Why I Chose this Archetype?
I chose this archetype because I was interested in the good mother figure that is seen in many ancient epics. The good mother is nurturing and non-threatening to her male counterpart, usually the hero. However, I wanted to expand beyond simply the mothering image and draw attention to how female characters interact specifically as wives with their husbands. In addition to this archetype, I wanted to explore the theme of feminine virtue that accompanies the good wife.
Feminine virtue often has the characteristics of a women who is noble, loyal to the hero, pure, courageous, and yet still submissive in some aspect. The two female characters in The Odyssey and The Mahabharata are Penelope and Draupadi respectively. One thing to also note about this theme and archetype is that the women do not control the destiny of their husbands. This is left up to the gods to do. As a result their destiny is then dependent on the outcome of their husband’s journeys. The one thing they do have control over however, is their action to stand by their husbands. Penelope endured loneliness because Odysseus was on a journey to return home yet she remained honorable until his return. Draupadi was thrown into the midst of a family feud that affected her honor and subjected her to disrespect but she stayed by her husband’s sides until her death. To leave would result in them being disqualified from the category of a good wife and the epitome of feminine virtue. Even though Penelope and Draupadi experience different circumstances in relation to their husbands, they are ultimately the good wife archetype and perpetuate the theme of feminine virtue in ancient epics.
Feminine virtue often has the characteristics of a women who is noble, loyal to the hero, pure, courageous, and yet still submissive in some aspect. The two female characters in The Odyssey and The Mahabharata are Penelope and Draupadi respectively. One thing to also note about this theme and archetype is that the women do not control the destiny of their husbands. This is left up to the gods to do. As a result their destiny is then dependent on the outcome of their husband’s journeys. The one thing they do have control over however, is their action to stand by their husbands. Penelope endured loneliness because Odysseus was on a journey to return home yet she remained honorable until his return. Draupadi was thrown into the midst of a family feud that affected her honor and subjected her to disrespect but she stayed by her husband’s sides until her death. To leave would result in them being disqualified from the category of a good wife and the epitome of feminine virtue. Even though Penelope and Draupadi experience different circumstances in relation to their husbands, they are ultimately the good wife archetype and perpetuate the theme of feminine virtue in ancient epics.