THE PENELOPIAD
The Penelopiad
A mythic subversion of fidelity, silence, and the cost of survival
Published in 2005 as part of the Canongate Myth Series, The Penelopiad is Margaret Atwood’s sharp-witted and haunting reimagining of Homer’s Odyssey. Narrated from the perspective of Penelope in the underworld, the novella seeks to answer two lingering questions from the original myth: what was Penelope really up to during those twenty years of waiting, and why did Odysseus hang twelve of her maids upon his return?
Atwood strips away the heroic veneer of the Greek epic, presenting a world of domestic politics, class struggle, and gendered violence. Penelope emerges not as a passive symbol of marital patience, but as a cunning and resilient woman who must navigate the dangers of a house filled with predatory suitors. However, the true emotional weight of the narrative lies with the chorus of the twelve hanged maids, whose lyrical and rhythmic interludes offer a searing critique of the "heroic" actions of men.
The Penelopiad is both a clever satire and a tragedy. By giving a voice to the marginalized characters of the epic, Atwood challenges the reader to reconsider the foundations of Western storytelling. It is a brilliant exploration of memory, the subjectivity of truth, and the enduring power of those whose stories are often relegated to the footnotes of history.
The Unraveling Thread
"Now that I’m dead I know everything." This opening line sets the tone for a narrative that is as much about the afterlife of stories as it is about the lives of those who lived them.
Through the weaving and unweaving of her shroud, Penelope creates a space for herself in a world that would otherwise consume her, reminding us that survival is often its own kind of heroism.