A Low Art:
- “Low art, tale-telling” –> reference to Homer itself (Blind Singer) and to Odyssey as well (blind beggar) and the unreliability of their craft (this relating to the idea of hero versus society, specifically how her story has been manipulated and re-told)
- But then there’s the idea that she too is telling a story, and while we are more inclined to sympathize and believe her ( idea were those of a higher status target those of a lower status = bully, but when lower status targets higher status, the idea of being an underdog and resisting), her criticisms to the art of storytelling are valid to her as well (unreliability of narrator marks another conflict of truth vs narrative).
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- Weird bits of humor that are allusions to the Odyssey, as well as the use of unusual vocabulary like factoid points to this idea of this not in fact being Penelope, but yet another PERSONA of Penelope … this one as well simply trying to push an agenda [of the man versus women conflict that’s also mentioned within the extract …. and how women are ‘forced to be subservient’]. Ironic because that’s what the persona is accusing ‘the Odyssey’ of doing, pushing an agenda that promotes women remaining domicile.
It’s good that you noted the power imbalance that is almost always a part of satire —and I like your perception of irony in the work, too.