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Ancient Greek Hypocrisy: The Saga of Penelope and Clytemnestra This four page undergraduate essay examines “The Hades” episodes in both book 11 and book 24 of the Odyssey, which reveal that Agamemnon is guilty of outrageous hypocrisy. Ignoring his own treacherous conduct, he condemns his wife Clytemnestra as having brought shame on all women, while extolling Penelope as the model wife. Based upon the evidence in Homer’s play the Odyssey and Aeschylus’ play, Agamemnon, it is evident that women in ancient Greece could only win praise from men if they were passive, submissive victims of male abuse.
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