Penelope – the Spartan princess is seen as the epitome of the loyal wife and mother, who patiently awaits the return of her heroic husband for decades. So tells the Odyssey, but is this also the story that Penelope herself would tell? No, believes Margaret Atwood. Without mincing words, her Penelope reflects on her life, recounting the ruthless competition with her beautiful cousin Helena, the forced marriage to Odysseus, a man known for his reputation as a braggart, and the intrigues and scandals at the court of Ithaca. Penelope's narrative is complemented by the chorus of her maids, who paid for their service with their lives and now demand justice.