LOW ART (EXCERPT FROM PENELOPIAD BY MARGARET ATWOOD) delivered by Ms. Jelliane Rose Villacuatro

The speaker, now deceased, reflects on the limited knowledge gained in death, regretting the 'too high a price' for mere curiosity. She explains that being dead has brought unwanted knowledge, akin to eavesdropping or reading private letters.

Everyone in the afterlife carries a 'sack' of words spoken about them. The speaker's sack is filled with words about her 'eminent husband,' Odysseus, who made a fool of her. She recounts his ability to get away with everything, his plausibility, and how she sometimes even believed his embellished stories despite knowing he was a liar.

The speaker questions why Odysseus betrayed her despite her unwavering faithfulness and patience. She contrasts her steady endurance with the portrayal of her as an 'edifying legend' for other women to emulate. She longs to scream her truth but can only make the sound of an owl.

She admits to having inklings about Odysseus's unscrupulousness but chose to ignore them, turning a blind eye and even praising him. She avoided awkward questions, desiring 'happy endings' and believing they were achieved by locking away truths and sleeping through difficult times.

After the main events, she realized how many people were laughing and jeering at her behind her back, turning her story into jokes and narratives she disliked. She questions what a woman can do when scandalous gossip spreads, as defending oneself often makes one seem guilty.

Now that others have had their say, it's her turn to tell her story. She acknowledges storytelling as a 'low art' practiced by common folk. Though once, her aristocratic status would have made her a laughingstock for attempting it, in death, public opinion no longer matters to her.