Illustration of Odysseus tied to a ship's mast

The Odyssey

by Homer

Start Free Trial

Student Question

Does Penelope know about Odysseus's encounter with Calypso?

Quick answer:

Yes, Penelope knows about Odysseus's encounters with Calypso and Circe. In The Odyssey 23.300-372, Odysseus recounts his adventures to Penelope, including his time with both goddesses. Despite the details, Penelope is depicted as loving to hear it all, indicating her understanding and acceptance of his experiences.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

This is one of my favorite questions because modern readers get very upset with Odysseus for his extra-marital activities with Circe and Calypso.

Just for the record, I would point out that in the case of both Circe and Calypso, they are both goddesses and could well have killed Odysseus if he had rejected them. In the case of Circe, we should note that Hermes, also a god, essentially commands Odysseus to sleep with Circe: "...don’t refuse the goddess’ favours, if you want her to free your men, and care for you too" (A.S. Kline translation).

As for Calypso, even the gods recognize that Odysseus is a prisoner on her island: "He suffers misery in the island home of the nymph Calypso, who keeps him captive there."

So, in the case of Circe and Calypso, a god commands him to sleep with the former and he is a prisoner of the latter.

Does Penelope know about either of these women? Indeed, she does and Odysseus himself tells her. At Odyssey 23.300-372, Odysseus provides Penelope with a summary of his adventures. He tells her about Circe and Calypso, and even goes into fairly extensive detail about Calypso's sexual desire for him.

Homer precedes Odysseus' summary of his adventures with the following comment about Penelope's reaction to her husband's words "and she loved to hear it all". I think this is my favorite phrase in the entire epic.

Get Ahead with eNotes

Start your 48-hour free trial to access everything you need to rise to the top of the class. Enjoy expert answers and study guides ad-free and take your learning to the next level.

Get 48 Hours Free Access
Approved by eNotes Editorial