Penelope
is portrayed in 's Odyssey as an intelligent and resourceful woman, skilled
in her household tasks and loyal to her husband. In many ways, she is an ideal of Greek
womanhood, dedicated to her role as wife and mother and displaying loyalty to her
family.
Women in Homeric society had little power of their own, but instead
had limited influence by association with their husbands. Penelope's ability to influence
members of her household had to do with her position as the wife of the king. Thus as long as
her orders were not overridden by her husband, slaves and other members of the household were
required to obey her as a sort of proxy for her husband. Her son, Telemachus, as a young child
would be required to be obedient to her but would grow more independent as he grew
older.
Her lack of authority as an individual leads her to devise stratagems
to ward off the suitors as she cannot simply refuse them as could a woman in a modern culture.
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