Final answer:
The wife of Odysseus and the mother of Telemachus, who waited for her husband's return for 20 years, is Penelope.
Step-by-step explanation:
The wife of Odysseus and the mother of Telemachus, who remained faithful and longed for her husband's return for 20 years in the Greek mythological epic 'The Odyssey,' is Penelope. During Odysseus's prolonged absence following the Trojan War, Penelope faced numerous suitors who tried to convince her of Odysseus's death and to remarry. Nonetheless, she remains a paragon of marital fidelity by cleverly delaying remarriage, exemplified by her ruse of weaving and unweaving a shroud. Penelope's role underscores the themes of loyalty and the trials of love over long distances and time.