Comparison Piece Essay

The discussion herein compares two stories which are The Odyssey and Much Ado About Nothing. The comparison shall take a look at one theme that is similar in both stories and will explain how the theme has been brought out in both stories. The theme selected is that Women are Powerful. In both stories, it is very clear that women are powerful. The power that is referred to herein is not physical but rather emotional. The power that women have over men makes them make mistakes some of which turn out to be costly. In Much Ado About Nothing, the main female character Hero seems to be at the center of all the controversy that goes on throughout the story. Claudio who had earned recognition by his army leader Don Pedro in the last couple of battles has his eyes on the daughter of the Governor of Messina, Leonato. Don Pedro, however, offered to woo Hero on behalf of Claudio (Shakespeare, p. 32). One cannot help the great efforts that the men in this story have put for the sake of women. Don John, the bastard brother Don Pedro makes Claudio believe that Don Pedro is in fact wooing Hero form himself and not for Claudio as agreed (Shakespeare, p. 24) In The Odyssey, Odyssey is believed to be dead after he failed to return from war. His wife Penelope has attracted many suitors all of who are interested. They all hope to get a chance to court even if she has made it clear that she does not want to remarry (Parks, p. 28). They are all patient and they are hoping that Penelope is going to change her and consider one of them. When Penelope is asked by the many suitors why she will not give them consideration and yet her husband is already, she argues that she needs to complete funeral arrangements (Lister, p. 14). They still wait even if the funeral arrangements do not seem to come to an end.