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Hannah Baumgartner
English 9
Gardner
11/28/18
A Discussion of Wealth, Authority, and Morality

More than a contradicting narrative of The Odyssey, The Penelopiad is a striking and

poignant view on modern society and the means in which the lowest members are abused by the

socioeconomic establishment. The story and setting of Ancient Greece is a mere platform to

convey the social issues that stand at the core of human nature, while calling attention to the idea

of entitlement over ethical morals and the effect of socioeconomic status on social dominance.

The story of the maids is symbolic of the integral role wealth plays into authority and morality.

Whether or not it is acknowledged, socioeconomic status governs the way we interact

with one another. The wealth gap creates a similar effect to that of authority, as the two are often

intertwined with one another. This correlation between wealth and authority is shown in The

Penelopiad as the relationship between Eurycleia and Odysseus’ father, Laertes, is discussed.

“[Eurycleia was] so highly valued that he hadn’t even slept with her. ‘Imagine that, for a slave-

woman!’” (Atwood. 60). Regardless of the act itself, the main idea is that Laertes stood in a

position of power, created by his wealth, that allowed him to make decisions for Eurycleia

without her consent. A common instance of authority and wealth occurring today is the fact that

congressman, who are responsible for making laws for the general population have a median net

worth of $1.2 million, while the average net worth of an American household is only $97,000

(Kopf). In this instance the congressman are considerably more wealthy than those who they

make the laws for. Both of these cases demonstrate how closely net worth and authority are

intertwined with one another in modern and ancient societies.

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In addition to the idea that affluence leads to social dominance The Penelopiad examines

the way wealth plays into moral decision making on a daily basis. A quote by Freakonomics

author, Steven D. Levitt, forces his readers to consider the possibility that wealth gives people an

entitlement over morality. He states, "Morality, it could be argued, represents the way that

people would like the world to work, whereas economics represents how it actually does work,”

(Levitt & Dubner). Essentially, economics plays a larger role in ethical choices than most care to

admit. In the case of The Penelopiad, there are multiple instances in which their power is

reflected in the manipulation of others who stand below their socioeconomic status. For instance,

when the suitors were at Penelope’s house they, “helped themselves to the maids in the same

way they helped themselves to sheep and pigs and goats and cows” (Atwood 116). This blatant

abuse of the maids is indicative of people who believe they have the right to treat others in a

certain way only because of their economic standing. In more recent news, the college

admissions scandal which involved wealthy parents bribing schools to admit their children is a

current example of how socioeconomic status gives people a perceived entitlement over ethical

rules. In each instance, wealth gave people a false sense of superiority in which widely accepted

moral guidelines did not apply to them.

In a society that is constantly working to become more egalitarian and less elitist, The

Penelopiad is a reminder that regardless of the time period, affluence and a wealth gap will exist.

With the ubiquitous presence of social class in modern times, parallels to an ancient world show

that with it comes perceived moral superiority and the basis of authority. However flawed this

may be, it has governed human existence since the earliest societies began, and only now are

people beginning to truly question the ideologies on a greater scale than ever before. Despite the

radical movements for change, the question remains: because socioeconomic status will never
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truly disappear, can thousands of years of human behavior regarding the adverse effects of

skewed morality and heightened authority, ever be permanently changed?

Works Cited

Atwood, Margaret. The Penelopiad. Great Briatin: O.W. Toad, 2005. Print.

Levitt, Steven D, and Stephen J. Dubner. Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of
Everything. New York: William Morrow, 2005. Print.

Kopf, Dan. The Typical US Congress Member is 12 Times Richer Than the Typical American
Household. Quartz. February 12, 2018. https://qz.com/1190595/the-typical-us-congress-member-is-12-
times-richer-than-the-typical-american-household/