The Penelopiad
In her novel, Atwood retells the story of the Odyssey through Penelope and the 12 maids. This gives a voice to the characters which we met in the Odyssey that had never gotten one before. This retelling I found interesting because it allowed us to get into the head of Penelope and understand why she waited for so long to remarry. Although she did love Odysseus at first, the reason she stalled remarriage was not romantic, but rather strategic. She was worried for the safety of her son, Telemachus, and wanted to give him time to grow into a strong warrior capable of defending himself. It is also important to recognize that Penelope a character who in the Odyssey played a very minor role as Odysseus’s loyal and faithful wife was also a complex character fighting her own fight. She plans to postpone her remarriage as late as possible by weaving the shroud for her father-in-law.
Atwood also gives voice to the 12 maids who were hanged on Odysseus’ orders after his return to Ithaca. We learn how they were treated as merely objects of pleasure. How they were only there to serve and were forced to sleep with whoever wanted them. Atwood reminds us of the importance in hearing from other people who play a role in the story. A one-sided story is wrong because it leaves out the other half, and this is demonstrated in the Penelopiad by the fact that most people who have read the Odyssey give little thought to the 12 maids who were hanged. They fail to realize that these young girls had their lives taken simply for the fact that their master decided they were disloyal. Atwood shows that it is important for people to dictate their own narrative, especially women since most popular fiction was written by men.
Atwood also gives voice to the 12 maids who were hanged on Odysseus’ orders after his return to Ithaca. We learn how they were treated as merely objects of pleasure. How they were only there to serve and were forced to sleep with whoever wanted them. Atwood reminds us of the importance in hearing from other people who play a role in the story. A one-sided story is wrong because it leaves out the other half, and this is demonstrated in the Penelopiad by the fact that most people who have read the Odyssey give little thought to the 12 maids who were hanged. They fail to realize that these young girls had their lives taken simply for the fact that their master decided they were disloyal. Atwood shows that it is important for people to dictate their own narrative, especially women since most popular fiction was written by men.
Unrecognized power
Circe is a nymph, “the least of the lesser goddesses” as she calls it. She is looked down upon and thought of as a weak and unpowerful individual. She does not have the same eyes as the other gods and her voice is that of a mortal’s. I found it interesting that although they treated her as a lesser god, Zeus, one of the most powerful deities is afraid of the magic she possesses.
After she was banished, she spends her time perfecting her knowledge of plants, herbs, spells, and potions. She was the first witch and the other gods feared her because they did not understand her power. I found it interesting to watch as she learned how to use her abilities and how she became, in my opinion, one of the strongest goddesses. She was able to turn Scylla an ordinary nymph into a six headed monster. And she has also turned countless men into pigs. Circe is also one of the only truly kind goddesses. She genuinely wants to help the humans. She convinces her grandmother to bless Glaucus with bounties of fish when he tells her of his hardships. The character that Circe portrays is the unrecognized potential that one has. Many are unaware of the strengths or capabilities that one may possess. Circe proves that an understanding of one’s opportunities or skills is necessary to understand their potential. As previously mentioned, many did not understand or grasp the knowledge and skills that she possessed. However, Circe offered a sense of purpose and benefits those other gods and goddesses were uncapable of. Although we can acknowledge her potential and the good, she can offer, those at the time were not aware of this due to the fear that they had. This is an important lesson in understanding those around us and the potential they have. If others replaced their level of fear with a sense of understanding, Circe would potentially not have been considered, “the least of the lesser goddesses”, due to what she was truly capable of. Visit the author Madeline Miller's site where you can read more about Circe and her other books
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The Lost Books Of The Odyssey
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Electra at the Tomb of Agamemnon c1868By Frederick Lord Leighton
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Cassandra – The power to change
Cassandra was the daughter of King Priam of Troy, during the Trojan war. She was a priestess of Apollo, who ultimately cursed her after she refused to sleep with him. He spat in her mouth, cursing her with the ability to see the future; however, nobody would believe her. She saw that the war would be lost, and she saw that Troy would be destroyed. However, when she tried to save her city, her father had her imprisoned for disloyalty to Troy. I can’t even imagine what that would feel like. To know that your city would be destroyed, and all your friends and family along with yourself would be killed but you were powerless to change anything.
Because she can see the future, she was aware that her death was coming. Although death is inevitable, I believe it would be much harder for me to cope, knowing how and when my death will occur. It would be much harder to cope with this observation of a future death, when it affects my friends and family, as well. This shows how strong Cassandra is. To see and endure the despair and magnitude of what is to come requires someone who is mentally and emotionally capable of doing so.
Throughout the book, Cassandra reflects on her life, her position in society, and especially her attitude. She believes she was naive to the fact that she really didn’t have a say in anything. Despite her noble birth, the simple fact that she was a woman hindered her opportunities to utilize her curse in a way that could have ultimately changed the outcome of these events. While we continue to progress as a society, we tend to forget about the societal norms that were in place in the past. It is unfortunate to hear of strong women that can offer a positive change being oppressed simply due to their gender, however, stories like these remind us why we must never allow that to occur now or within the future.
Because she can see the future, she was aware that her death was coming. Although death is inevitable, I believe it would be much harder for me to cope, knowing how and when my death will occur. It would be much harder to cope with this observation of a future death, when it affects my friends and family, as well. This shows how strong Cassandra is. To see and endure the despair and magnitude of what is to come requires someone who is mentally and emotionally capable of doing so.
Throughout the book, Cassandra reflects on her life, her position in society, and especially her attitude. She believes she was naive to the fact that she really didn’t have a say in anything. Despite her noble birth, the simple fact that she was a woman hindered her opportunities to utilize her curse in a way that could have ultimately changed the outcome of these events. While we continue to progress as a society, we tend to forget about the societal norms that were in place in the past. It is unfortunate to hear of strong women that can offer a positive change being oppressed simply due to their gender, however, stories like these remind us why we must never allow that to occur now or within the future.
The Orestia - Hypocrisy of Revenge
Something I found interesting that was a recurring theme throughout the trilogy was how nobody seemed to notice the hypocrisy of their actions of revenge. In the trilogy we see several people commit a grievous crime by murdering a family member. However, each person who does this believes they are justified in their actions because they are avenging someone’s murder. Clytemnestra justified murdering her husband Agamemnon because he murdered their daughter Iphigeneia. Orestes and Electra justified murdering their mother, because she murdered their father.
Agamemnon, who started the long chain of revenge murders, sacrificed his own daughter for wind so he could sail his army to Troy. I believe he justified his actions by the fact that they had already spent ten years away at war and they would likely lose or be discovered by their enemies if they remained stranded for longer. Clytemnestra then used the sacrifice of her daughter to justify the murder of her husband. She states, “He thought no more of it than killing a beast and his flocks were rich, teeming in their fleece, but he sacrificed his own child, our daughter, the agony I labored into love to charm away the savage winds of Thrace.” (The Orestia 162). Clytemnestra goes on to say, “You claim the work is mine, call me Agamemnon’s wife-you are so wrong. Fleshed in the wife of this dead man, the spirit lives within me.” (The Orestia 165). Clearly, she believes her actions are justified. The gods would not condemn her. The man she killed had murdered her daughter without good reason and walked away without facing a trial. In fact, he came home and was welcomed as a hero.
In the second play, the liberation bearers, both Electra and Orestes plan out and murder their mother. They justify their plot because they loved their father, and their mother murdered him. Orestes states “I want to butcher you-right across his body! In life you thought he dwarfed my father-Die! - go down with him forever! You loved this man but the man you should have love you hated! (The Orestia 217). He goes on to say ‘’Mother? You flung me to a life of Pain.” (The Orestia 217). Orestes believes the gods would justify his plan. Clytemnestra was a usurper who murdered his father, the true ruler of Mycenae, and then goes unpunished for her actions. She then tossed him away to be an outcast in his own city.
Both characters are fundamentally flawed in their thinking. Both Orestes and Clytemnestra believe they are justified by the fact that they are avenging the murder of a family member. They both see a murder go unpunished and decide to take action into their own hands. I think this is reflected in the play when the doors open to reveal Orestes standing over the body of Aegisthus, just as Clytemnestra had done with Agamemnon. However, they fail to see the hypocrisy that is revenge. A single person cannot be the judge jury and executioner. That is why I believe the third play was a good ending. It wrapped up a long history of revenge murder by having Orestes tried in a court, although it might not have been a truly fair trial. I personally wouldn’t have voted for Orestes to walk free, however either way the chain of bloodshed finally came to an end.
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Photo used under Creative Commons from beggs