Heroines — Penelope and Eve

In “The Odyssey”, Penelope is a mother-Eve figure. Both women are heroines. Penelope is the loyal helpmeet, awaiting for her husband, Odysseus to return, all the time raising their son alone, running the estate, and fending off the suitors that want to take his place. She endures the lone and dreary world as much as Odysseus fights his way back home. Of course, it seems that Odysseus gets to enjoy some things along the way (gorgeous goddess) but nevertheless,

His strong desire to return home is because of Penelope.

On the island of Calypso, a gorgeous female goddess has Odysseus under lock and key (which seems to be one of the perks.) She becomes disgruntled when the gods tell her to let him go home and

“…Odysseus,

after these years with me, you still desire

your old home? Even so, I wish you well.

If you could see it all, before you go–

all the adversity you face at sea–

you would stay here, and guard this house, and be

immortal–though you wanted her forever,

that bride for whom you pine each day.

Can I be less desirable than she is?

Less interesting? Less beautiful? Can mortals

compare with goddesses in grace and form?”

It reminds me of our journey on earth, mortality with all its ups and downs, and all the adversity trying to prevent our way home. Trials are unavoidable and we even knew about them before we chose this sojourn on earth. Calypso is also a female character in this play. She kind-of mimics the Lilith character – fun temptress, only about the physical desires. Sometime along the way, an Eve character must come into the play, or the earth experience will not progress. As Eve asks in the Garden, “is there no other way?” This is how we experience opposition — this is how we become compassionate, more like the gods. And truly, the path to goddess. What a paradox.

“My lady goddess, here is not cause for anger.

My quiet Penelope–how well I know–

would seem a shade before your majesty,

death and old age being unknown to you,

while she must die.  Yet, it is true, each day

I long for home, long for the sight of home.

If any god has marked me out again

for shipwreck, my tough heart can undergo it.

What hardship have I not long since endured

at sea, in battle! Let the trial come.”

Book V, lines, 212-233

 

Mother Eve  led Adam out of the Garden  —  But she is also the companion that helps “them” get back into the presence of God & Goddess, back home. They weather the storms of life together, each of them cursed with sorrow, or difficulty, each of them blessed. It is a long journey, the odyssey of life. It is the journey as recorded in the old Christian text, The Pearl.