Penelope And Sarah Essays - Book Of Genesis, Abraham, Vayeira

Penelope And Sarah BEHIND EVERY GOOD MAN IS A GREAT WOMAN Most ancient texts were written by men. It is important to remember this. The writers made sure that men were always the heroes, the powerful ones-- the important ones. Women always seem to lay in the background. However, we must not blame this solely on the writers. Historically, women have not been treated as equals. One cannot help but observe that in the specific area of family life a widespread social and cultural tradition has considered women's role to be exclusively that of wife and mother. As a wife, a woman was expected to obey and serve her husband. Men saw women as, what they believed to be, the fulfillment of God's intention: It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner (Genesis 2.18). Despite these biases, women play a central and crucial role in many historical texts. Even if the men are always the heroes, behind every good man is a great woman. Let's explore these two great women: Penelope from Homer's Odyssey, and Sarah from Genesis. They are both shadowed by the greatness of their husbands. However, if we read carefully, we can make them come out of their hiding place and let their true beauty shine! Sarah is the faithful and loving wife of Abraham. God favors Abraham and makes great plans for him. God promises Abraham that he will become ?a numerous people? (Genesis 17). However, becoming ?a numerous people? is impossible without the aid of women. Thus, Sarah plays an important role in God's historical purpose. Sarah plays an important role in Abraham's life too. She is a devoted wife that seems willing to do anything for her husband. When they are about to enter Egypt (Genesis 12.10) Abraham says to Sarah, ? I know well that you are a woman beautiful in appearance; and when the Egyptians see you, they will say, ?This is his wife'; then they will kill me..?. Abraham, of course, wants to save his life. He, therefore, tells Sarah to say she is his sister. Abraham thinks only of himself. The Egyptians shower Abraham with gifts. His content with such material possessions take precedence over the well-being of his wife. However, Sarah doesn't complain. She complies with her husband's wishes. By doing this, Sarah not only brings wealth to her husband, she also saves his life. Sarah's dedication doesn't stop there. Her devotion to her husband is also seen in Genesis 16. Here, Sarah, after being barren for some time, tells Abraham to, ?go in to my slave-girl; it may be that I shall obtain children by her.?. Sarah is not pleased with her decision. She performed this sacrifice for her husband-- again. We can see her frustration and disappointment when she tells Abraham, ?May the wrong done to me be on you!? Looking at this statement, it seems that Sarah was forced to ?give? her slave-girl to Abraham. However, it was she that made this suggestion. Was she forced by Abraham, and the author just failed to mention this? Maybe she felt forced by society. It is, after all, a woman's ?role? to please her husband. Without Sarah's faithful actions there would be no Abraham. Without Abraham there would be no ?numerous people?. Without ?a numerous people? millions of nations would not exist. Sarah seems pretty important now, doesn't she? Another important woman in literature is Penelope from Homer's Odyssey. She, like Sarah, is extremely faithful. Her husband, Odysseus, sailed with his army in an expedition twenty years ago and hasn't returned since. In his absence, the nobleman of Ithaca and the surrounding states have converged upon his palace, hoping to win the hand of Penelope. She, ever faithful to her husband's memory, will not remarry. She goes to great lengths to keep from having to chose one of the suitors as a husband: ?She set up a great loom in her palace, and set to weaving a web of threads long and fine. Then she said to us [the suitors]: ?Young men, ...wait... until I finish this web, so that my weaving will not be useless and wasted' (II, line 94)?. Penelope never intended to finish the web,