The Penelopiad
Novel by Margaret Atwood
From the author of The Handmaid's Tale, this retelling of the ancient Greek story of Odysseus and Penelope includes the voices of twelve maids who were hanged for disloyalty. The novel presents themes of love, loss, loyalty, and the complexities of female agency within a patriarchal society. Myths like these were originally oral, and Homer's Odyssey is not the only version.
About the Book
Classic Texts with Similar Themes
The Penelopiad is a retelling of The Odyssey from Penelope's point of view.
Further Readings
Margaret Atwood: The Penelopiad – Rewriting in Postmodern Feminine Literature by Ioana-Gianina Hane
Flirting with Tragedy: Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad, and the Play of the Text by Earl G. Ingersoll
‘Close as a kiss’: Gyn/Affection in Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad by Gerardo Rodríguez Salas
Ways to Read this Book at STCC
Print Book
Members of the STCC community have full borrowing privileges at the STCC Library, located in Building 19, 2nd Floor, provided they are actively registered in the college system and their records are in good standing.
Additional Options
You have additional checkout options through Massachusetts public libraries. CW/MARS and Boston Public Library eCards will give you access to eBook and Audiobook versions of this book. You can also download the Libby app to listen to audiobooks on your smartphone. These resources are outside of STCC Library, please consult your local public library for any questions regarding these outside resources.
Check public libraries in Western Massachusetts via CW/MARS:
Residents of Massachusetts can sign up for a Boston Public Library eCard, to access their digital materials such as eBooks and downloadable audiobooks. Follow the instructions on the BPL's website: