"The Penelopiad" by Margaret Atwood - Rereading Penelope from Homer's epics

To be honest, I was a little concerned we wouldn't have a whole lot to talk about. Taking up 90 minutes discussing this book seemed like it might take some stretching in my mind. Well, shame on me. I had to cut the conversation short! We had plenty to talk about regarding "The Penelopiad."

We started the discussion with a preface from the publisher. There's a line that reads, "Myths are universal and timeless stories that reflect and shape our lives--they explore our desires, our fears, our longings, and provide narratives that remind us what it means to be human." So far in this reading groups, we have read some texts that reinterpret and riff on old stories, and they resonate in profound ways. Atwood tells the story of Penelope from her point-of-view AND through a 21st-century lens. We agreed that it was a bold move, but she is sharp, playful, and adept. She pulls it off.

In many ways, Atwood is punching some holes in myths and stories that are perpetuated through the ages and are told from a patriarchal slant. She gives a voice (a funny one, at that) to Penelope and fleshes out her thoughts and emotions. Like Patroclus in "Song of Achilles," a previously minor and somewhat voiceless character is given the chance to narrate their own story. We talked about whether this makes the novel "feminist" or not. Atwood has come out and said that she does not write feminist novels. And one reader appreciated how this novel does not hate on men, like some aspects of some feminist movements.

The readers all had different ways of imagining the story, especially the interludes with the chorus and the court room. One mentioned it reminded him of Monty Python while another imagined it as a Tim Burton film. It was all over, which I think says as much about the readers as it does the text. It's a funny novel, and almost every reader had lines from the book they wanted to share. Atwood has some astute observations about the relationships between men and women. For example, Penelope knows how much Odysseus likes it when she listens to his stories. She said listening to a man's story is an underrated talent of a woman.

The relationship of Penelope and Helen was discussed. Penelope is obviously jealous of Helen, and often times feels insecure. It's important to remember that she is 15 years old! She is shy and growing into her own. It's only from a distance of thousands of years and being dead that she is now given a voice. The readers (all men) talked about how hard Helen and Penelope are on each other. Helen is seen as putting Penelope beneath her and tries to belittle her. They wondered if women are harder on other women than men are, especially in a feminist context. Atwood, again, has made the novel relevant to the aughts. By exploring what is said (and not said) in the relationships of these ancient characters, she is exploring our modern relationships. What was important in Homer's time shows up in his epics, while what is important in Atwood's time shows up in her novels.

We talked a lot about Penelope's maids. They made the best with what they were given. One reader noticed how they like to irk Penelope at the end, perhaps in response to Penelope's lack of responsibility in their death? They too were given more of a voice, adding to the depth of relationships explored.

Lastly, we talked about the role of Gods in this, and how cleverly Atwood portrays the afterlife and the relationships of Gods to mortals. In the novel, there's a passage about wanting to be humble and give credit to the gods when things go right. People still do that! And it's dangerous to take all the credit (hubris).

Oh, and before I forget, one reader talked about his experience thus far in prison. He talks about how he is separated from the world, and he can deal with things in a different way (for example, he gets out of his comfort zone by dealing with homophobia, or reading about feminism, things he wasn't exposed to on the outside). Prison is somewhat of a controlled environment, and moves a bit slower in some ways. He has a lot of time to think and digest, much like Penelope in the underworld. They both have a lot of time that they hope is instructive.

Next week, we are reading C.S Lewis' "Till We Have Faces."

Please feel free to share your thoughts on Atwood, her work, and anything else related in the comments!

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Thanks! And keep reading.

-Elliot