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Female Power Penelope

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University of Georgia

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Female Power: Penelope

The ancient and present patriarchic worlds have been and are majorly ruled by men.

Similarly, the Homeric patriarchic society was a world ruled by men. As such, women were

regarded as weak and powerless. Fortunately, there are women in the past and in the present that

have stood and worked hard to erase this misconception. As a result, they have grown to be

powerful and influential in their cultures that have been dominated by men. For instance,

Penelope in the Homer’s Odyssey is a good example of such women. The character and actions

of Penelope in Homer’s Odyssey made her possess social power.

Penelope’s shrewdness and wisdom as her main character helped her gain power in the

Homeric society- a patriarch society where women would not be considered in power-sharing or

power inheritance. Through her wisdom, she became likeminded with her husband. As a result,

she earned popularity, glory and fame in the society (Wen 36). As such, in the absence of her

husband, she was able to ascend to power against all the odds that women experienced in the

male-power dominated patriarch society.

Penelope is cunning. In the Homeric society, women would only gain power through

their household by retaining its traditions and building a stable marriage. As such, Penelope

devices cunning ways to navigate the though fate she has been given (Wen 40). For instance,

Penelope uses “weaving” to deceive the suitors. As a result, she is able to keep the suitors at bay

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for three years. Hence, through cunning, Penelope is able to remain in her marriage despite the

long absence of her husband. As a result, she is considered a faithful woman building a stable

marriage. Hence, in society where it is regarded as unusual for women to hold power, Penelope

is left to lead the society in the twenty years her husband was to war.

Penelope’s intelligence is another character that helped her gain power in a patriarchic

society where power was only shared by men. Penelope was praised for her intelligence, which

in turn made her so desirable (Wen 40). As a result, she was seen as a woman who would

possibly lead the society. Therefore, she was able to gain power and lead without much

interruption from the society which would have not allowed her to ascend to power anyway.

In conclusion, despite the long absence of her husband, Penelope manages to build a

stable marriage as per her society’s expectations. As a result, she is loved, praised and allowed to

lead. Consequently, Penelope goes against the believe of her patriarch society and gains power

and influence for the time that her husband had been to war. Therefore, Penelope is the one

female character I found to be so powerful. This is because of her ability through cunning and

intelligence, to manage and climb to power in a patriarch society where power, leadership and

influence was dominated by men.

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Surname 1 Name Professor Course Date Female Power: Penelope The ancient and present patriarchic worlds have been and are majorly ruled by men. Similarly, the Homeric patriarchic society was a world ruled by men. As such, women were regarded as weak and powerless. Fortunately, there are women in the past and in the present that have stood and worked hard to erase this misconception. As a result, they have grown to be powerful and influential in their cultures that have been dominated by men. For instance, Penelope in the Homer’s Odyssey is a good example of such women. The character and actions of Penelope in Homer’s Odyssey made her possess social power. Penelope’s shrewdness and wisdom as her main character helped her gain power in the Homeric society- a patriarch society where women would not be considered in power-sharing or power inheritance. Through her wisdom, she became like ...
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Tags: Female Power Homeric society female character patriarch society present patriarchic worlds