Inspiration | The Penelopiad
What do you think might have inspired the author to write this particular story?
Atwood's The Penelopiad was directly influenced by the Homeric epic, The Odyssey. Atwood's story attempts to tell the original from a different point of view. What influenced Atwood to write from the perspective of Penelope? This is uncertain, but it is likely that she connected with the character in terms of feeling overshadowed or underrepresented due to physical features. The first seven chapters of The Penelopiad seem to be a sort of social commentary on both female rights as well as the unfairness of arranged marriage. These issues were also likely to have played a part in influencing Margaret Atwood to write this story. Lastly, due to Penelope's state of being (in the afterlife), one of Atwood's influences in writing the story could have been an interest or perhaps even an uncertainty in the afterlife.
Atwood's The Penelopiad was directly influenced by the Homeric epic, The Odyssey. Atwood's story attempts to tell the original from a different point of view. What influenced Atwood to write from the perspective of Penelope? This is uncertain, but it is likely that she connected with the character in terms of feeling overshadowed or underrepresented due to physical features. The first seven chapters of The Penelopiad seem to be a sort of social commentary on both female rights as well as the unfairness of arranged marriage. These issues were also likely to have played a part in influencing Margaret Atwood to write this story. Lastly, due to Penelope's state of being (in the afterlife), one of Atwood's influences in writing the story could have been an interest or perhaps even an uncertainty in the afterlife.
After learning more about Margaret Atwood's life outside of her writing, I agree with your hypothesis that Atwood wrote The Penelopiad because of Penelope's lack of representation in the work. Atwood has been an outspoken advocate for women's rights, and it comes through in her idea to write from one of the only main female characters of The Odyssey. In the first few chapters of the work, Penelope says that she had suffered when she was living. Her suffering had never come across in the original story of Odysseus, demonstrating the lack of emotion characters besides Odysseus were given, most specifically the maids and Penelope. This lack of emotion is a powerful reason for why Atwood must have felt the need and inspiration to alter the perspective of the original work, giving a voice to those who did not have it. The setting of the afterlife, as you discussed, must have been a topic Atwood felt she could explore in her retelling. Penelope is able to have an almost omniscient point of view, being able to commentate on her own and others' lives. Atwood's background is a strong influence in her writing and reasons for writing. Social justice being a large part of her life, Atwood has, unintentionally or not, tried to give justice to the underrepresented population in The Odyssey. The Penelopiad itself is an interesting study as to whether or not she wrote her work through a feminist lens, or through her desire to focus on plot rather than adventure.
ReplyDeleteHey Claire,
ReplyDeleteI thoroughly enjoyed this post! I actually made similar points in my own blog, questioning the intentions of the author. I would like to see your arguments further explored and supported by some of the instances in the book. What events in Atwood's essay gives you the impression that she is attempting to make feminist critiques of the classic? For me, it was Penelope's newfound knowledge of the modern world that is interspersed throughout the text, which gives her commentary on the social practices. She is also already dead, so that eliminates any filter that she might speak through in regard to self preservation. So anyway, love the attached pictures. This visual addition really adds much to your blog. Toodaloo!