Penelope in the Odyssey

Penelope, the wife of Odysseus, can be contrasted in various ways to the other characters in Homer's poem The Odyssey. In many ways, Penelope embodies the "ideal" woman, in that she conforms to the values and ideals of her society. These ideals include faithfulness, loyalty, willpower, long-suffering, pride in one's home and family, and hospitality to strangers. The majority of the other characters in the poem lack one or more of these attributes. Although Odysseus …

…also instructs her maids to bathe Odysseus and to make a bed for him. She then invites her guest to take a place beside Telemakhos in the feasting hall. Penelope represents an epitome of the Greek ideal. Despite many trials and hardships, she remains a faithful wife and mother, as well as a gracious and receptive host to her company. Few of the other characters in the poem possess these attributes of the Greek civilization.