During this time, she raised their son Telemachus to adulthood. Penelope's character is complex. There is a deep unrest throughout the poem about how Penelope's relationships with the suitors will play out. There are seeds of doubt about Penelope, sown by the shade of Agamemnon who says to Odysseus in Hades that his own wife, Clytemnestra will give "an evil reputation to all women, even on one who does good" (199). This deepens the possibility that Penelope might prove unfaithful to Odysseus and builds suspense throughout the narrative.
Euripides' portrays Medea as both a weak and strong woman, being able to stand up to some of the male characters and simultaneously succumb to their presence. Jason is illustrated by Euripides' as a stereotypical male in a patriarchal society, convinced that his choices are for the best while completely disregarding Medea's opinions on them. As a woman cast into the patriarchal society of Corinth, Medea is at first portrayed as powerless, a feeble person who was 'scorned and shamed' by her husband. In the opening sequence of the play, the Nurse's prologue characterizes Medea as heartbroken as well as 'raging, illogical and suicidal'. Euripides' use of extended descriptive sentences in the prologue allows him to portray two sides to Medea, a fragile woman and a strong-willed one.
The author prefaces her own reading of the Odyssey with an analysis of the issues posed by the earlier feminist readings on which she builds. Should the Odyssey be read as a "closed" text, that is, as one whose meaning is highly determined, or as an "open" text whose contradictions and ambiguities undercut its overt meanings? Siren Songs presents a feminist critique of the Odyssey in an accessible manner aimed at a more general audience. All Greek is translated, and critical terminology is clearly defined. Lillian Eileen Doherty is Associate Professor of Classics, University of Maryland, College Park.
2. Discuss the differences and continuities between Homer’s Odyssey and Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad. Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad gives a contemporary insight into Homer’s ancient epic poem Odyssey. Atwood challenges and criticizes this epic story by transforming this classical myth “by means of demythologizing devices and burlesque conventions of the Greek satyr play and the Menippean satire” to expose the vast double standards that Homer instills amongst class difference and gender (Staels 2009, 100). This “metafictional parody is… used to seriously rework a literary model… to call attention to its conventions and limitations by putting it in a new, contemporary context” (Staels 2009, 101) that is achieved “through the technique of self-conscious mythologizing and demythologizing” through the use of a contemporary Penelope (Staels 2009, 103).
And last, the language of different scenarios, i.e. battles vs. joyous occasions, lends itself to glorifying deadly and gruesome struggles. Homer has a unique way of devising the plot, giving mixed signals and paradoxes, but it all just gives to the realism of this amazing piece of literature. Odysseus’ faithfulness for his wife is questionable. In the first book, you find that he is sleeping with a woman named Kalypso, a sea nymph.
Suu Kyi, in her feministic speech, Keynote emphasizes of the uneven distribution of power between the genders through a personal anecdote, “Last Month, I was released from almost six years of house arrest”. She positions herself in a dire situation as her experiences with sexual discrimination within Burma have awakened herself in representing the women community. The responders will become sympathetic towards Suu Kyi, hence, being emotionally attached and intrigued. Margaret Atwood utillises pathos in regards to humour unlike the compassion generated in Keynote in order to reinforce the fact that the portrayal on women in literature is mistreated. She mocks the nonsense remarks towards her literature through the biblical allusion, “this is a matter which should more properly be taken up with god”, emphasizing how it is a matter outside the range of power.
In Arthur Millers play The Crucible, Abigail Williams and Elizabeth Proctor are two very different characters. Abigail being a selfish and heartless girl, Elizabeth is a kind and honest woman. Abigail used her own personal grudge against Elizabeth motive for accusing her of witchcraft. Their hatred had been long standing, mainly because John Proctor Elizabeth’s husband was having an affair with Abigail. Elizabeth’s coldness was the main cause of her husband’s disloyalty but she forgives him and does what is possible to keep her family together which is the most significant thing to her.
In Year of Wonders Anna Frith is presented as “too good to be true”, she may be seen as a courageous and honorable character, but Anna, like everyone, has her flaws and is thus a believable and realistic character. Anna fears risks of situations, experiences jealousy and desire, turns to the wrong solution for her grief, and questions her faith throughout the novel. Anna acts bravely and risks her life in unfamiliar situations though she still fears the risks. This is demonstrated when Anna helps birth Mary Daniel’s baby as the Gowdies are gone and Randall Daniel had no one to turn to so he went to Mrs. Mompellion. Mrs Mompellion had never conceived a child herself so it was up to Anna as she had the most experience out of the two.
These two well written novels are very similar, two main similarities are both Baby and Anne were never loved properly, and both Baby and Anne’s mothers died. Yet both novels are very different from each other, two main differences are Baby is loved in the foster home she lives in and was better off in it, yet Anne was neglected in her many foster homes, and both Baby and Anne are very smart individuals but Baby gets put into a practical learning class while Anne wins a scholarship. there are moments in our lives when we find ourselves at a crossroad, afraid, confused, without a roadmap. The choices we make in those moments can define the rest of our days. of course when faced with the unknown, most of us prefer to turn around and go
This is what creates isolation, lonely feelings to in the end due to her suicide. Madame Ratignolle’s childbirth sparks Edna’s suicide, which is an Ironic moment. Edna observed “with an inward agony, with a flaming, outspoken revolt against the ways id Nature, the scene of torture.” During this Edna tries to recall her own childhood but fails to do so. Than once Edna swims out far into the sea at the island, she is going to swim out far enough of no return, possibly. “To her