Face-to-face: Penelope of Ithaca vs. Helen of Troy

               It was said that behind the success of a man is a woman. 

      Penelope and Helen are just two of the legendary women who played a significant part in Homer's compositions.

              Penelope is the beautiful, loving and diligent wife of Odysseus. She was the one who took care of her child, Telemachus. Not just that. What amazed me was when she manifested her faithfulness to her husband. Although Odysseus was in a journey and she did not know if her husband would ever come back, she still remained faithful to him by believing that Odysseus was still alive and once more, their family would be complete.  Penelope also portrayed her intelligence. She decided to test her suitors to determine which of them is more likely to be her husband. This amazed me and made me admire Penelope.

              Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, is the wife of King Menelaus and soul mate of Prince Paris. She was well-known because she was the cause of the Trojan war. For me, she is the "love against all odds" type of girl. Everyone knows the proverb, " without love I am nothing". But, it was also said that love is not selfish and loving takes a lot of sacrifices. Helen is selfish. She did not think what her decisions and actions would cause. She just thought of her own happiness - to love Paris and be his woman. The Trojan war brought sorrow and destruction to the Trojans and their families. It has also led the downfall of Paris's home, Troy.

              Penelope and Helen are both from the past. They were part of history and mythology. They were women who have their own characteristics and principles in life. To me, Helen was still a child. Her actions and the decisions she have made were of a child. Immature and shallow. She did not think of what is good for many. She just thought of her love and has let it control her. She is more of an antagonist because she was the one who brought sadness and misery to the people. On the other hand, Penelope was a wise woman and a faithful wife. She has used her wisdom to make decisions like the test which she made to determine which of her suitors best deserves her. She is a protagonist, a model to every woman and wife. 

But as a writer, what I really want to impart to you is that you must use your mind and heart. Heart is used to feel and empathize with people while mind is used to decide and think.

Therefore, mind plus heart equals happiness for everyone and manifestation of Christ's love.