The Portrayal Of Women In The Aeneid And The Odyssey

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Though epic poems are almost always centered around male figures, there is no doubt that the women in epic poems are some of the most fascinating characters, and can substantially affect the direction in which the epic takes. In both The Aeneid and The Odyssey, the women are driven by their loves. But there is a stark contrast between the Aeneid’s Queen Dido of Carthage, and The Odyssey’s Penelope. Penelope is a loyal and faithful wife waiting many years alone for her husband to return, despite the number of suitors sent her way. Dido is adamant to be alone to honor her husband's memory, but falls in love with Aeneas in a sudden, obsessive way.
When Penelope’s husband does not return immediately after the Trojan war, she waits faithfully for more than twenty years because her love is true. Dido’s infatuation with Aeneas was caused by Juno and Venus’ intervention. Once a competent and steady Queen, love changes Dido’s demeanor
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Like Aeneas, Dido fled her homeland because of circumstances beyond her control and founded Carthage. She is a good leader who rules fairly and justly. Dido is also, however, a victim of her circumstance becoming a pawn of the gods in their battle for Aeneas’ fate. She falls in love with Aeneas due to the interference of Juno and Venus, and is heartbroken when Mercury sends Aeneas away from Dido to build his kingdom elsewhere. But when her love is unrequited, instead of moving on and focusing on her own future as a leader, she ends her life making her responsible for her own tragedy as her love is her downfall. "What am I saying? Where am I? What madness / Takes me out of myself? Dido poor soul, / Your evil doing has come home to you." (Book IV) Her suicide makes her a romantically tragic hero. Dido and Penelope are both strong female characters, but their fates are far different based on the circumstances in which they have found