1. Why do you think history is called "history" instead of "herstory"?

What does this reveal about the

roots of history?
When it comes to linguistics, some still mistakenly refer to "history" as a two-word combined (his
and story). The "his-" in the word "history" does not direct to masculine pronouns nor suggest maleness.
Even though linguistically, it does not refer to any male tone, it still appears as a double meaning to many,
considering the history concerning gender inequality back then. The term "history" is derived from the
Greek word historia, which initially meant both the act of enquiring and the knowledge obtained with the
help of that inquiry. That is why feminists promoted "herstory" in the 1970s to call attention to the reality
that history has primarily been written from men's perspective. In addition, the etymology of the terms
"history" and "herstory" are entirely unrelated. The term "herstory" was created to help history better
comprehend women and establish higher value on the various experiences and viewpoints of women. By
this, some myths, stereotypes, and assumptions about women can be detoured and be more understood by
the world. As we all know, history books are still predominantly written from the viewpoint of men,
especially during the early centuries.

2. Do you think women's voices, and their perspectives, have been heard and chronicled as faithfully as
men's perspectives? Why do you think so?
Nowadays, women's voices and their perspectives are being heard and chronicled faithfully as
with men's. We are now in the modern era in which everyone is accorded equal rights to free speech
regardless of gender or nationality, which provides everyone with an equal opportunity to be heard.
However, the same cannot be said before because there was clear discrimination against women
regardless of their upbringing, and they were not considered seriously. Women in previous ages had
limited rights in the eyes of society, it did not include the right to free speech, and they were assumed to
follow and share the same thoughts and perspectives as men and the community. Only in this modern age
can women be involved in politics and other professions that males have dominated in the past. Before,
not many could voice their opinions or lead society, and women constantly fought for their recognition
and rights as people living in that community. Female voices were missing because society saw male
voices as more authoritative, significant, and superior on any platform, which is shown in many instances
whenever a man is involved. The famous author, J.K Rowling or Joanne Kathleen Rowling, was one of
the many authors who used a male inspiration pen name to write because they feared that not many would
read their works. After all, a woman wrote it. We can say that women's voices and perspectives were not
heard nor chronicled in the past but have dramatically changed and evolved, giving women the freedom
and privilege to advocate and inspire others.
3. What is the importance of the female perspective in history? in literature?
As we all know, being a man was considered a privileged status back then. Their gender was
superior to the female gender, labeled by society, showing complete discrimination and gender inequality.
Women's voices were suppressed and falsified to seem and think precisely as society expects them to do.
The female potential is diminished by the perception that female leadership and entrepreneurship are
unexpected accomplishments. Society thought less of women and let the male population dominate
almost everything. That is why in literature, the beginning of writing from a female perspective
contributed to the start of women's empowerment in the present time, which helped develop and discover
female writing traditions and rediscovered old texts. It also interprets female points of view so that they
are not lost or overlooked by the male point of view and resists gender bias in the vast majority of
literature. Helping the majority of the women population share their thoughts and voice out their
experiences. Letting the audience, including us, perceive a narrative through a fresh perspective, and
recognizing that every storyline has two sides and that the thinking of a woman might be fascinating. A
balanced awareness of both genders' viewpoints, not only men's, will work as a bridge in increasing the
authenticity of a book and a narrative.

4. How did Atwood contrast The Penelopiad with The Odyssey since most ancient writings focus on
males' patriotic achievements?
The Penelopiad is an interpretation of The Odyssey's persisting issues. Atwood contrasted the two
works by providing a female perspective on the events of the Odyssey so that readers may see all sides of
the story, not just the man and his deceptive persona. It employs a feminist viewpoint to recount the
Odyssey from Penelope's point of view. She also showed Penelope's hardships and struggles, which were
not shown in The Odyssey, alongside the character's true persona. Missing women voices from The
Odyssey were also told in The Penelopiad because, in Homer's book, the maids, including Penelope, had
not been given a chance to show their side. The Penelopiad and The Odyssey by Homer also highlight the
parallels and distinctions between societal authority and corruption. In her response to The Odyssey,
Atwood investigates how sex differences and socioeconomic status may distort cultural and sexual
impulses. Margaret Atwood examines the validity of the maid's execution in book 22 of the Odyssey
through intertextuality.
5. How is The Penelopiad relevant in 21st-century literature? Explain your answer.
Literature reflects the traditions and the timeline itself. It represents the history of a place or the
world as a whole. However, other novels may be biased or focus on specific objects, perspectives, and
views, such as when writers or other artists specifically focus on men, not giving women's perspectives.
When Penelopiad was made, it became significantly influential and vital because it represented women
before the 21st century and women as a whole. In previous ages, women struggled to fight for their rights
because not only men but society was one of the hurdles to women's rights. Their voices were dismissed,
not considered, and most importantly, they were not viewed as necessary as men. As society says before,
"Men are superior." This is why Penelopiad paved the way for women by showing their side, which helps
the current generation, the 21st century, because up until this day, there is still a struggle for gender
equality, although not cruel as before. The book is informative on women's struggles, hardships, and
inequality that they experience while boosting and portraying women's empowerment at the same time
and addressing social issues that have become a revelation, especially for the current generation. It raises
issues about female representation in text and importance while showing that women can do what men
can do, not only what society only says they should do.

6. What approach did Atwood use in writing The Penelopiad? Justify your answer.
The story begins with a quote, "now that I am dead, I know everything." Margaret Atwood used
an approach in The Penelopiad in Penelope's first person point of view of her experiences - narrating from
the afterlife in the underworld. Margaret Atwood gave us access to the past from different cultural
perspectives. It opened our eyes to see our perspective on The Penelopiad and The Odyssey through a
feminist lens. Moreover, Atwood also wrote about the 12 maids' perspective. Penelope's narrative or
perspective is written in a singular point of view, while the 12 maids' perspectives were written
collectively. This allowed the story to be told from a woman's point of view, with the women's voice
handling the narrative and the novel's progression.