Revenge In The Odyssey :: essays research papers

The Greeks, as portrayed by Homer, are a very vengeful people. Throughout The Odyssey, a theme of avenging is dominant. These displays of retribution come from different entities for fairly different reasons. So why is revenge such a factor in The Odyssey? Fear and the overwhelming view of payback are two answers. Homer gives numerous examples of how certain characters demonstrate their power in a fury of rage. He writes of the payback Zeus gives to those who displace custodyt the rules, of Poseidon&8217s hatred towards Odysseus, and of Odysseus&8217s revenge to those who have dishonored his home.Zeus is the most powerful of all gods. All the Greeks with sense know not to spread over him. A major practice in their culture is to invite in visitors that come to their doorsteps. This practice involves caring for the visitor by bathing and feeding them. later the visitor has been cared for, the host and visitor discuss the lineage of the visitor. This is done with the fear of Zeus and those who don&8217t follow the practice are dealt with. Those who don&8217t follow this practice are considered barbarians. Homer gives a clue into the extent of the fear when he writes that Telemakhos was &8220irked with himself / to think a visitor had been kept their waiting&8230 (5). nonpareil example in The Odyssey is when Odysseus comes to the home of the Kyklops. Odysseus states&8220We will entreat you, great Sir, have a carefor the gods&8217 courtesy Zeus will avengethe unoffending guest (153).Kyklops near answers that, &8220We Kyklopes care not for your thundering Zeus&8230(153). This is a big mistake because directly after this statement, the Kyklops eats some of Odysseus&8217s men. Zeus does avenge the men through Odysseus. Odysseus gets the Kyklops drunk and stabs out his eye, allowing an escape. One thing that is bad for Odysseus, though, is the fact that Kyklops is the son of Poseidon, god of the earthquake. This now spurs a new challenge for Odysseus he must ge t home with Poseidon&8217s obstacles.Poseidon has never really liked Odysseus. When Odysseus tries to make it onto the shore of Skheria, Poseidon &8220&8230calls up wind / from every quarter, and sends a wall of rain&8230 (89). Consequently, it is a safe assumption that Poseidon will really have it in for Odysseus. He states, &8220I thought he should suffer all the way home (233). After Odysseus returns home, Poseidon dialog to Zeus and says he wants to put a mountain ring around the city and crush the ship of the Phaiakians.