AboutMaria Expertise I am an expert in Italian, Latin and Ancient Greek Literature.
Experience Over 25 years teaching experience
Education/Credentials I received my Ph.D. from Genova University (Italy). My graduation thesis was about ancient Greek drama: I carried out a detailed research on Aeschylus.
Question I have an essay due about compare and contrast of Penelope and Dido, or Penelope and Camilla. From The Odyssey and The Aeneid. Do you think I might find enough information about these two? Any other sugestions also will help.
Thank You. Eriton.
Answer Hello,
The first source of information about Penelope is Homer’s Odyssey, books 1, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, while for Dido and Camilla you must read the books 1, 4 (for Dido) and 7, 11 (for Camilla) in Virgil’s Aeneid.
Anyway, here’s a synthesis of the distinctive aspects and qualities of Penelope, Dido and Camilla.
PENELOPE is certainly a shrewd woman, who sometimes could seem to be weak, while she is a female figure of authority and dignity, as we see in many circumstances.
In fact, whenever she meets her insolent and domineering suitors, Penelope never appears to be yielding, but on the contrary strikes a noble attitude that is not weak at all, so that even the suitors must admire her dignified behaviour, cleverness and astuteness. In fact to spare herself their importunities she insists that they wait until she has woven a shroud for Laertes, father of Odysseus. Every night for three years, until one of her maids reveals the secret, she unravels the piece that she had woven by day in order to avoid the day that she must give up hope for the return of her beloved husband, and remarry.
Moreover she is faithful to her husband Odysseus and full of maternal love for her son Telemachus.
See at: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/odyssey/section10.rhtml http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/odyssey/section11.rhtml http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/odyssey/section12.rhtml
DIDO is a very beautiful woman, who welcomes Aeneas to Carthage during his travels and falls in love with him. But when he leaves her in order to fulfil his quest to build a new Troy in Italy, she builds a pyre to destroy all memories of him and stabs herself with his sword.
So, she is the courageous founder and queen of Carthage, but also a tragic unfortunate lover who becomes a victim of her own love.
See at: http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/aeneid/section1.html http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/aeneid/section4.rhtml
