The Penelopiad

Notes On The Author

Margaret Atwood is a Canadian author, poet, and literary critic whose prolific body of work has earned her numerous literary awards and accolades. Born in Ottawa in 1939, Atwood grew up in Canada's wilderness and spent much of her childhood reading and writing. After completing her undergraduate degree at the University of Toronto, she went on to earn her master's degree at Harvard University.

Atwood is known for her exploration of themes such as feminism, dystopia, and environmentalism. Her writing often offers alternative perspectives on familiar stories, and she has been a vocal advocate for social justice and environmental causes. Atwood's use of multiple genres and forms within her writing, including science fiction, historical fiction, and poetry, has made her work both versatile and engaging.

The Penelopiad is part of Atwood's larger body of work that explores the role of women in history and myth. In this novel, Atwood offers an alternative perspective on the familiar story of The Odyssey, retelling it from the perspective of Penelope, the wife of the Greek hero Odysseus. By giving voice to a traditionally silent character, Atwood challenges the patriarchal narrative of the original story and highlights the experiences of women in ancient Greece.

Atwood's writing is also known for its exploration of social and environmental issues. In addition to her literary work, she has been a vocal advocate for social justice and environmentalism. Her writing often reflects these concerns, and The Penelopiad is no exception. Through her portrayal of the gods and goddesses in the novel, Atwood offers a commentary on power dynamics and the consequences of environmental degradation.

By exploring the role of women in myth and history, and by highlighting social and environmental issues, Atwood's writing offers a unique and thought-provoking perspective that continues to resonate with readers today.

**Penelopiad - Context

Context

The Penelopiad is a retelling of a classical Greek myth: The Odyssey. Whereas the original myth focused on Odysseus, Atwood's story focuses on his wife, Penelope. Read the slides about the original myth and Greek culture to better understand this novel.

**The Penelopiad Study Guide

**Penelopiad - Structure

Intertextuality - Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad

EXPLORING THE PENELOPIAD

The Text

Click the link above or the image of the book cover to access a PDF version of this text. Whilst having a digital version of the text is useful, it might also be a good idea to buy a hard copy of the text so that you can make annotations as you read. Don't forget, the more active you are as you read, the better your understanding of the text will be.

The following sections are broken up for our benefit. They are organised in short sections that allow us to discuss the text more effectively. The division of the text into these nine sections is NOT a choice made by the author.