Final answer:
Melantho and Eurycleia in 'The Odyssey' contrast as characters; Melantho is disloyal and disrespectful, while Eurycleia is loyal and the first to recognize Odysseus due to her long-standing hope and care for him.
Step-by-step explanation:
Melantho's character in The Odyssey serves as a stark contrast to Eurycleia, Odysseus' old and loyal nursemaid. Melantho is one of the maids in Odysseus' household, but unlike Eurycleia, she betrays her master. She is disloyal, having an affair with one of the suitors, and shows disrespect to Odysseus when he is disguised as a beggar. On the other hand, Eurycleia represents loyalty and caring, having served Odysseus and his family faithfully for years. Eurycleia's moment of recognition is pivotal when she sees a scar on Odysseus' leg, remembering it from his youth and thus rekindles her long-lost hope for his return. Their characters represent the opposing themes of betrayal and fidelity within the epic.