These two conflicting traditional duties -fidelity to Odysseus and hospitality to the suitors - bind Penelope. Despite being outnumbered and outmatched, she uses her wit and intelligence to keep the suitors at bay and preserve her marriage to Odysseus. Penelope is renowned for her cunningness, exemplified in how she deals with the suitors who have come to Ithaca seeking her hand in marriage. Penelope: The Cunning Queen Penelope and the Suitors by John William Waterhouse, 1912, via Wikimedia Commons Penelope is often referred to as ‘wise’, ‘noble’, ‘prudent’ and ‘loyal’, demonstrating her virtuous character. The differentiation between female characters can also be observed through their epithets - repeated adjectives or phrases used to exemplify a character’s personality. In this sense, Penelope served as a symbol of the ideal wife in ancient Greek culture and is revered for her virtuous qualities and unwavering devotion to her husband.Ī true example of unwavering fidelity, she is established in direct contrast with other Homeric women like the treacherous Helen of Troy and deviant seductresses such as Calypso and Circe. Her unwavering faithfulness to Odysseus is a key factor in his eventual return home to reclaim his throne, and she is celebrated for her wisdom, strength, and moral integrity. Queen of Ithaca and wife of Odysseus, Penelope awaited her husband’s return for twenty years, devising clever schemes to avoid remarriage.

Penelope has become enshrined within literature as the paradigm of the dutiful and devoted wife, the epitome of ‘moral goodness’. Penelope: The Stereotypical Loyal Wife of the Odyssey Penelope being awakened by Euryclea, Angela Kauffman, 1773, via Britannica

The Odyssey by Homer