Hebraism and Hellenism: Comparison of Sarah and Penelope - Essay Example

Hebraism and Hellenism: Comparison of Sarah and Penelope Prajakta Kanegaonkar To understand the comparison of Sarah and Penelope we have to understand the concepts of Hebraism and Hellenism first. All over the world the history of religion has taken twists and turns. History gives us many stories and incorporated in the religion that each one would have socio-political and religious references mixed within themselves. These stories come up with excellent preaching and tell us how we should be dealing with our life’s complexities and issues. The incompatibility of both the branches is seen in the way the Jews and the Greek view time and history. For Jews, the study of time and history are central to their lives and are originated from the God. However for the Greeks history is studied with respect to its usefulness and time represents the cycle of destruction and reconstruction. The concept of God also changes in both the societies. Greeks rank the nature first and believe that god is evolved out of nature, while for Jews god created nature and time. Hellenism sees things the way they are. Hebraism goes with conduct and obedience. Considering the same the fluent, cultural inheritance of the ancient Greece and the austere spiritual inheritance of ancient Israel are the bipolar approaches. Hellenism includes capability of comprehensive theoretical knowledge or science, aesthetic sensibility and creativity, the spirit of freedom and democracy. Hebraism on the other hand is made of stalwart morality, unchangeable ethics of duty and obedience and rightful frugality in all other aspects. Felicity for Hebrew means obeying the commandments of the Lord. The obedience comes from passion, tenacity. He would happily give himself in the hands of God, letting the ultimate power govern his every impulse, action and gesture. For Greeks the idea of felicity is when they think aright. While Hebraism is rigid, Hellenism is flexible. For Hebraism the basis of functioning is the strictness conscience while that of Hellenism it is the spontaneity of consciousness. It is with this light we need to start viewing the stories of Sarah and Penelope. Introduction to Sarah and Penelope: Let us first understand the background of these two. Sarah or Sarai was the first wife of Abraham. The parentage of Sarah is unknown. Her name means “the princess” the fact that she was childless is stressed more than the trace of her origins. She is the pillar of her husband’s life. She is beautiful and her beauty has attracted many a kings and generals alike. So much so that in fear of the attraction her beauty causes her husband in order to safeguard him proclaims that she is his sister. This doesn’t however deter the Pharaoh from asking for her hand. It is only by god’s intervention that she is restored to Abraham. Penelope, the beautiful wife of Odysseus, comes across as the most faithful wife. She has waited for two decades for her husband to return to her. She has to protect herself with all the strength and wisdom she has got from the prospective suitors. These so called suitors are waiting to prey Penelope for her beauty, although they claim to come in friendly disguise of marital proposals. Wait of their lives: Both the women had to wait considerably for things to happen their own way. For Sarah the wait was for almost 75 long years to be bestowed with the highest honor of a woman’s life. She is incapable of producing a child for Abraham. It is the woman who passes the legacy to the next generation by giving birth to them. She holds the key to the future not only by her natural capacity to give birth but by her moral and educative influence over the children. Her chance to fulfill this comes at an age when women biologically cannot be expected to conceive. However the wait for her life is over when she gave birth to her son, Isaac. Odysseus has gone to fight the Trojan War. Rumors are he has been killed in the war and is never to return. However Penelope refuses to accept this and decides to wait for him. The wait proves to be a real long one that is for twenty years of her life. The commitment and the honor to the commitment mean a lot to this woman. It would have been simply easy to accept the fact and move ahead by marrying one of the suitors, which she refuses. The waiting proves worthwhile when her husband returns to her. God’s intervention in their lives: This aspect is extremely interesting and similar in both the lives we study. One really needs to view the giving of Sarah to the Pharaoh in this aspect. It was because she was barren Abraham could dare to give her away, with a selfish motive of protecting his life. God intervenes and protects her not only because she is Abraham’s wife but also he cares for her. Again after a prolonged wait it is god who intervenes and sends prophets to prophesy the birth of her son. At this time she has way passed the age of bearing the child. She laughs with doubt but she is gifted with a child. In case of Penelope it is the goddess Athena who protects her and her husband. Athena is the goddess of wisdom and bravery. She protects Odysseus and even helps him in several ways. Although the communication between Athena and Penelope is not sometimes direct, it is apparent that the communication is still there. It is Athens who keeps the spirit and faith of Penelope alive in her prolonged wait for her husband. Wisdom and sacrifice: On this note however both the women surpass each other frequently. For Abraham his wife is beautiful but incapable of giving him a child to carry his legacy. It is because of the sacrifice of Sarah he gets his first son. Had it not been her offering of Hagar to him, Abraham would have never had the son Ishmael. She only opens her mouth against Hagar after being ill treated by her. It would be unfair to justify taking away of her life by god on account of this complaining. This would simply put a blemish on the silent suffering she has put up in so many years. One she is already aware of her inability and then she has been punished by destiny by making her pass her husband to another woman. And now she is mistreated by the woman who was her maidservant. How many times the dignity of the woman is put to test even by god is the question that keeps coming to the reader’s mind. The sacrifice of twenty years is not a small span. Had it been only waiting for her husband in these years it would have been easy for Penelope. But she also has to protect herself from the society which would not let her live peacefully. She pretends to weave a shroud and tactfully buys time for her wait. It is said that she unweaves the shroud in the night and keeps weaving the same in the morning. The secret is very well kept until her unfaithful maids reveal it to the suitors outside. The tact that is involved requires not only the wisdom of planning but good execution as well. Even when the secret is revealed she does not give easily. She announces for an archery contest which she is very well aware that her husband can excel. Considering the risk she has taken in announcing the archery contest one has to appreciate the daring, the calculations and precise execution and timing of her husband’s return. Attaining the deliverance and godly status: Sarah has long been considered as the idol of sacrifice and beauty in the Hebraism. She was always protected by god and not only because she was wife of Abraham but also she was god’s favorite child. Inducing a man to stand rightly with respect to his wife as the prospective mother of his child all the more if he is personally ambitious for fame and glory is an education we acquire out of Sarah’s story. Penelope was made immortal by Circe and sent to the islands of Blest with Telegonus. The only point of dispute is, it is said that either she would have been killed by hr husband or she was made immortal by the Circe. However she has already been immortalized by the Greek mythology for her truthfulness, fidelity and loyalty to her husband and her household. Whenever we think of these tow stories we also see the threads of the faith woven finely. The concept of Hebraism is to surrender to God, unconditionally and follow his instructions, leaving the rest to him. Abraham follows God’s will and leaves his own country and folks in search of a new kingdom. On his journey of life he faces life with utter faith on the creator. Sarah remains his strength and support in this journey. Penelope on the other hand faces life as it comes. This is so completely in sync with the thoughts of Hellenism, which commands to see the life as it is, in its own beauty and its own perspective. She fights with whatever strength and wisdom she has got. The common thread is the silent endurance both characters display in the journey of their lives, which becomes a great example to set for. Sources: 1. Greek Mythology Link: Document belonging to the Greek Mythology Link, a website created by Carlos Parada, author of Genealogical Guide to Greek Mythology 2. Educating Father Abraham: The Meaning of Wife : Leon R. Kass 3. Hebraism and Hellenism : Matthew Arnold (Culture and Anarchy) 4. Jewish Philosophy and Crisis of Modernity : Leo Strauss, Kenneth Hart Green Read More