"Beloved, may your sleep be sound
That have found it where you fed.
What were all the world's alarms
To mighty Paris when he found
Sleep upon a golden bed
That first dawn in Helen's arms?"
That have found it where you fed.
What were all the world's alarms
To mighty Paris when he found
Sleep upon a golden bed
That first dawn in Helen's arms?"
- William Butler Yeats
(Photo from: http://www.mitchellteachers.net/WorldHistory/AncientGreece/Images/Odyssey/OdysseyTransIHomer.jpg)
It was Homer, a Greek blind poet, who wrote the two remarkable and outstanding epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey. Considering his physical disability, he was still able to astonish the world by his great compositions. He then created the two magnificent women - Helen and Penelope - who are made popular because of their exceptional beauty and extraordinary love story. However, the two of them do have different characteristics which turned the two epics into a very amazing and interesting composition.
(Photo from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Helene_Paris_David.jpg/220px-Helene_Paris_David.jpg)
Helen is the daughter of Zeus and Leda, the wife of the Spartan King Tyndareus. She lives a plain life in Sparta and later on finds the love from her brother, Pollux, and from the King of Athens, Theseus, after the abduction. King Tyndareus blames Helen for the death of his brother. And then, Menelaus becomes the husband of Helen. During the marriage, Paris arrives and subsequently, the latter and Helen travel to Troy. Menelaus calls upon all the other suitors to fulfill their oaths, thus beginning the Trojan War, the Fall of Troy.
(Photo from: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/31/Francesco_Primaticcio_002.jpg/230px-Francesco_Primaticcio_002.jpg)
Penelope is the faithful wife of King of Ithaca, Odysseus. She only has one son by Odysseus, Telemachus. She waits for twenty years for the return of her husband. Before the return of Odysseus, Penelope has a hard time refraining from accepting marriage proposals from her suitors. Odysseus returns and disguises as an old beggar. He finds that Penelope has still remained faithful to him. The latter devises tricks to delay her suitors, one of which is the contest of the bow. When the contest begins, none of the suitors is able to have the bow stringed, but Odysseus does, and wins the contest. He then slays the suitor with the help of Telemachus. Penelope finally recognizes that he truly is her husband.
An obvious comparison can be concluded between Helen and Penelope. It is that the latter has a better personality and character than the former. Penelope, whom I consider as the protagonist, stays loyal to King Odysseus. She proves her faithfulness to her husband by doing all the tricks she can do to delay her suitors and she holds unto a promise by King Odysseus. And that her loyalty only remains to her one and only husband. On the Other hand, Helen, whom I consider as the antagonist, thinks carelessly not like Penelope. The former does not think of what is going to happen after her decision making. If only she thinks thoroughly, the Trojan War could not have happened. Furthermore, Paris and many Trojans would have not been killed because of her if she only knew the right decision to make.
