H E L E N

"Empires have fallen because of her, she's fond of
saying." (Atwood 187)
- Penelope, even in the Underworld, is overridden
with jealousy of Helen.
- Helen is Penelope's arch-enemy. Penelope
compares everything she does to Helen's feats.
- Both characters are secretly insecure: Helen
thinks that her beauty can only be validated
through the sacrifice of men, and Penelope constantly doubts the power of her intelligence
over her looks.