#I get sad about how people literally never acknowledge Penelope and Athena's relationship. sometimes I just wanna scream

[dootznbootz]

Athena favors Penelope because of who she is, not because of who her husband and son are.

The text even states as such.

"[...] on the score of the accomplishments Minerva has taught her, and because she is so clever. We never heard of such a woman; we know all about Tyro, Alcmena, Mycene, and the famous women of old, but they were nothing to your mother any one of them."

(Book 2, Butler)

"[...] counting too much on matchless gifts that she owes to Athene, her skill in fine handicraft, her excellent brain, and that genius she has for getting her way. In that respect, I grant she has no equal, not even in story. For of all the Achaean beauties of former times, there is not one, not Tyro, nor Alcmene, nor Mycene of the lovely diadem, who had at her command such wits as she. Yet in the present case Penelope has used those wits amiss."

(Book 2, Rieu)

[...] because in her heart she knows that she’s been given by Athena, more than any other woman, a skill in making lovely things, a noble heart, and cunning of a sort we never hear of in any fair-haired woman of Achaea, even the ones who lived so long ago—          like Tyro, Alcmene, and Mycene,                    the woman who wore the lovely headband— not one of them had shrewdness which could match Penelope’s.

(Book 2, Johnston)

Antinous is the one who is saying this but regardless, everyone considers Penelope to be favored by Athena. I think people forget that Penelope's role is very sneaky and sly in the Odyssey; of course not everything about her is "spelled out" for you because just as she tricks the trickster, her husband Odysseus, she tricks the AUDIENCE to a degree.

Not only do other characters acknowledge this Athena also reassures Telemachus that since he is PENELOPE'S SON, he'll be fine. Even while Odysseus is not there.

Then grey-eyed Athena said: "The gods decreed no lack of honor in this generation: such is the son Penelope bore in you."

(Book 1, Fitzgerald)

'And yet,' said the goddess of the flashing eyes, 'with you as you are, and with Penelope for your mother, I cannot think that your house is doomed to an inglorious future.[...]

(Book 1, Rieu)

Goddess Athena with the gleaming eyes answered him: “Well then, at least the gods have given you a family which, in days to come, will have a glorious name, since Penelope has given birth to such a noble son.

(Book 1, Johnston)

Athena wouldn't be reassuring Telemachus with "You are your mother's son; you will be fine" if Athena did not truly believe it. Even if you interpret it as more of a "Penelope has given birth to a great son, therefore you'll be fine," that's STILL acknowledging that she is his mother and the one who had, partially, made him who he is.

I've got more examples but I think I've made my point. Just because Athena isn't giving Penelope power ups to fight doesn't mean that Athena just ignores her or that she's "lesser" than Odysseus and Telemachus. Athena loves Penelope just as much, it's just in a different, though not less meaningful, way. Penelope herself embodies a lot of what Athena IS: intelligence, weaving, trickery, etc. I guess you could say that Penelope is more in the "feminine" domain of Athena's but still in her domain regardless.

I also think it's amusing that Athena had to instruct Odysseus with his plan to take out the suitors while Penelope came up with the challenge of Bow AND the way to test him about their bed all by herself. I'd like to imagine Athena is kind of like "You got everything handled. Let me make sure your husband doesn't die."