The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus by Margaret Atwood

The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus Margaret Atwood ebook
Publisher: Canongate U.S.
Page: 224
Format: epub
ISBN: 1841957178, 9781841957173

Doesn't quite sound like the good ol' Homeric epic we all read and loved, does it? The Penelopiad has been on my tbr list for quite some time and I wanted to read it for our Read a Myth challenge. You can find out more about the Canongate Myths series here and here. The all-female cast is attempting to bring to the stage an adaptation of the Greek myth of Penelope, wife of Odysseus, as retold by Margaret Atwood in her 2005 novel, The Penelopiad. A female Odysseus, a pleasant Penelope, and feminist maids. Besides Augustus and The Golden Mean, I've come across these: Ransom (about Achilles) – David Malouf The Penelopiad: The Myth of Penelope and Odysseus – Margaret Atwood. Loaded up on my eReader) The Penelopiad because it combined two of my favourite bookish things of 2013 so far: Margaret Atwood and twists on Greek mythology. Was Penelope as loyal and devoted as she made out to be? "In Homer's account in The Odyssey, Penelope - wife of Odysseus and cousin of the beautiful Helen of Troy - is portrayed as the quintessential faithful wife, her story a salutary lesson through the ages. Told from the perspective of Penelope and twelve of her maids, The Penelopiad recounts what happened to everyone left behind whilst Odysseus was on his many voyages after the Trojan War. Is this century becoming boring to writers? Jennifer Nehrbass' cameo series is inspired by Margaret Atwood's novella The Penelopiad, a reinterpretation of the Greek myth of Penelope and Odysseus. Left alone for twenty years when I originally 'picked up' (i.e. Thoughts: The good news is that The Penelopiad definitely passed the test of time for me. Though the myth of The Odyssey has been told and retold countless times, Margaret Atwood takes on the tale in an irreverent and thought-provoking manner by breathing life into Penelope, Odysseus's faithful and patient wife. The Penelopiad is part of the Canongate Myth series. The Penelopiad is Atwood playing around with the character of Penelope, Odysseus' long-suffering wife.