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Examples Of Power In The Odyssey

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I define power as the means to be in total control over anything that can and will happen from anywhere. In the Odyssey, power arises through the relationships between gods, mortals, and creatures, depending on their adherence to the laws of Xenia. The three following relationships that reflect power in the Odyssey and how they arise through Xenia are the goddess's imprisoned soon-to-be husband, escape plan one eye, and father-son blood slaughter. The first of these relationships is what I nicknamed "Father-Son Blood Slaughter,", in which Odysseus and Telemchaus bring down the karma from Odysseus and Telemchaus to the insulting suitors. In Book 22 of "The Odyssey", Odysseus says (to the suitors): "You dogs! You never imagined I'd return to Troy... ravished my serving women, wooed my wid behind my back while I was still alive!" (Od.22.36-39). For some context, while this is happening, Telemachus is getting ready to start absolutely slaughtering them like it's nothing, and Odysseus is getting his arrows fired after killing one, which causes panic among …show more content…

In the article, "Odysseus the Foreigner,", it briefly says in Section "Odysseus and Polyphemus", "When Polyphemus found out, through the false words of Odysseus, that the Greek ship had been destroyed, he grabbed two of the new arrivals and easily bashed their bodies against the ground." By the definition of Xenia, this was horrible treatment yet expected for the Cyclopes, because after he ate them, he revealed that he doesn't believe in Xenia; after all, he is the son of the powerful Poseidon, a powerful god. In my opinion, this shows the power of how Poseidon handled the situation for his now blinded son against the mortal Odysseus, which was creating the most inconvenient journey back home that took 10 years to even come close to his

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