Penelope's Masculinity (Prompt 6)

We all know that women are inferior to men in the worlds of "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey." When we think of why they are considered inferior, we might look at the fact that there are more instances of women being devious or selfish than there are of men: Circe, Calypso, Aphrodite, Hera, Clytemnestra provide the major examples. They really are selfish. But women in "The Odyssey" are often not defined by their immoral actions; they simply are inferior because they are women. Helen, for instance, is blamed for the Trojan War and labeled a horrible woman for that reason, even though it was truly Paris' lust and selfishness that started the conflict. It is merely the fact that Helen is a woman - in fact, the epitome of woman-ness, since she is the most beautiful woman - that means that she deserves disrespect, as well as more blame than Paris. Somehow, women in these epics are inherently second-class, no matter what they do.


However, Penelope may provide an exception to this rule. The suitors criticize her for being "cunning" (21), leading them on and tricking them. But at no point in "The Odyssey" does anything the suitors say have any gravity - we are never expected to believe them or side with them for a second. No, Penelope is pretty perfect. She is loyal, beautiful, kind, generous, and intelligent.


Perhaps the main reason, however, why Penelope is so perfect - almost at a man's level - is that she has certain qualities associated more with men than with women. She definitely does not have the bad qualities more associated with women, of being devious, cunning, and selfish. Instead, Penelope is strong, and a good fighter, like a man. For she really does hold the fort while Odysseus is away, cleverly putting off marriage to one of the suitors at home, and never giving up on her husband. In Book 23, when Penelope apologizes for not welcoming Odysseus on sight, she demonstrates her toughness: "I armed myself long ago against the frauds of men, impostors who might come - and all those many whose underhanded ways bring evil on!" (436). Not only does Penelope use the word "armed" to describe her self-protection, but here she recalls how she was able to successfully stay above these men's tricks. Penelope essentially did her part in fighting in the war at Odysseus' palace. Though Penelope does not perform the manly tasks of holding a sword and actually killing the suitors as the men in her family do in "The Odyssey," she does what all she can to help, within the confines of her femininity. It is Penelope's acting in as much of a masculine manner as possible, that makes Penelope the exception to the rule that all women are inferior. In "The Odyssey," women are innately second-class to men, unless they are able to exhibit certain "masculine" characteristics - it seems specifically bravery and strength in conflicts.