The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Homer, is one of the best examples. Robert S. P. Beekes, Etymological Dictionary of Greek (Leiden: Brill, 2009), 1186; Pierre Chantraine, Dictionnaire tymologique de la langue grecque (Paris: Klincksieck, 1974), 3:897; cf. Thus in the Odyssey books 1 - 4 you will find several epithets including "bright eyed Athena" "sensible" Telemachus, "rosy fingered dawn" and "wise" Penelope. I will start with the narration delivered by Penelope herself, who is more explicit about the violent interruption of this strange process, which kept Odysseus's oikos together during the last four years of his absence. What's more, Odysseus' cunning is almost matched by the intelligence of his wife Penelope, who manages to remain loyal to Odysseus and stave off her suitors in his absence through trickery and cunning. How did Penelope characterize Helen in The Penelopiad? [23], When Penelope was of marriageable age, many suitors came to seek her hand. Penelope was the famous queen of Ithaca in Greek mythology, for Penelope was the wife of the Greek hero Odysseus. [31], With this information, Odysseus and Telemachus began plotting. From the Greek term that means "added," it is a useful literary or rhetorical device when describing a character for the reader. While Odysseus is gone, Penelope remains faithful to him. 2023. [2] This etymology may be related to the myth that Penelope was thrown into the sea as a baby and saved by ducks. The repeated use of a word or phrase for the same person, place, or object. At some points, she even wished for death: Would that pure Artemis would even now give so soft a death, that I might no more waste my life away with sorrow at heart, longing for the manifold excellence of my dear husband, for that he was pre-eminent among the Achaeans. In some alternatives to the familiar Homeric account, Penelope was not faithful to Odysseus while he was away. The way, While Antinoos tells stories of Penelopes scheming he says Does she intend to keep us dangling forever? (II. The two are able to continue their marriage happily. Learn more about our mission. Penelope continues to be evoked in modern pop culture. She worries that Odysseus prefers Helen to her. She worries that Odysseus prefers Helen to her. Penelope. In Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae, vol. She is a virtuous wife, and is faithful to her husband and protects his household (or oikos, as the Greeks would have it). Women are important to the plot and overall theme of the Odyssey. All in all, she was able to keep outsmarting people when she needed to stall some time or to find out the truth, Penelope is a mortal woman, the wife of Odysseus. Some have attempted to derive the name from the Greek word (pn), meaning weft or loom.[1] This would make Penelope the weaveress, an apt moniker that reflects both the literal weaving that plays an important role in her myth (see below), as well as her more metaphorical weaving of cunning plots to fend off her suitors. Odysseus doesnt simply utter his name; rather, he attaches to it an epithet, or short, descriptive title (raider of cities), his immediate paternal ancestry (Laertess son), and a reference to his homeland (who makes his home in Ithaca) ( 9 . The Odyssey, Book 19, lines 99-104. Penelope also has epithets that are used throughout the poem. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. 4 West. Penelope in the Odyssey, the poem by Homer, is the faithful wife of Odysseus (or Ulysses for the Romans). When the suitors find out about it they demand she choose someone to remarry. The two key locations on Ithaca are the palace of Odysseus and the hut of the swineherd Eumaeus. 17.45 steady Telemachus. She understands that she may not be able to physically fight the suitors but she can trick them until Telemachus or Odysseus are able to. Back in Sparta, Penelopes cousin Helen had left her husband Menelaus for the Trojan prince Paris. Using epithets such as the "great Odysseus," "wise Odysseus" and "embattled Odysseus," Homer finds ways to embellish his Greek character. Penelope, in the Odyssey, is recognized as the quintessential faithful wife. . The Odyssey Quotes Showing 1-30 of 235. She upholds the Greek values, as her role as a woman is clearly defined, as shown through how she does what Telemachus tells her to do and does not come between the males problems and affairs. The conceit, at first glance, isn't all that complicated: what if The Odyssey were a space journey, and all the original story's men . Aristotle, Poetics 1671b; Strabo, Geography 10.2.8, 10.2.24; Pausanias, Description of Greece 3.12.2, 3.20.1011; Apollodorus, Library 3.10.6; etc. The couple lived together in Odysseus' small island kingdom of Ithaca, where they had a son named Telemachus. Cite Book and line number Character Epithet - Book and line # _____ _____ Odysseus: -"the man of twists and turns" (I.1) -"Great Odysseus" (I.228) -"King Odysseus" (I.456) -"godlike man" (II.261) -"Odysseus of Ithaca" (II . At the beginning of Homers Odyssey, Odysseus has been absent from Ithaca for twenty years. Penelope's wit is also shown in her scheme to mislead the suitors by saying that they must wait for her to weave a shroud for Odysseus's father Laertes. But in my version, I have chosen deliberately to interpret these epithets in several different ways, depending on the demands of the scene at hand. She uses her cunning to fend off 108 other suitors who are vying for her hand on the assumption that Odysseus is either dead or is never going to return. Penelope scolds her disloyal slave Melantho, whom she has raised like she her own daughter. Athena in the Odyssey by Homer | Character Analysis & Role. She tells her suitors that she will not be ready to marry until she has finished weaving a burial shroud for Odysseus' father, Laertes. Modern authors have sometimes tried to problematize this double standard: Atwoods Penelope, for example, expresses bitterness at being faithful to a fault for twenty years while her husband felt no obligation to do the same. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Early Greek Myth: A Guide to Literary and Artistic Sources. But their happiness was short-lived. The contest of the bow and axes is another example of Penelopes guile; it also illustrates her wry sense of destiny. 1.17 the lustrous goddess (Calypso) 1.19 when the wheeling seasons brought the year around. . A characteristic of Homer's style is the use of epithets, as in "rosy-fingered" Dawn or "swift-footed" Achilles.Epithets are used because of the constraints of the dactylic hexameter (i.e., it is convenient to have a stockpile of metrically fitting phrases to add to a name) and because of the oral transmission of the poems; they are mnemonic aids to the singer and the audience alike. Telemachus exclaims that he has the power, he further illustrates how he has power over his mother because he is a male in a male-dominated society. Penelope also loves her son, Telemachus, but she knows that he is too young and nave to be able to help her fend off her suitors. Penelope. The most important of these emphasized her virtue and cunning, including (ammn, blameless), (pinyt, prudent), (perphrn, wise, sage), and (echphrn, sensible, discreet). . In Homer's Odyssey she is pictured as a chaste and faithful wife. Penelope and Odysseus by Ugo da Carpi after Raphael (ca. Her father Icarius challenged the men to a footrace and promised his daughter to the winner, who turned out to be Odysseus. For Penelope, the Odyssey is a story of incredible patience. Penelope's bright mind, even though she is mortal, is often represented by rhetorical questions that are posed by various characters throughout the story. When Odysseus went to fight in the Trojan War, Penelope awaited his return for twenty yearsthe ten years of the war, and another ten as Odysseus was tossed about at sea trying to get home. Despite those great hero traits Odysseus embodies, he demonstrates great weaknesses humans have in commonpride, irresponsibility toward his crews, and revengeful heart, these flaws ultimately brought demise and trouble to his men and himself, which constantly reminds the audience that Homer represents Odysseus as another human, rather than a hero. Telemakhos is the courageous son of Odysseus who goes on a quest in search for information about his fathers whereabouts. A major point includes The Trojan War because it focuses in on Odysseus journey to bring Helen back home by devising a plan to destroy warriors in the city. Husband of Penelope, King of Ithaka, Greek hero, and father of Telemachus; Came up with idea of Trojan Horse. During their conversation, Penelope told the disguised Odysseus that she planned to give the suitors one final test: she would marry whoever could string Odysseus old bow and shoot an arrow through twelve axe rings. She does very little but lie in bed and weep. The epithets applied to Dawn, Athena, Hermes, Zeus, Penelope, Telemachus, Odysseus, and the suitors repeat over and over in the original. She has also appeared in film and television adaptations of the Odyssey, including the film Ulysses (1954), the miniseries The Odyssey (1997), and several episodes of the 1990s television series Xena: Warrior Princess. He later discovers that his mother, Antikleia, has passed away, due to mourning him, however, his father still lives. However, as a . The couple lived together in Odysseus small island kingdom of Ithaca, where they had a son named Telemachus. Another instance in which Penelope upholds the patriarchal Greek values is in The Penelopiad, an account of The Odyssey, which shows the events of The Odyssey in the eyes of Penelope. In the beginning of the story, Penelopes most prominent qualities are passivity, loyalty, and patience (along with beauty and skill at the loom) the age-old feminine virtues. She undergoes many years of hardship, but eventually she finds happiness again. Through epithets and cultural aspects, "The Odyssey" by Homer, Robert Fitzgerald's translation, illustrates an opposition between the [Cyclops] and hospitable men. HOMER / The Odyssey, Book One 273 05_273-611_Homer 2/Aesop 7/10/00 1:25 PM Page 273 Page 2 of 339. children and fools, they killed and feasted on the cattle of Lord Hlios,2 the Sun, and he who moves all day through heaven took from their eyes the dawn of their return. She does very little but lie in bed and weep. Penelope is one of the most important characters in the Odyssey. She remains faithful to him during his absence and is overwhelmed with love when she finally recognizes him again. Without his father, Odysseus would not have the courage he possesses. Penelope. In Brills New Pauly, edited by Hubert Cancik, Helmuth Schneider, Christine F. Salazar, Manfred Landfester, and Francis G. Gentry. Her kleos is identified through the epithets associated with her, namely her virtue, noble thoughts, excellence, constancy, and clever schemes. 15201527). "The Odyssey" is a narrative poem written by Homer (around 800 and 600 BCE) to show the numerous adventures and experiences Odysseus goes through. Spiritual Growth and Coming of Age The first four books of The Odyssey, known as Telemacheia, follow Odysseus' son Telemachus. These examples are from the Penguin Classics translation: if you are reading a different translation, they may appear in a . An epithet is a word or phrase that describes a chief trait of a person or thing. In fact, without many of the women there would not be a complex plot to this epic poem. 17.306 The man who'd borne long years abroad. Hyginus (first century CE or later): The Fabulae, a Latin mythological handbook incorrectly attributed to the writer Gaius Hyginus, contains sections on Penelope. Penelope uses her intelligence and slyness again as she tells them whoever wins an archery contest using Odysseus bow, which only he could use, she would marry. In Penelopes narrative, Helen runs away from Menelaus with Paris, a Trojan prince, inciting the Trojan War and causing Odysseus to leave Ithaca. An epithet is a characterizing device used by the author; Homer chooses the one that fits the length and rhythm he needs in the poetic line. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Hall, Edith. The rays of light from each sunrise looked similar to fingers of pink and red. Penelope must await her husband patiently and, above all, chastely, even as Odysseus takes several divine lovers during his travelsincluding Circe and Calypsowithout a second thought. Also, that she did not believe any random guy that showed up saying he was Odysseus and staying faithful to the real Odysseus. When Penelope announced the test of the bow, none of the suitors could accomplish the task. The poem is an exultation of man over the glory of the gods because despite mans limitations his achievements are obtained through the combination of his intelligence, fortitude and skills not supernatural powers. Ashley has taught history, literature, and political science and has a Master's Degree in Education. An epithet is a descriptive term or qualifier that identifies an attribute. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you Odysseus is aware of all that a goddess could offer, Penelope has a very complex and interesting character. 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This repetition of what come to be stock phrases create a. Odysseus is a warrior in the Trojan War, and the Odyssey covers his return home after many long years. While a modern use of epithets can be derogatory, classic literary epithets are an important element of literature. Also called the Homeric epithet, fixed epithets are commonly used in epic poetry. 100; Herodotus, Histories 2.145; Cicero, On the Nature of the Gods 3.56; Apollodorus, Epitome 7.38; Hyginus, Fabulae 224; Servius on Virgils Aeneid 2.44; John Tzetzes on Lycophrons Alexandra 772. The Odyssey, written by Homer, tells the story of Odysseus after the Trojan War. Pindar, frag. Penelope has featured in literary retellings of the Odysseus myth as well, such as Nikos Kazantzakis The Odyssey: A Modern Sequel (1938), Eyvind Johnsons Return to Ithaca (1946), and Glyn Iliffes Adventures of Odysseus series (20082017). She is mortal after all and you, you never age or dieNevertheless I long-I pine, all my days-to travel home and see the dawn of my return (Book V, lines 239-243). After all, mythology is storytelling at its finest. She falls far short of you, your beauty, stature. Eros, Night, Darkness, Brightness, Day, Cyclopes, Hecatoncheires, Titans. Updated 1 minute 7 seconds ago|3/3/2023 12:21:01 AM. 1.1 the man of twists and turns (Odysseus) 1.16-17 Calypso, the bewitching nymph. She did what it took to fend off the suitors with hope that her husband would come back for her. She embraces him and praises his homecoming. Penelope may have good mythological reasons for assuming the role of a solar consort to Odysseus: it is not an. There is an island called Syria, perhaps you have heard of it. Athena, goddess of wisdom, has been slow to help Odysseus on . When Odysseus succeeds in shooting the arrow through the axes, she has one more test for him. Log in for more information. Laertes lives away from the city, sorrowful for his missing son. Suitors in The Odyssey by Homer | List, Characters & Traits, The Odyssey by Homer: Book 21 | Summary, Quotes & Analysis, Nausicaa in the Odyssey | Princess, Greek Mythology & Significance, Calypso in the Odyssey | Character, Analysis & Role in Greek Mythology, Eumaeus in the Odyssey by Homer | Character Role & Description, The Odyssey by Homer: Book 22 | Summary, Quotes & Analysis. Many readers admire Odysseys heroic qualities, ignoring the fact Odyssey also had weaknesses. The epithet for Penelope is virtuous, noble thoughts, execution . 17.552 alert Penelope. When Odysseus fails to return home promptly from the ten-year Trojan War, 108 other suitors try to win Penelope's hand in marriage. It was probably composed near the end of the 8th Century BCE and is, in part, a sequel to "The Iliad". She continues this pattern for three full years before one of her maids reveals her secret. British Museum, London. B. Tauris, 2008. However, there was an obscure variant in which Penelopes father was called Icadius rather than Icarius and hailed from the island of Cephalonia rather than Sparta (Aristotle, Poetics 1671b). Penelope characterizes Helen as vain, cruel, and flirtatious. The same themes turn out to be not only appropriate for the festival of Apollo, but essential to it, so that both Penelope and Odysseus seem inseparable from the festival, not in the sense that there could never be an, http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:hul.ebook:CHS_Levaniouk.Eve_of_the_Festival.2011, 1. c. The swineherd Eumaeus discovers Odysseus' identity. So far I have argued that Penelope's myths, above all the Pandareid myths, have special affinity to their poetic environment in the Odyssey, namely a crisis and a turning point from dissolution to "light and life," which in the Odyssey is marked by the festival of Apollo. Furthermore, an additional element can be added to Simonides presentation of the myth of Idas and Marpessa on the basis of the, , At that time in their house her father and her lady mother, When Penelope laments and prays to Artemis on the day of Apollos festival and when she mentions abduction by the snatching winds, a fall into Okeanos, death by an arrow of Artemis, separation from Odysseus, and the daughters of Pandareos, it seems that she does much more than simply re-enact her role as a bride. In this passage it is clear that Odysseus still loves and cares for his beloved Penelope. any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe and actual or attributed quality. This is the moment when Penelope finally admits to Odysseus that she recognizes them and they manage to restart their lives together. March 31, 2022 by zahsya salsabila sa. Penelopes character is also very clever and sly. Penelope is likewise unwilling to believe that Odysseus is dead, no matter how long she has to wait for him. Penelope Character Analysis Athena Odysseus 's wife and Telemachus 's mother. Several epithets are used in the Odyssey books 1 - 4, including bright eyed Athena and stern Telemachus. Most people think of a hero as a strong, superior, good-looking person that could never make a mistake. Penelope didnt give up hope because she felt in heart that Odysseus would come. There are passages in the Odyssey that indicate Penelope was occasionally torn in her devotion to Odysseus, and was even considering choosing one of the suitors. Penelope. In the Odyssey, she has several brothers (though Homer never specified their names or how many there were) and a sister named Iphthime;[11] according to Strabo, she had two brothers named Alyzeus and Leucadius;[12] according to Apollodorus, she had five brothers named Thoas, Damasippus, Imeusimus, Aletes, and Perilaus, but no sisters. Later in the poem, Penelope sets up an archery contest that she knows only Odysseus would be able to win. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1916. The Return of Ulysses: A Cultural History of Homers Odyssey. He rejects the offer of immortality so that one day he may return to and be united with his family again. She is also cunning and intelligent, able to use her skills to postpone remarriage to one of her suitors. Were building the worlds most authoritative, online mythology resource, with engaging, accessible content that is both educational and compelling to read.