Penelope: The Story of the Half-Scalped Woman--A Narrative Poem

by Penelope Scambly Schott

"The poet's journey into the past and another culture, fired by eponymous inspiration, leads to discoveries, a new appreciation of lost moments. To bridge three centuries and create a verbal portrait though a picture is lacking is quite an achievement. Naturally, this effort will be compared to John Berryman's great poem about Anne Bradstreet, but to no harm."--David Ray

"In this fascinating sequence Penelope Scambly Schott poignantly re-imagines...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0813016398
• ISBN13: 9780813016399
• Release Date: January 1999
• Publisher: University Press of Florida
• Length: 72 Pages
• Weight: 1.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.3" x 5.5" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

An honor to Penelope's Courage

I, too, am a descendent of Penelope Stout, and I am a poet. The poetry in this collection is written with mastery. The collection and the book itself are a work of art that honors a woman's memory, legacy, strengths and struggles. The character development allows the reader and decedents to relate to Penelope as a complex human being, not a flawless hero, which allows us to connect more intimately with Penelope. Schott respects the historical facts and remains well within the boundaries of acceptable creative license to re-create what we do not and cannot know. I've heard Penelope's legend passed on for years. The nature of ancestral storytelling embraces that we do not and cannot know all the facts, thoughts and motivations. Schott's book honors the nature of such storytelling; it should be read as such. The book's form and voice have characteristics of an epic poem. The fully developed voice and verse, added to character development, plot, scene, summary and the poetic form give the book layers of complex meaning. It isn't just a story, as most of us who've heard it told over and over know. The story is written with creative skill and attention to historical reference. I, too, am honored to have her in my lineage, and I encourage the rest of her far-reaching clan to read this masterful work for its unique perspective, the strength of its poetry and its interesting narrative. I will be honored to pass this book down to my children some day, along with other works written on the subject.

Penelope, The Story of the Half-Scalped Woman

An excellent rendering in poetic form of a remarkable true story of survival. Penelope arrived on the shores of America in the 1640's to face an immediate, devastating loss of her husband due to a brutual attack by Indians. Left half-scalped and severely injured on the beach of Sandy Hook, New Jersey, Penelope somehow survives the attack, and after seven days is rescued by Indians and nursed back to health. I personally owe deep gratitude to Machk, the Lenape Indian who used his Native remedies and skills to heal Penelope, and to Penelope herself, for the inner-strength she obviously displayed to get through such a trying time in her life. If she had not survived, I would not be here. Penelope Stout is my 9th great grandmother. I am proud to have her as my ancestor, a discovery I only recently made. The strong bond that developed between Machk and Penelope reaches down through many generations, and as a result, touches many of us who are descendants of this notable woman and her second husband, Richard Stout. The author, Penelope Scambly Schott has presented a poetic story of historical events, including the moving relationship of this one immigrant woman and one Native American man.

THE STORY OF THE HALF-SCALPED WOMAN:

THE STORY WAS GREAT . ITS AMAZING SHE LIVED THRU ALL OF THAT . THE INDIAN THAT SAVED HER I UNDERSTAND USE TO COME VISIT HER . I'VE READ PLENTLY OF STORIES ON THIS WOMAN BUT , THIS ONE I THINK STANDS OUT THE MOST . I AM A DESCENDANT OF HER'S . SO IT HAS COME IN MOST HELPFULL WHILE I'M TRYING TO FIND INFORMATION ON THIS PART OF MY FAMILY. THANK YOU JENA WILSON

"Penelope, The Story of the Half-Scalped Woman"

"Penelope, The Story of the Half-Scalped Woman" invokes 3 Penelopes. Penelope Schott, its author. Penelope of "The Odyssey", Ulysses' long abandoned and faithful wife, and the Penelope of this true story, an early American settler. Like The Odyssey's Penelope, her tale is told in poetry. Newlywed Penelope arrives from Holland, on the shores of New Jersey in 1640. Her husband is too ill to go further so they are left by their companions. Almost immediately they are set upon by Lenape Indians who kill her husband and leave Penelope half scalped and half dead. She is found by other Indians of the same tribe, where she has found shelter in a hollow tree. Healed and cared for by them, Penelope makes her life among them until she is "rescued" by white settlers with whom she can no longer fit in. Researched carefully from documents and family history, Penelope Stout's tale is one of bravery, both alone and in numbers. Written beautifully, it's a tale thrice told: about Ulysses' Penelope, Penelope Stout, and the story's author Penelope Schott, women whose awareness of life is the same despite the centuries.

Modern verse merges with colonial times

I'm not one for modern verse that breaks lines in the middle of thoughts. But Penelope Schott's book reads easily, and by using the breaks where she does adds the impact (I believe) she's looking for. The story itself is quite dramatic, and Schott's telling gives a good feel for what times must have been like for the difficult life of the subject, Penelope Van Princes. It's not light reading, and it's not one I'd read to my little boys (parts are fairly graphic for young ears). But I enjoyed it. In the preface, Schott apolologizes to the many decendents of "Penelope" for any literary license she used to fill in where facts were missing, and being Penelope's great x 9 grandson, I forgive her, and thank her for bringing to light many aspects of our earliest immigrants.