Which would be most helpful when comparing Penelope with Odysseus and how they changed in The Odyssey?

Question

It would be most helpful to consider Penelope’s actions toward her servants.
It would be most helpful to consider Odysseus’s words to his men.
It would be most helpful to consider both characters’ reactions to the suitors.
It would be most helpful to consider both characters’ physical appearance.

Answer 1

To effectively compare Penelope with Odysseus and analyze how they changed in "The Odyssey," it would be most helpful to consider both characters’ reactions to the suitors. This aspect highlights their respective strengths, values, and transformations throughout the narrative.

Penelope's management of the suitors reflects her intelligence, loyalty, and cleverness, as she devises strategies to delay remarriage and protect her household. On the other hand, Odysseus’s eventual response to the suitors showcases his leadership, cunning, and the restoration of his authority in his home. Their reactions to this critical situation provide insights into their character development and the themes of loyalty, identity, and justice within the epic.