Penelope's Battle | Teen Ink

Penelope's Battle

October 1, 2021
By oliviaphillips4397, Nmb, South Carolina
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oliviaphillips4397, Nmb, South Carolina
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Odyssesus has been missing for 10 years. Meanwhile, Penelope has been  playing with suitors' hearts like  a kid in a toy store. .Penelope faces the choice of choosing a suitor, but she has been deceitful, weaving and unweaving the wes of death, truelove for Odysseus that may never be restored, and hope that she may once more find someone she loves, just as she did before.   

“Oh! You are too kind! I really don't deserve this!” said Penelope, after a Suitor, one of the humbler ones in particular, gave Penelope a necklace with the prettiest of jewels. It was clear that the suitors had heard Antinos’s speech. Telemachus had immediately come to her and told her what had happened. He told Penelope that he had told the people of Ithaca, that he thought that Odysseus would never return and that he had been having some personal problems. “And then '', Telemachus said,''one of the suitors,Antinos, told the whole of Ithaca how you were tricking the suitors! Weaving a shroud and undoing it at night!? Why are you tricking the people of Ithaca? Why are you tricking me?! Aren’t I supposed to be your son? Aren’t I part of your family? You will choose a suitor, no matter what the situation is! After all, it’s Your reputation you are ruining. You need to hurry this up mother, because Antinos said none of the people of Ithaca are going back to their homes, nor are the suitors, until YOU, Penelope of Ithaca, choose a suitor! Good Day Mother!” And at that, Telemachus stormed out and slammed the door to the throne room where they had been talking. Telemachus felt like he was being betrayed by his own mother. ‘Aren't I part of our family? Why does she feel the need to trick me and the people of Ithaca like this?Can I even trust my own mother anymore?’ Telemachus thought angrily. Later that night, as Telemachus went down to dinner, Penelope caught his eye, but quickly turned away and did not say a word to him during dinner. When Telemachus went to bed, Telemachus thought he heard his mother merely mutter, “G’night.”

That night, Telemachus lay awake in his bed, staring at the ceiling, nervous and angry, as thoughts of his mother flashed through his mind. The exact mind his mother had so easily tricked.’Would this have happened if the mighty Odysseus was here? Why did he have to leave us so suddenly? Does my own mother disprove of me? Does she hate me? Why did she even try to do this? How can I make her proud of me? Is she angry at me? DOES SHE CARE ABOUT ME AT ALL?’ As these thoughts crossed his mind, he slowly fell into a deep,heavy, sleepy state until the fingertips of dawn rose.

The next day, after breakfast, Penelope asked if she could have a word with him. “Telemachus, I’m sorry for tricking you along with the land of Ithaca and the suitors. I’m sorry, will you forgive me?”, Penelope said, tears welling up in her big, saddened eyes. Telemachus assumed that she had gotten only but 2-3 hours of sleep, from looking at the bags under her eyes. Telemachus hoped that she had taken some time last night to ponder about how she had hurt him, the suitors, and the land of Ithaca. But, maybe she will like one of the suitors, once she had figured out what type of men she liked  and what she valued in a partner. Odysseus was very courageous and adventurous and bossy. I hope she chooses better this time, she deserves someone better than him,Telemachus thought, I certainly did not care for Odysseus. If Mom ever thought I would follow in HIS footsteps, she was certainly very wrong. I want to settle down and have a quiet life, a normal life, maybe then, I won’t have such a difficult life like my parents. I certainly would never go off  into a war and leave my wife and kids behind like Odysseus did. Mom better choose someone who isn’t as foolish as Odysseus, certainly, she at least  has better sense than that,Telemachus thought. Telemachus thought about this and other things for a long while before answering. He answered in a confident tone,”Yes mother, I will forgive you, but, please choose someone better than Odysseus. Odysseus just is a fool, leaving you and me by ourselves here in Ithaca to fend for ourselves! How dare he just abandon us!” Telemachus replied with a hint of anger in his voice. Penelope was leaving the room when Telemachus suddenly said, “Oh! Mother! I was wondering if you think that Aegyptius was really wise for publicly making a speech like the one he did, or if he should be prosecuted for causing a public disturbance. Let me know if this is too harsh”, Telemachus whispered,”but I personally think a beheading suits him right. This will teach the whole of Ithaca a lesson. A lesson not to disrespect royalty. That night at supper, Penelope said, “Tomorrow,Antinos will be prosecuted.Odysseus would be very sad to hear this, but it is for Antinos’s best. Antinos was fully aware when he made his speech that if he followed through, he would face severe consequences. He will appear in front of a jury and go to trial, but if he is found guilty, he will be beheaded.The first day of trial commences tomorrow at 10 am sharp. I would like all of the suitors to be there as eyewitnesses. You may also come to Telemachus.”And at that, she dismissed all of the suitors and the other members of the royal family.”Telemachus, may I have a word with you privately?” Penelope asked. “Yes mother, coming.”  Telemachus replied, with a nervous crack in his voice. “Telemachus, you are very lucky I am letting you come to the trial.  But next time, your attitude will not be tolerated. Odysseus would have never wanted you to act in such a way. If he were here, he would have been embarrassed and ashamed to even be in the same room with you.What do I keep telling you? The royal family must always show kindness when addressing anybody in the land of Ithaca or else people will not think as highly as they do of us.” Penelope said with a very strict manner in her voice. “Yes Mother.” Telemachus replied lazily. Telemachus wished that hi mom would just stop battering about stupid stuff. He just wants to be a normal prince. The next morning, Telemachus woke from a heavy sleep with a feeling of anticipation in his stomach. He knew that one way or the other Antinos would be prosecuted. The only reason Mom wants a trial is to make sure the people of Ithaca think that the prosecution was a fair decision and not just randomly decided. Telemachus knew that whatever way the trial went, the judge would find a way to prove Antinos guilty. By the end of the trial, Penelope seemed stuck on the idea of having Antinos persecuted. Penelope wondered how Odysseus would feel about this if  he was here.  That night, as Penelope lay in her bed, she cried silent tears, in her bed, thinking about how Odysseus would handle the situation if he was here. The next day, the last day of the trial, Antinos was declared guilty of disrespecting royalty and would be sentenced to beheading on that. That night, the night the trial ended, Penelope created 3 trials that the suitors would have to go through. Whoever was left at the end of the challenges was going to be the suitor Penelope chose. There were 7 suitors. Antinos, who was being prosecuted that evening,Elatus,Leodes,Polybus,Euryades,Amphimedon,and Agelaus. But before the trials could happen, Antinos had to be prosecuted. So, Telemachus and Penelope headed to the town square for the prosecution, both with a feeling of anxiety. When Telemachus and Penelope arrived at the town square, the axmen had already arrived. Penelope said a few words before the prosecution happened. “Today we prosecute Antonios, on charges of disrespect to loya-.” She was abruptly interrupted. “What is happening here?!” the stranger said. The voice came from none other then the one and only Odysseus! “I have returned. The chaos will be gone soon now that your ruler has returned.” Penelope had run over and wrapped him in a hug. Telemachus, now realizing how much he missed Odysseus, did the same. Odyssesus told Telemachus, “I hope you’ll forgive me because I know you probably feel like I abandoned you. I hope you will accept my apology.”Telemachus replied,”Yes dad! I will! I missed you so much and I hope you never leave me again.”  Antinos was set free.that all was well and everybody was happy for years and years after.



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