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A Comparison Of Ada And Penelope In Charles Frazier's Cold Mountain

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Charles Frazier wrote his debut novel, Cold Mountain, nearly 2,600 years after Homer’s Odyssey. Despite this time span, many would argue that certain characters in Frazier’s novel are analogous to those in the Odyssey. One such comparison could be made between Ada Monroe and Queen Penelope. Both of these women married army soldiers who went off to battle. Ada’s husband, Inman, is a Confederate soldier of the American Civil War. Penelope’s husband, Odysseus, is a Greek hero at Troy. Although Ada and Penelope face difficulty in managing their households during war, they both remain loyal to their husbands and provide motivation for them to return.
While Inman and Odysseus are fighting at war, Ada and Penelope both struggle to manage their family’s estates and become largely dependent on others in doing so. After her father dies, Ada must run the entire farm in Black Cove by herself. Although Ada is highly educated, her education proves to be of little use when it comes to agriculture and farming. Unable to find anything to eat that will appease her extreme hunger, Ada is forced to eat an unsatisfying meal of “tomatoes and cucumbers.” Eventually, a neighbor recognizes Ada’s dilemma and sends a local girl named Ruby to help out around the farm. Similarly, …show more content…

Penelope has waited 20 years in Ithaca for her husband’s return while the suitors try to court her. Penelope could have restored order in the palace simply by marrying one of the suitors and driving the others out. However, her love and loyalty toward Odysseus is so strong that she is not content with anyone else. Ada also remains loyal to her family. After her father died, she could have given up on Black Cove Farm when she realized that it was difficult work to maintain. However, she didn’t. Ada worked hard to preserve the farm until Inman’s

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