They say that behind a great man is a great woman… but who is behind a great women? Throughout history women did always everything on their own racing against stereotypes, machismo, gender differences and hypocrisy. This section is dedicated to women of the past and of the present and its aim is to tell their stories once a week. We will narrate stories about special ladies, more or less famous, whose knowledge will give you another point of view about humanity history.

PENELOPE: Not only a dutiful wife

Modern women like us should look at Penelope through different eyes in order to understand that our role of wives, partners or mothers is only the most visible part of the role that we really personify. We all know the story of Penelope: for twenty years she has waited for her husband’s return rejecting marriage proposal from suitors. She held off them with the promise that she would have chosen her groom only once she had finished waving a burial shroud for Odysseus’ father, Laertes. During the night she undid part of the shroud waved in the morning so that it seemed it was an endless work. Penelope is well known as the faithful wife incarnation, forced to play the role of who must wait for the husband. But if we look at her from another point of view, we can recognise she has been the forerunner of a warrior who for twenty years has daily fight to preserve her realm and her body. Without Penelope, Odysseus could not sail out to Troy: a journey that allowed him to have experiences of a superior knowledge of human spirit. It is only because of Penelope, an intelligent and astute woman, he could travel without the risk of realm usurpation. She permitted his return and retained the throne dynasty. In conclusion if Odysseus had not Penelope as wife, would we be here today discussing about his journey and his legendary return? Odysseus’ long and full of dangers journey is the symbol of mental and emotional trip and his final anchoring.