Similarities Between Penelope And The Suitors

Greek mythology has sometimes thought to be the building blocks of our modern society. Aside from a male dominated culture, there are few differences in the way we live our lives today compared to thousands of years ago. The story of Penelope and the Suitors is a good example of a woman’s loyalty and respect to her husband without being asphyxiated by patriarchal community. Both Penelope and the Suitors by J.W. Waterhouse and “Penelope” by Dorothy Parker use the myth of Penelope’s suitors to show that her loyalty to Odysseus overcomes the obstacles and hardships both face through their 20 year separation.

The poem, written by Dorothy Parker, is written through the point of view of Penelope. Parker refers to Penelope as sitting at home and occasionally will “rise; to heed a neighbor’s knock “(Line 7). Penelope is left at home, doing ordinary
Waterhouse is the theme of loyalty. In the poem, Penelope does simple house chores while pondering of her husband’s journey. Instead of succumbing to the suitors’ will of sexual desire and marriage, she shows loyalty to Odysseus even though he is not present. Penelope even shows the admiration she feels towards her husband. In the painting, Penelope is surrounding by lust heaving men. She has promised to the home-invading suitors that once she has finished weaving her shroud, she will soon give her hand for marriage. The suitors, not being the brightest of them all, do not realize that once she has finished weaving, she unweaves the shroud to re-weave it again. Her repetitive trickery last nearly 3 years in front of the faces of the oblivious men. By tricking them, she remains loyal to Odysseus because she never really finishes the shroud, meaning she remains married until he is declared dead or she loses hope. Both pieces of work show the manipulative and cunning side of Penelope as she does not lose her fidelity towards