The Penelopiad Summary

Voicing her story from beyond the grave, Penelope, the spouse of Odysseus, shares her perspective on the iconic events laid out in the Odyssey. Accompanied by her twelve handmaidens, who were executed by Odysseus and her son, Telemachus, she reveals her past. Born to King Icarius of Sparta and a half-nymph mother, her father attempted to drown her as an infant. She was rescued by ducks, and her father's reasons for attempting to take her life remain a mystery. Along with her mother's icy demeanor, she learned to be wary of others. Penelope and her handmaidens contrast their childhoods, highlighting their suffering compared to her privileged yet solitary upbringing. At fifteen, various men vie for her hand in marriage, and Odysseus, king of distant Ithaca, wins by cheating assisted by her uncle. After their wedding, they travel to Ithaca, where she finds herself isolated with no female companions. A year after giving birth to Telemachus, they learn of her cousin Helen's elopement with Paris, a Trojan prince. This prompts a war, which forces Odysseus to leave for battle. In his absence, several suitors arrive at the palace, seeking to marry Penelope for her wealth.

To stall for time until Odysseus's return, Penelope keeps her suitors at bay by claiming to be weaving a funeral shroud for her father-in-law, Laertes, and will not choose a husband until it's finished. In secret, she and her twelve trusted maids unravel the shroud each night, ensuring no progress is made. The maids also mingle with the suitors, sharing disparaging remarks about Penelope and Telemachus. Although Penelope is uncomfortable with this arrangement, the information she gains is too valuable to abandon the plan. When the suitors discover her deception with the shroud, she vows to complete it and select a spouse.

Not long after, Odysseus returns to Ithaca in disguise. Penelope recognizes him but pretends not to for his dignity. She organizes an archery contest amongst the suitors, fully aware that only Odysseus could string his bow. Asleep in her room, likely under the influence of a drug, Odysseus wins the contest, reveals his identity, and kills the suitors. He then orders his old nurse, Eurycleia, to identify the disloyal maids. Following the nurse's signs, Odysseus and Telemachus hang Penelope's twelve maids. Odysseus discloses his true identity to Penelope, who feigns surprise, before departing on another journey to purge himself of his deeds. In the afterlife, Penelope is unable to communicate with the handmaidens, who shun her. She often encounters Helen, whom she blames for the Trojan War, and the suitors, who hold her accountable for their demise. Each time Odysseus dies, Penelope reunites with him, but he continually opts to be reborn, haunted by the maids in both the underworld and the living world.