The Odyssey: Is Penelope Perfect?

To what extent do you agree that Penelope is portrayed as completely without fault in The Odyssey?

By Margaret

The character of Penelope in The Odyssey is portrayed as a woman of the highest and purest moral order. Penelope is frequently commended by other characters for her ‘loyalty’ to Odysseus and described throughout the narrative as ‘prudent’ and ‘flawless.’ Thus, it is clear that Homer presents Penelope as completely without fault in The Odyssey and that his original audience would have received her as such. However, the questions persist as to whether Penelope possesses any implicit faults which remain unmentioned simply for narrative purposes, and whether Penelope’s apparent flawlessness is also timeless.

Penelope’s character in her first appearance in The Odyssey could easily be considered without fault. Homer describes her as ‘gracious’, entering the room with her ‘waiting-women’ and standing with her ‘shining veil across her cheeks’, the picture of perfect womanhood, at least from Homer’s perspective. Penelope exhibits similar behaviour throughout the narrative, remaining modest and reserved when in the presence of the Suitors. It could be argued that this is a good example of Penelope’s flawlessness, as a lesser woman (or even person) may have been rude, provocative or disparaging. However, Penelope fails to stand up to the Suitors throughout most of the narrative, and each scene with Penelope has a tendency to end with Penelope ‘[retiring] to her ow apartment… and there she wept for Odysseus’. While this is certainly touching and helps the audience feel sympathy for Penelope, it also frustratingly passive. Homer’s original audience may well have expected as much from a female character, but a contemporary audience cannot help but wish Penelope would take a more vigorous approach in her dealings with the Suitors. While Penelope’s passivity may not be definitively categorised as a ‘fault,’ it still makes it difficult to regard her as completely without fault. It is, however, important to consider external factors in Penelope’s behaviour towards the Suitors. Women in Ancient Greek society, as has been the case through most of history, were neither taught nor encouraged to take an active role in their own life. Telemachus states that ‘Making decisions must be men’s concern’, effectively relegating Penelope to a position she cannot escape. Thus, it may not be fair to criticise Penelope for her passivity. Instead, it may be more accurate to see her as a victim of passivity, rather than the bearer of it as a flaw. In this case, Penelope may still be seen as perfect, within the limits of her position. While it may not be true to say she is completely without fault, it could be said that her faults are not her fault. 

Likewise, this idea can also be seen in Penelope’s strategy in keeping the Suitors’ advancements at bay. The Suitor Antinous tells Telemachus of Penelope’s ‘duplicity’ in telling the Suitors not to ‘urge on this marriage’ until she had woven ‘a shroud for Lord Laertes’, while secretly unravelling the cloth each night by torchlight. Due to this trick, the Suitors label Penelope an ‘incomparable schemer’, claiming that she had been giving them false ‘grounds for hope’ and empty promises. In theory, Penelope’s behaviour in this regard could certainly be seen as manipulative and deceitful. Indeed, from the Suitors’ perspective, Penelope is certainly the one in the wrong. However, Homer never intended his audience to see the story from the Suitors’ perspective, meaning it is not their opinion on Penelope that matters. It is clear that Homer is presenting Penelope’s trick in an affirming light: as resourceful, not manipulative. Therefore, Penelope’s cunning is not presented as a fault in The Odyssey, rather, as a merit. In this case, her flawless character is not marred by her behaviour towards the Suitors but enhanced. Penelope does not have the power to choose whether she must resort to cunning or not to address her situation, and thus she is excused from any question of moral integrity in her actions. Thus, again, implicit in the narrative is the idea that Penelope can only be seen as completely without fault because her faults are forced from her, not inherent in her character.

Furthermore, the most important point around which the moral purity of Penelope’s character revolves is the question of her loyalty to Odysseus. Was it such a good thing that Penelope remained faithful to Odysseus those twenty years apart? Homer clearly presents her loyalty as positive. When Odysseus speaks to Agamemnon in the Underworld, Agamemnon praises Penelope for being ‘loyal in her thoughts and feelings’, contrasting her with his own wife who murdered him upon his homecoming. This notion is repeated throughout the narrative and becomes one of Penelope’s defining characteristics in the context of the plot. When, finally, Penelope concedes to allow the Suitors the opportunity to marry her, she still clings on to her marital loyalty, saying she ‘never shall forget’ the house that ‘welcomed me as a bride’. In Ancient Greek society, this would have been seen as an admirable trait, characteristic of ideal womanhood and true femininity. This is how Penelope is portrayed in The Odyssey, which has created an enduring impression of her flawlessness as a character. However, a contemporary audience questions whether many of the problems created by Odysseus’ long absence could have been avoided if Penelope had chosen to simply marry one of her Suitors. Furthermore, Odysseus’ own faithfulness to their marriage, or lack thereof, also calls Penelope’s choice into question. Why should Penelope have stayed loyal to the marriage when Odysseus did not? Homer does not let his audience doubt that Odysseus truly loves Penelope, but the stark difference between the male and female standard is uncomfortably obvious here. Would Penelope have been better off if she had forgotten Odysseus? Unfortunately, it is impossible to say, and the audience certainly does not have Homer on their side in trying to decide. Homer presents Odysseus and Penelope’s marriage as perfect, completely supported by Penelope’s steadfastness and loyalty to her husband. Thus, in the cultural context of the novel, Penelope is indeed presented as flawless.

In conclusion, I would agree that Penelope is portrayed as completely without fault in The Odyssey. She is presented by Homer as the ideal woman: modest, resourceful and loyal. These characteristics can be seen in her dealings with the Suitors and in her relationship to Odysseus. However, in some cases, Penelope can only be seen as completely without fault if her position in both the story and in the cultural context is understood by the audience. Once these barriers are overcome, the audience will be able to fully appreciate the merits of Penelope’s character, portrayed by Homer as completely without fault.