Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Jordan-Leigh's Spec. Study.
EDITED. NEED TO PRINT FOR TO DO SPEC. STUD.
'The Penelopiad' - Margaret Atwood
'The Penelopiad' by Margaret Atwood is part of the myths series. The myths series is a set of novels written by famous authors which tell a common myth in a new and up to date way. 'The Penelopiad' tells the tale of Odysseus (told in Homer's "The Odyssey") from the perspective of his wife Penelope and the maids who he killed. Giving the masculine tale a feminine narrative in the very feminine novel, creates a new level of understanding to the tale and is effective in presenting a new side to the story. This essay will discuss how Margaret Atwood creates this feminine narrative through Penelope and how this effects the reader’s view of Odysseus.
The main form of narrative is simple first person told by Penelope. It is through this narrative that the characters are created, both Odysseus and Penelope herself. The frequent interjection of the maids conveys a contrasting view and creates a new form of narrative; verse. It is through these two types of narrative that the title of the novel originates - 'The Penelopiad' - being a mixture of both Penelope and maid. However, this essay will be focusing solely on Penelope’s narrative.
Opening the novel with "Now that I'm dead I know everything" the witty character of Penelope begins to unfold. Resentment, loyalty, jealousy, insecurity and love are among many of the characteristics we witness in Penelope throughout the novel, and it is through these characteristics that Margaret Atwood creates a strong, feminine narrative. Describing herself as "nothing special to look at" we see the insecure side to Penelope; one of the characteristics many women can relate to. Her insecurity is also shown through the jealousy she feels towards her cousin 'Helen of Troy' and the way that Penelope constantly compares herself to her. "A women who'd driven hundreds of men mad with lust”, here Penelope is talking about Helen and this provides a comparison to herself described as "a plain but smart wife". This depicts the beauty of Helen and the power she has over men and also provides insight into Penelope’s feelings of insecurity and being insignificant in comparison, but only in terms of beauty. Penelope does know that she is intelligent and uses this to her advantage later in the novel.
Penelope often muses that Odysseus holds feelings towards Helen and this jealousy is also shown through the bitter tone we witness when Penelope talks about Helen; "Helen the septic bitch, root cause of all my misfortunes.”. This quote is an example of the bitter tone used whilst discussing Helen as by saying she is the “root cause of all” her problems we see she feels like Helen is to blame, even though it is not true. Because it is not true, Penelope describing Helen as a “septic bitch” seems almost unprovoked and therefore shows the bitterness felt towards her. This quote also shows her resentment towards Helen. Penelope resents Helen for Odysseus' departure from Ithaca, as she feels that Helen is mostly to blame. This resentment can also be interpreted as Penelope's love for Odysseus though, as she misses him so much she seeks out someone to blame for his departure and all of her own problems, thus being Helen. It also shows her love because she is so unnerved by Helen’s own beauty she feels Odysseus will stray to her and this is one of her biggest fears. This adds to the creation of the character of Penelope.
Loyal to Odysseus while he is in Troy, Penelope wards of the suitors, (reluctant to leave without her hand in marriage) by using her wit. Most known for being smart, Penelope cunningly weaves a shroud and tells the suitors she will not marry until the shroud is complete - secretly she undoes all of the weaving she has done at night while the suitors sleep. It is through this plan that we see Penelope form a strong bond with the maids, "I was spoiling them" - Penelope treats the maids in a way that is frowned upon. This relationship with the maids also adds to the femininity of Penelope as the Maids are her companions in the way most women view their best friends. When Odysseus returns and kills the maids for ‘disobedience’ while he was away we see Penelope grieve for them but still, she remains loyal to Odysseus, this shows the level of adoration she feels for him and her need to be a good wife. Margaret Atwood uses Penelope’s need to be a good wife as a sign of her ultimate, stereotypical, femininity, therefore portraying a believable feminine narrator.
Odysseus is portrayed in many ways by Penelope. At the beginning of the novel, when she knows what he has done, she resents him and he is portrayed as cunning and evil. "What a fool he made of me.. It was a specialty of his, making fools.. I knew he was tricky and a liar.." Here we see how Penelope really feels about Odysseus while she reflects upon her time on earth. This quote shows Penelope's hurt and resentment towards Odysseus as she feels he has publicly made a fool of her while all she did was stay loyal and faithful to him, it also tells us a little about Odysseus’ character as it describes him as “tricky” and a “liar”. "Hadn't I been faithful? Hadn't I waited, and waited, and waited - despite the temptation?" Later we learn she resents him because she did everything in her power to protect his name and their relationship when Odysseus had been away, whilst he was cheating on her and having a good time. This portrayel of Odysseus makes the reader expect him to be a very masculine, not very nice, character.
This resentful tone towards Odysseus is not carried on throughout the novel however as when Penelope begins to tell us the story she talks of him fondly and lovingly, as she felt for him at the time (when she was alive). "Odysseus was not one of those men who, after the act, simply roll over and begin to snore...No Odysseus wanted to talk." This shows that Odysseus was loving and kind towards her and we find out that this is one of the traits that won Penelope over in the end. As it was an, in a way, arranged marriage Penelope and Odysseus did not love one another from the start but took their time to get to know each other and grew to love one another. Odysseus is portrayed as cunning when Penelope talks of his plan to get out of going to Troy and when she talks of his plan to get back into the palace unknown to the suitors, by discussing him this way Penelope shows her admiration for his intelligence. This opposing portrayel of Odysseus shows us his loving side and allows the reader to see what it was that Penelope loved in the beginning. It is through these two different interpretations of him that his character is portrayed and the overall idea of him being able to make fools is shown as we see how Penelope believed him to be a good man at the beginning of their relationship.
The interpretation of Odysseus in 'The Penelopiad' is different to in 'The Odyssey' because in 'The Odyssey' the story is told by him and is very masculine. The different feminine narrative is effective in telling this myth from a new perspective. It creates a new version of events which are non-bias to Odysseus and allow Penelope's side of the story to be heard. The maids' input allows a further perspective to be taken into account and allows the reader a choice of who to sympathise with. Penelope can be seen as a heroine as she is just a typical woman, with doubts and insecurities, trying to do right by her husband without being seen as having no mind of her own. The reader can sympathise with her as we see all of the hardship she is faced with and the way she feels within herself. Without her husband Penelope has to stand on her own two feet and make her own choices. 'The Penelopiad' is also a contrasting view of Penelope from 'The Odyssey' as she is given her own voice and is not just seen as "the plain wife." 'The Penelopiad' portrays the story of Odysseus in a way many people can relate to with humour presented through the bitter diatribes of Penelope which are witty and enjoyable. ‘The Penelopiad’ is the perfect example of 'there are two sides to every story.'
'The Penelopiad' - Margaret Atwood
'The Penelopiad' by Margaret Atwood is part of the myths series. The myths series is a set of novels written by famous authors which tell a common myth in a new and up to date way. 'The Penelopiad' tells the tale of Odysseus (told in Homer's "The Odyssey") from the perspective of his wife Penelope and the maids who he killed. Giving the masculine tale a feminine narrative in the very feminine novel, creates a new level of understanding to the tale and is effective in presenting a new side to the story. This essay will discuss how Margaret Atwood creates this feminine narrative through Penelope and how this effects the reader’s view of Odysseus.
The main form of narrative is simple first person told by Penelope. It is through this narrative that the characters are created, both Odysseus and Penelope herself. The frequent interjection of the maids conveys a contrasting view and creates a new form of narrative; verse. It is through these two types of narrative that the title of the novel originates - 'The Penelopiad' - being a mixture of both Penelope and maid. However, this essay will be focusing solely on Penelope’s narrative.
Opening the novel with "Now that I'm dead I know everything" the witty character of Penelope begins to unfold. Resentment, loyalty, jealousy, insecurity and love are among many of the characteristics we witness in Penelope throughout the novel, and it is through these characteristics that Margaret Atwood creates a strong, feminine narrative. Describing herself as "nothing special to look at" we see the insecure side to Penelope; one of the characteristics many women can relate to. Her insecurity is also shown through the jealousy she feels towards her cousin 'Helen of Troy' and the way that Penelope constantly compares herself to her. "A women who'd driven hundreds of men mad with lust”, here Penelope is talking about Helen and this provides a comparison to herself described as "a plain but smart wife". This depicts the beauty of Helen and the power she has over men and also provides insight into Penelope’s feelings of insecurity and being insignificant in comparison, but only in terms of beauty. Penelope does know that she is intelligent and uses this to her advantage later in the novel.
Penelope often muses that Odysseus holds feelings towards Helen and this jealousy is also shown through the bitter tone we witness when Penelope talks about Helen; "Helen the septic bitch, root cause of all my misfortunes.”. This quote is an example of the bitter tone used whilst discussing Helen as by saying she is the “root cause of all” her problems we see she feels like Helen is to blame, even though it is not true. Because it is not true, Penelope describing Helen as a “septic bitch” seems almost unprovoked and therefore shows the bitterness felt towards her. This quote also shows her resentment towards Helen. Penelope resents Helen for Odysseus' departure from Ithaca, as she feels that Helen is mostly to blame. This resentment can also be interpreted as Penelope's love for Odysseus though, as she misses him so much she seeks out someone to blame for his departure and all of her own problems, thus being Helen. It also shows her love because she is so unnerved by Helen’s own beauty she feels Odysseus will stray to her and this is one of her biggest fears. This adds to the creation of the character of Penelope.
Loyal to Odysseus while he is in Troy, Penelope wards of the suitors, (reluctant to leave without her hand in marriage) by using her wit. Most known for being smart, Penelope cunningly weaves a shroud and tells the suitors she will not marry until the shroud is complete - secretly she undoes all of the weaving she has done at night while the suitors sleep. It is through this plan that we see Penelope form a strong bond with the maids, "I was spoiling them" - Penelope treats the maids in a way that is frowned upon. This relationship with the maids also adds to the femininity of Penelope as the Maids are her companions in the way most women view their best friends. When Odysseus returns and kills the maids for ‘disobedience’ while he was away we see Penelope grieve for them but still, she remains loyal to Odysseus, this shows the level of adoration she feels for him and her need to be a good wife. Margaret Atwood uses Penelope’s need to be a good wife as a sign of her ultimate, stereotypical, femininity, therefore portraying a believable feminine narrator.
Odysseus is portrayed in many ways by Penelope. At the beginning of the novel, when she knows what he has done, she resents him and he is portrayed as cunning and evil. "What a fool he made of me.. It was a specialty of his, making fools.. I knew he was tricky and a liar.." Here we see how Penelope really feels about Odysseus while she reflects upon her time on earth. This quote shows Penelope's hurt and resentment towards Odysseus as she feels he has publicly made a fool of her while all she did was stay loyal and faithful to him, it also tells us a little about Odysseus’ character as it describes him as “tricky” and a “liar”. "Hadn't I been faithful? Hadn't I waited, and waited, and waited - despite the temptation?" Later we learn she resents him because she did everything in her power to protect his name and their relationship when Odysseus had been away, whilst he was cheating on her and having a good time. This portrayel of Odysseus makes the reader expect him to be a very masculine, not very nice, character.
This resentful tone towards Odysseus is not carried on throughout the novel however as when Penelope begins to tell us the story she talks of him fondly and lovingly, as she felt for him at the time (when she was alive). "Odysseus was not one of those men who, after the act, simply roll over and begin to snore...No Odysseus wanted to talk." This shows that Odysseus was loving and kind towards her and we find out that this is one of the traits that won Penelope over in the end. As it was an, in a way, arranged marriage Penelope and Odysseus did not love one another from the start but took their time to get to know each other and grew to love one another. Odysseus is portrayed as cunning when Penelope talks of his plan to get out of going to Troy and when she talks of his plan to get back into the palace unknown to the suitors, by discussing him this way Penelope shows her admiration for his intelligence. This opposing portrayel of Odysseus shows us his loving side and allows the reader to see what it was that Penelope loved in the beginning. It is through these two different interpretations of him that his character is portrayed and the overall idea of him being able to make fools is shown as we see how Penelope believed him to be a good man at the beginning of their relationship.
The interpretation of Odysseus in 'The Penelopiad' is different to in 'The Odyssey' because in 'The Odyssey' the story is told by him and is very masculine. The different feminine narrative is effective in telling this myth from a new perspective. It creates a new version of events which are non-bias to Odysseus and allow Penelope's side of the story to be heard. The maids' input allows a further perspective to be taken into account and allows the reader a choice of who to sympathise with. Penelope can be seen as a heroine as she is just a typical woman, with doubts and insecurities, trying to do right by her husband without being seen as having no mind of her own. The reader can sympathise with her as we see all of the hardship she is faced with and the way she feels within herself. Without her husband Penelope has to stand on her own two feet and make her own choices. 'The Penelopiad' is also a contrasting view of Penelope from 'The Odyssey' as she is given her own voice and is not just seen as "the plain wife." 'The Penelopiad' portrays the story of Odysseus in a way many people can relate to with humour presented through the bitter diatribes of Penelope which are witty and enjoyable. ‘The Penelopiad’ is the perfect example of 'there are two sides to every story.'
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)