The Odyssey is the continuation of the Illiad, both written by the poet, Homer. The female lead character in the Illiad was Helen of Troy, Paris' love, while the female lead in the Odyssey was Penelope, the wife of Odysseus.
Helen of Troy was known as the most beautiful woman in the world. Her parents were Queen Leda and Zeus, the supreme god. Later she became the queen of Sparta after marrying King Menelaus, brother of Agamemnon. She was also known as the woman who launched a thousand ships just because of being with her belove Paris in Troy after getting married to Menelaus. Of course, Menelaus' honor was at stake since his wife left him and went away with another man. Helen refused to go back to him, because she doesn't love Menelaus. Who wouldn't get mad at her? She was a queen and a wife and yet she left her country to sleep with another man. Just for her selfish desires, innocent people around her, Trojan and Greek soldiers, the House of Troy, merchants, housewives, children and even her sister's family was destroyed because of her.
Odysseus was one of the unfortunate soldiers in the Trojan War. Just because of this war, he was separated from his first and newly born son, Telemachus, and his most beloved wife, Penelope. Penelope was just holding on to a promise, swore by Odysseus under an olive tree in their bedroom, while holding Telemachus in her arms. For twenty years, Penelope, waited for his husband despite her rude, selfish, greedy and arrogant suitors. She stayed by her son's side, guiding him just like how Odysseus was guided by his mother. Even at difficult times, Penelope would stay calm and think things through and act properly, like a queen does. She practiced their traditions even if its hard to comply. She thinks positively, leaning on Odysseus' promise to her, that he would come back for her.
Between these two women, for me, Penelope, is the protagonist while Helen is the antagonist. Penelope stayed faithful and acted accordingly in front of her suitors, while Helen acted selfishly and even had her loved one killed. Penelope is the best example of a wife and a lover to an overseas partner. After twenty years of not seeing and hearing of him except his death, Penelope remains faithful and her love for him stays the same. Helen, on the other hand, even though she acted because of love, brought misery to the others and for most, death. Even though up to the end she still loved Paris, it brought to an end the whole city of Troy, the once overflowing of gold, now, overflowing with blood and ruins.
