Penelope
Role
Queen of Ithaca and the central figure around whom the suitors' conflict revolves.
Lineage
Daughter of Icarius; wife of Ulysses; mother of Telemachus.
Background
She was left in Ithaca when Ulysses set sail for Troy with the flower of the Argives; she has spent the years of his absence mourning him.
Motivations
She wants her husband Ulysses to return home very badly.
Personality
She is characterized by deep grief and longing for her husband, mourning him without ceasing. She is also described as being pestered by suitors against her will, suggesting a position of besieged endurance.
Character Arc
In the early stages of the narrative, she remains in a state of perpetual mourning and is pressured by the suitors to remarry.
Fate And Prophecy
It is prophesied that if Ulysses returns and fights the suitors, Penelope would have small cause for rejoicing as his blood would be upon his own head due to the great odds against him.
Hospitality Status
Her house is currently being abused by suitors who feast at her expense without providing their own provisions, though she herself is described as a respectable person whose name is great over Hellas.
Timeline
Hearing the Bard
Penelope hears the song of the bard in her house and is reminded of her husband, continuing her ceasing mourning.
Besieged by Suitors
Penelope is pestered by men in Ithaca who wish to marry her against her will while her husband is absent.
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Ulysses
The narrative follows the transition from his long-term captivity and status as a missing hero toward the divine decree for his eventual homecoming.
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Telemachus
Explore this entry from the author's published world.
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Jove
The supreme deity and ruler of the gods who oversees the fates of men and the justice of the universe.
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