Bamsi Beyrek and Irony

As you all may know, the basis of the The Story of Bamsi Beyrek is that Bamsi is taken hostage during his wedding night by infidels.  Everyone believes Bamsi because Yaltajuk, who wants Bamsi out of the picture so he can marry Banu Chichek, dips a Bamsi's shirt he left behind in blood.  While imprisoned by the infidels, it is revealed that the daughter of the King of the infidels is in love with Bamsi.  His only way out of imprisonment is to promise to marry the infidel king's daughter if he gets away in sixteen years.  He does get back home during that time, where he is eventually reunites with Chichek.  However, he does not marry her right away; he actually goes back to marry the infidel king's daughter and then comes back to marry Chichek.

The irony to the ending of this is that Bamsi was an Oghuz Turk. The Book of Dede Korkut is known for stories that represent pre-islamic and Turkish beliefs.  The Oghuz Turks were monogamous, meaning that they marry only one person.  It was the religion of Islam that supported polygamy, which is where people have multiple spouses.  The irony behind the story of Bamsi Beyrek is that it is the ONLY story in The Book of Dede Korkut that has polygamy.

Do you think that the polygamy part of the story was put in there on purpose?  Why do you think they made Bamsi's marriage polygamous when the Turks believed in monogamy?

And yes, don't mind this picture of Bamsi looking seductive.

Dido and Aeneas: Could They Have Had It All?

When I was reading through Virgil's The Aeneid, the one dynamic that really interested me the most was the relationship between Aeneas and Dido.  With the help of Aeneas' mother (Venus) and Cupid, disguised as Aeneas' son, the two Roman "love" gods helped Dido fall head over heals for Aeneas of Troy.  Much like Penelope and Odysseus, I can't help but think that Dido and Aeneas were almost "perfect" for one another.  Both Aeneas and Dido had similar life experiences that make them balance out one another in their interactions together.

Back in Tyre, Dido's husband was killed by her brother, causing her to flee to, what is now, Carthage, to save her life.  Aeneas tried to get his wife, son, and father out of war-torn Troy, but, unfortunately, Aeneas' wife perished and returned to Aeneas as a ghost, telling him to flee from Troy, hence, leads to Aeneas' and his men's ships washing up at the shores of Carthage.  In other words, Dido and Aeneas both had to flee their home-lands, lost their significant others, and had to start all over with their lives by moving their kingdoms.  Dido developed her own kingdom, while it is Aeneas' destiny to move Troy to Italy.

Part of me wishes that Aeneas would have stayed with Dido, since I think they had such a good connection, due to their similar unfortunate circumstances.  However, The Aeneid wouldn't be The Aeneid if Aeneas didn't obey the gods and followed his destiny; to move the new Troy to Italy.  I swear, someone needs to make a re-telling of a different ending of The Aeneid if Aeneas didn't listen to Mercury to leave Dido.  I would have liked to see what would have happened if Aeneas stayed and married Dido, because Aeneas seemed to have fallen for Dido, even though Dido was under the spell of Venus and Cupid.

Here are some questions to consider:
1.) Is it all a coincidence that Dido and Aeneas had similar misfortunes, or do you think Virgil did this on purpose so that we (the readers) can relate or understand why Dido would be attracted to Aeneas?

2.) Do you think Aeneas and Dido would have been a great couple?  Explain.  I would love to know you guys' opinions. 

3.) What would you think would have happened if Aeneas had stayed with Dido?