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Odysseus And Telemachos Go Too Far In Seeking Their Justice

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As the noble Odysseus’ returns to his beloved homeland of Ithaka, he comes to find a sea of suitors awaiting their chance at marrying his wife Penelope and taking his home as their own. After enduring a twenty year long odyssey, the Trojan war hero has run out of patience and seeks only to reunite with his family. Following his return, Odysseus and his son Telemachos plot to take their revenge on the suitors and retake their home. Their plan proves to be a success and their goal is reached, however a dilemma is now presented to the readers- did Odysseus and Telemachos go too far in seeking their justice? Post battle, it becomes evident that Odysseus and Telemachos’ actions were justified and rational due to evidence provided by Halitherses, …show more content…

Acting as a neutral force, Halitherses speaks with “kind intention” at the assembly of the kinsmen of the fallen suitors (24.453). Amidst the sorrow and anger, Halitherses calmly states that “it is by your own weakness, dear friends, that these things have happened”, explaining that due to the ignorance of the suitors and their kinsmen, the suitors’ death came as a direct result of their own actions (24.455). Because no one listened to Halitherses initial warning seen earlier in the epic when he told them “to make [the suitors] give over their senseless mood”, their death by the hands of Odysseus and Telemachos became inevitable (24.457-458). Halitherses blatantly states that “[the suitors], in their evil recklessness, did a great wrong in showing no respect for the wife, despoiling the possessions, of a lordly man…[that] they thought never would be coming home” (24.458-461). These statements illustrate that although the death of the suitors was unfortunate, it was brought on by the suitors themselves. Because the suitors and their kinsmen had been warned beforehand about the possible dangers their actions may bring, there is no reason that they should’ve remained around the home of Odysseus. The many warnings expressed towards the suitors leaves their actions inexcusable and provides evidence as to why Odysseus and Telemachos’ actions reached the severity that they

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The Suitors exhibit hubris by having no civility when they cause discord at Odysseus’s home and among his family, because they believe because they are of higher social class in Ithaca, they have a right. Athena disguises Odysseus as a worthless beggar, and he travels to his home to beg for his own food, where he an encounter with

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Penelope, his wife, is greatly affected; as many greedy suitors disrespect her and move into their home to try and win her hand in marriage. Throughout ‘The Odyssey’, the greed and folly of men play a huge part in increasing the difficulty and severity of Odysseus’s situations and ultimately change his fate and the directions of his journey. The greed and folly of men are largely represented by Penelope’s suitors. In the very first book of The Odyssey, the disgusting actions of the suitors were introduced to the readers.

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As an attorney for the side of the prosecution, I believe the jury’s verdict to find Odysseus guilty of first-degree murder was in good taste. The evidence and arguments of the prosecution proved to be irrefutable. Contrastingly, the arguments from the defense were cracked, founded upon technicalities, and did not justify letting a killer walk free. Both sides presented their case, but the strength of both was not equal. In the end, the lack of solid reasoning from the defense and the strong delivery of the prosecution led to the guilty verdict.

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Their jealousy got in the way of what was truly right. When finally landing in Ithaca, he learns that loyalty is something that shouldn't be broken, especially when some of the suitors are from Ithaca, Odysseus' own homeland. This means that the suitors are disloyal to their King because they are courting his wife, stealing all his food, and slaughtering his animals for their feasts. Most importantly, they are plotting to kill Telemachus and Odysseus if he is ever to return to the island. He learns that the only way he can show that he is a firm leader is to reveal to all of Ithaca who he truly is.

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The suitors have plagued his house, overstaying their visit and taking advantage of the xenia that Penelope and Telemechas prove. Odysseus is infuriated, and as a response to this, “He’s killed the suitors, swaggering young brutes who plagued his house, wolfed his cattle down, rode roughshod over his son!” (Homer, 23.8-10). When confronted with the suitors, Odysseus’ only response is to slaughter them all, showing how ruthless and irresponsible he is. Although some may argue that Odysseus’ response to this is reasonable because of what the suitors have done to his palace and family, Odysseus’ response is exaggerated and unjust.

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Yes, Penelope struggles greatly with a very important decision throughout the course of the story. In the background of the main plot, Penelope struggles with a very important decision throughout the time Odysseus remains lost at sea. After many years without Odysseus’ return, the prospect of a new marriage inclines itself onto Penelope. The sons of the noblest families come to live with Penelope in order to court her for marriage.

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Odysseus’ slaughter of the suitors was an act of justice and revenge. The act was revenge because slaughtering 108 men for courting your wife and eating your food is insane. If someone did that present-day, society would frown upon the person who committed such an act. It would be considered mass-homicide and the person would be jailed for life. On the other hand, the act is a form of justice because of the setting of the story.

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Another situation where the moral was shown in the story is the difference between Odysseus and Telemachus’s view towards the suitors. Although they both knew that the suitors had to leave, they had different methods of doing so. “‘And you, if you have any shame in your own hearts,/ you must leave my palace!’”, Telemachus said to the suitors in attempt to remove them from the palace (2.155-56). Telemachus complained about the suitors and threatened them, while Odysseus took another route of action. Odysseus and Telemachus created a complex plan in order to kill each individual suitor who attempted to wed Penelope, Odysseus’s wife (16.298-330).

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Odysseus came home to find suitors who were trying to marry his wife when he was away at war for 20 years. They have ruined his home and made it into a place of their own, all they wanted was the fame and power that Odysseus had and did not care to respect Penelope and Telemachus. When Odysseus finally revealed himself in the epic, he was able to get his revenge against the suitors. It has been long awaited but was able to kill them all including the fact that justice was served after all those years of their disrespect. Odysseus was able to put his revenge on the suitors when he found the opportunity after finding a way to disguise himself that way to gain trust from his people in his home.

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