even months after reading this novella.
Atwood’s perspective on the value of deaths expands as Penelope describes her opinions on the Trojan War. She sees her cousin Helen as responsible for the Trojan war, which was not uncommon at the time. Does this mean that Helen is responsible for the countless deaths too? Penelope believes that she should be held responsible. Oddly enough, Helen sees it as her responsibility and thinks it as flattering. This moral difference helps draw a distinction between Penelope and other prominent characters of Greek Mythology. Giving Penelope such unique opinions also brings her to life as a relatable character. She is not blind to the injustices of war, and has to cope with her own personal struggles in a realistic way. She also does not glorify Odysseus as the wily and great hero that could do the impossible. Instead, Odysseus is described as a “Persuader of men and deluder of women”. This was never how Odysseus was described in the Odyssey, but it brings a new depth to his actions. This is one example of what Atwood does so well in this novella: she shies away from typical descriptions of characters and instead breathes them to life.
Atwood tackles this first person narrative (a challenge) with elegance. The writing is not unbelievable for the time period, and wasn’t at all difficult to comprehend. I do, however, feel the need to critique the grief portrayed in the novel as unsatisfactory for the reader. It lies in a middle ground between the decent attempt of the Odyssey and the pain of a heartbreaking novel. In an attempt to have beautiful poetic writing in the final chapters, the true sadness of Penelope gets overshadowed. I think if this novella had become a full novel the readers would be more satisfied.
Nevertheless, the short novella format makes this an easily accessible book for all Classics enthusiasts and Odyssey lovers. There is so much value to reading this that cannot be captured in the Odyssey. If you have the patience, read the Odyssey first and then The Penelopiad. It will fill the void that was left in the original poem, and be totally worth it.
-Karis Sarkisian ‘24
