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What are readers saying about The Penelopiad The Myth of Penelope And Odysseus?
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A reader posted a review at 2009-11-03 23:46:01.
(Language: English)
 
Atwood exaggerates the notion of woman as excess in order to parody it. Her Penelope is ‘excessively’ and unrealistically cowardly, meek and weepy: “I would lie on my bed and weep, and wonder what I should do” (109); “I did a lot of secluded weeping” (57); “I would retire to my room and dissolve in floods of tears” (10); “I cried so much I thought I would turn into a river or a fountain” (121); “as much weeping as possible without turning myself into a pond” (123); “what could I do but burst into tears?” (128) Atwood’s exaggerated description shows that Penelope is only so excessive, so passive, and so lacking in control, because she is the inverted mirror of Odysseus’s equally excessive masculine domination, action and exertion of control. She operates as a soft presence in contrast to the stark landscape of masculine action (Kinch, 134), leaving the weaving room only to masquerade as the binary opposite in masculine self-definition. “The ‘feminine’ is never to be identified except by and for the masculine” (Irigaray, 85). Atwood attempts to reconstruct Penelope’s story, the story of a woman speaking from the dead, but reveals little about her actual life. The available facts are laid out, but the story remains incomplete, told through others, lacking visceral depth. Penelope remains ultimately unable to act with any agency. She is continually undermined, even in death. The principle characters from her life avoid her, jibe her, and tease her. The maids “won’t let me get near them” (190), her father “hurries away as if he doesn’t want to face me” (27), and the deaths of the maids remains unresolved: “I haven’t been able to confront [Eurycleia] about it, down here. She’s got hold of half a dozen dead babies, and is always busy tending them… So I’ll never know” (161). She is still waiting for Odysseus: “starting to believe that this time he really means it, [when] off he goes again” (189). Penelope slips into the periphery of her own story, alone in the land of the dead, re-tracing her steps. She remains distant from people, unable to connect. Or perhaps, avoiding connection, deliberately falling of the map of patriarchal discourse, in the hope of preserving some small space for herself, where the reader can only imagine what she must have felt. 
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musings .... posted a review at 2009-09-28 15:11:57.
(Language: English)
bitin....insightful....funny....and successfuly questions the way classics are read n understood [here homer's odysseus]...
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Larissa posted a review at 2009-09-03 01:15:38.
(Language: English)
There are many tales of Odysseus, ruler of Ithaca, who left his home to fight in the Trojan War, and than proceed to wander the seas a further ten or more years before returning home. We all know the stories of monsters fought, goddess bedded and treasures won, but what of his family at home. What of his young wife and newly born son?This is the story of Penelope, Princes of Sparta, Queen of Ithaca and young woman, forced to take on the responsibilities of a man, without the respect and title. Penelope was a virtuous wife, and also a cunning woman, but everyone makes mistakes. Although she was able to save herself from the greedy and selfish suitors come to take her husbands place, she was unable to save those she loved and the innocent blood spilt still stains her conscience. Twelve young maids were hung, strung up by their necks, there little feet dancing in the air. They were Penelope's most beloved maid, she raised them herself and they shared her strictest confidence. They trusted Penelope; she was their mistress, their friend. But Penelope failed them; they were raped by her suitors and killed by her husband. How could Penelope have let this happen? Any lover of myths or anyone who has ever taken in interest in mythology, or history, or tales of heroes and war should read this book; as should any woman. This is a hunting and absorbing story that shines new light on an old tale. The Penelopiad is a book that cannot be left unread.
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A reader posted a review at 2009-07-21 09:40:15.
(Language: English)
I read this book straight after 'Till we have faces', another book on myths by C.S. Lewis. Both are quite a page turner, and so well written. C.S. Lewis, I think wrote 'Till we have faces' in the 1950's and I find his narrative old fashioned compared to Ms.Atwood's contemporary style of writing. I personally prefer Ms.Atwood's.
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A reader posted a review at 2009-05-29 10:48:52.
(Language: English)
Atwood's first novel (I think) which follows the path of, oh, Grendel, Wide Sargasso Sea, The Wind Done Gone and other parallel novels which take a classic and remain true to the action while changing the perspective. Helen of Troy as the undeniable beauty that causes a man to be separated from his wife for 20 years? Penelope as the keeper of the home fires, able to stave off the usurpation of her household power for the same 20 by hordes of role-reversed, gold-digging, freeloading male fortune hunters? Odysseus and son Telemachus showing who's the boss in the end with a terrible, terrible application of classical justice? It isn't Joyce (thankfully) but Atwood's Penelope could sure give Molly Bloom a run for her money. Yes, yes, I said "Yes!"
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Nicole posted a review at 2009-05-01 23:56:09.
(Language: English)
Funny and cute story.
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A reader posted a review at 2009-04-23 03:27:36.
(Language: English)
I love mythology and i love remakes and remixes and i love margaret atwood and i really liked the myth of penelope and the song "penelope" by pinback, so i really liked this book. zlol
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Stacia posted a review at 2009-04-14 20:19:40.
(Language: English)
Loved this! Great idea. Love her vision of the afterworld. Love the reliable--sorta--narrator. And I especially love Margaret Atwood's voice. As usual with her, she beautifully balances colloquial with tres clever. Also - great structure. We should have more in the way of a greek chorus in our works. Who else is going to make us reflect, smirk, and wince.
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Nadima posted a review at 2009-04-13 14:37:14.
(Language: English)
A quick and fun read! I loved how Atwood integrated a chorus as they used to in the plays of Ancient Greece. Being a lover of Greek mythology, I also found Penelope's voice to be entirely appropriate and entertaining to read.
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