In The Penelopiad written by Margaret Atwood, feminism and anti-feminism are present in many settings and scenes, demonstrating that the sole purpose of the book is to give voice to the women of the 'Odysseys that show us different aspects of a story. By repeating words and phrases that give the reader negative connotations, Margaret Atwood helps destroy the predisposed ideology that men are superior to women. Margaret Atwood narrates the book as several female characters recount instances where they were discriminated against. By using Odysseus' maids as examples of dehumanized women, the reader is able to see different perspectives of the original story of the Iliad. By having the entire story focus on Penelope's adventures while Odysseus was away, it shows the reader the independence and courage she possessed at the beginning of Penelopiad, when she was dependent on his kingdom. The use of words such as cold blood to describe a murderer, slave to describe a human being, and repeated guilt to describe an act shows the reader the torture that women in this time period had to endure. twelve hanging, desperate and angry maids are stripped of their social, political and economic rights, relieving them of their duties as human beings, leaving them to rot on Earth and in Hell. By using the words "cold blooded", the author illustrates the killer as being emotionally detached and cruelly intent on torturing the maids to embarrass and ridicule them. The fact that the lawyer only has to mention that it was “within his rights” to kill women without batting an eye shows the reader the patriarchal world in which these desolate souls had to live, get r...... middle of paper... from most spoiled queen to the lowest servant, women have always had the lowest perception of themselves. This scene is just a shadow of the stereotypical ideology that women are inferior to men and are unable to stand up for themselves, while men improve in stature and ego. Furthermore, when Penelope speaks of the “girl[s] and[and] goddess[es] she was praising, the reader sees that Penelope knew from the beginning of Odysseus' infidelity towards her. This is a sign of Penelope's intelligence which was hidden because the original story was based solely on Odysseus' perspective. In conclusion, the main goal of The Penelopiad is to represent women who have never had the chance to express their opinion when they are pushed down and give. them the opportunity to explain their actions. We gain insight into their mindset through the use and repetition of words and phrases that describe the restrictions the women faced.