He could have simply let all of the men leave or punish them in some other way, but he chooses to create the ultimate bloodbath instead. He is on the ultimate quest for vengeance, and the only way for him to feel satisfied is by killing all of the suitors. He justifies his actions by believing that he is defending his honor and his family. To make matters worse, Odysseus then demands that his women servants carry the bodies of the dead suitors outside where Telemachus and the herdsmen will “hack” and “slash” them until the men “blot out of [the women’s] minds the joys of love they relished under the suitors’ bodies” (453). The servants are forced to obey the suitors when they siege Odysseus’s home. Yet, Odysseus sees the women as another reminder of the betrayal by his own citizens. Selfishly, he believes the only way to rid himself of another betrayal is by …show more content…
He refuses to repent after Basil sees his soul: “though your sins be as scarlet; yet I will make them as white as snow” (233). Dorian becomes so angry that he strikes Basil. He knew that he wouldn’t let Basil live after seeing the portrait, so this was no accidental death. Dorian also does not want to feel any guilt for his actions, so he thinks killing Basil will take that away. Also, he sees Basil as a “thing” that’s getting in his way. By calling Basil’s body a “thing,” he is objectifying Basil, like he did with Sibyl, so he can justify his actions and not face the reality of what he has done. This allows Dorian to take away the human aspects of Basil and to disregard the value of Basil’s life. Wilde underscores Dorian’s lack of empathy when he commits the most selfish act of all: murder. Wilde uses the most deplorable act against humanity to emphasize the danger of acting on selfish impulses. Like Odysseus, Dorian is unable to understand the value of human life. They also both act on selfishly in order to feel
In the story The Odyssey, Odysseus showed many traits. I believe the most important trait he showed was loyalty. He showed it in multiple situations. Odysseus showed loyalty when dealing with the sirens, the louts eaters, and the cyclops.
In the book The Odyssey the character Odysseus goes to fight in the Trojan War. The war has ended, but King Odysseus never returns back home. Since the King has been away, his home is being invaded by suitors. Prince Telemakhos, son of Odysseus, wants to find his father. The Prince knows he cannot go on this journey alone. He needs help, so Telemakhos decides to give a speech to the men of Ithaka. Unfortunately, Telemakhos cannot convince the men enough.
In Odysseus's mind he has very good reasons to kill the suitors. He decided to kill them when he found out that they wanted to marry his wife. The suitors has all assumed that he was dead, for 20 years. As a result they tried to marry his wife. Penelope also believed that he was still alive and she tried to delay any marriages. Odysseus's idea to kill them all is not very logical especially because while he was away on his 20 year expedition he cheated on his wife two times. Odysseus actions were very rash. The reader can see this when Eurymachus says, “Rash actions, many here,” (Homer 818). Eurymachus knows that Odysseus has made rash decision and he is trying to show him his ways and how it is bad. Later the reader reads that Odysseus doesn’t really see that and he is just excited to be reunited with his wife.
A very obvious example of loyalty is, Penelope. She is faithful to Odysseus for over 20 years and does not give up for long time. Even when the suitors came to her house and ate her food and overstayed their welcome she did not budge and still stayed faithful to Odysseus for the whole time he was gone. She told the suitors that when she finished her tapestry she would choose who she wants to marry, but every night she would undo a piece of the tapestry just so it would take longer and it would give Odysseus more time to come back just so she would not have to choose one of the suitors.
Penelope refused to take another man in Odysseus’s place, as she continued to love and respect him in his absence. She was too appalled by any of the suitors to decide between them. Without a final decision, the suitors continued to vie for her hand in marriage and kept using and destroying Odysseus’s possessions and property. Athena, in her disguise, pointed out the flaw in the suitors’ actions to Telemakhos: “‘How arrogant they seem,// these gluttons, making free in your house!// A sensible man would blush to be among them.’” (Book I, pg 8, 272-274) She acknowledged their wrongdoings and pointed out how awful they truly were. The suitors became one of Odysseus’s main challenges in the novel, as he needed to rightfully return to Penelope. Their greed and desire for Penelope’s hand in marriage necessitated Odysseus’s return to Ithaca. To enact his revenge upon the suitors, Odysseus had to kill them all. This changed Odysseus’s fate, as he was forced to sneak home and kill one hundred men by himself; however, before that was able to happen, Odysseus had to sail a ship home with the help of a
Secondly, Odysseus has great self-control, which allows him to deeply contemplate his decisions. Moments before Odysseus falls asleep, he spots a “covey of women laughing as they [slip] out…to the suitors’ beds” (Homer 375). Seeing this, Odysseus is angered and wants to kill every one of the suitors right then and there. But Odysseus retains his self-control and does not strike yet. At that moment, if he did strike, he would have lost because he would not have been prepared. He retains all his anger for the final battle with the suitors. In that battle, Odysseus is fully prepared and ready to fight, resulting in all the suitors’ deaths. Next, when Antinoos throws a footstool at Odysseus, “Odysseus only [shakes] his head, containing thoughts of bloody work” (Homer 326).
The topic of betrayal and manipulation is a common theme in the play Othello. A numerous amount of characters in the play betray others, and also themselves. From planning affairs that ruin marriages and friendships, to not trusting their significant other. Ways that the play Othello brings out the theme of betrayal is Othello and Desdemona being the one’s who were most affected by Iagos betrayal with their marriage, Iago plotting to put the handkerchief with Michael Cassio, and the death of those who either betrayed, or were betrayed.
During his absence, many suitors propose to his wife Penelope. Upon his return, Odysseus and Athena decide to kill all the men who seeked marriage with his wife. Athena is excited to see Odysseus back to his god-like self, and asks him to “consider how [he’s] going to get [his] hands on these shameless suitors, who for three years now have taken over [his] house, proposing to [his] wife and giving her gifts.” (XIII, 390-393) Athena enjoys plotting against these suitors, which her language in talking about them shows. It should also be noted that she never asks Odysseus if he wants to kill the suitors. Immediately, she assumes that he is going to kill them. How is Odysseus supposed to turn her down? She is a goddess, and he is a god fearing man. His power to murder the suitors is infinite, with a goddess on his side. He is not abusing his power, but is in fact using the power that is expected of him by
... middle of paper ... ... Although Odysseus was unfaithful, there is no consequence for his actions, for he is a man, but for those women who were unfaithful, it could be seen how they are punished by men. In the case of Odysseus’ maids, they were “unworthy” for they laid with the suitors and as punishment Telemachus says that “By no honorable death [their lives will be taken]” (Homer, 220).
Upon his return home after twenty years, Odysseus slaughters all the wooers of his wife, Penelope with the help of his son, Telemachus despite the pleas of mercy from some of them. He even murders all the servants and even the priest. I believe that the killings of many of the wooers, servants and priest were severe and brutal. While the killings of some of the wooers were justified, the slaughter of the other wooers, servants and priest were not justified in my mind. Odysseus could have definitely punished them in a less harsh manner.
Intro: There are a wide variety of themes present throughout the Odyssey, written by Homer. Be it hospitality, perseverance, vengeance or power of the Gods, loyalty is truly the theme that brings the whole book together. Being 10 years after the Trojan War, many have forgotten about Odysseus and his men as they constantly brave what the gods throw their way. This essay will be talking about Odysseus and Penelope’s mutual loyalty to one another, the loyal relationships between Gods and men and finally, the loyalty Odysseus’ men show for him until death. This essay with prove to us that without loyalty, Odysseus’ legendary journey would have been put to an end near where they started. The general theme of loyalty is what kept Odysseus motivated and determined.
... of his own selfishness. Since Dorian is never much more than an empty container, largely filled up, or determined, by the values of the culture in which Wilde has immersed him, does it not follow that his behavior and punishment also indict the culture that has produced him? By the end of Wilde's novel, Basil the artist is dead, killed by Dorian, but that need not be taken to imply that Wilde considers art useless. Dorian's transgressions are those of an entire class, which in turn stands in for an entire economic order, an order that is not, of course, limited to the aristocracy. Ultimately, Wilde's novel concerns a sphere wide enough to encompass and criticize both the elegant circles within which Dorian and Lord Harry move and the grimy contours of Manchester. When all is said, The Picture of Dorian Gray is still with us to expose the "sins" of Victorian Britain.
13) wells up within him. He takes up a knife which he uses to stab Basil to death. Instead of feeling sorry for murdering Basil, Dorian instead feels that he has done a good thing. He creates an alibi for himself and calls a former friend to dispose of the body for him. The influence of selfishness throughout his life is very clear when he feels that the body of Basil is simply an inconvenience. He blames Basil for being so difficult and for causing Dorian to want to kill him.
Basil wants Dorian to “get rid of the dreadful people [he] associates with” he claims that Dorian has a “wonderful influence. Let it be for good, not for evil” (Wilde 145). Dorian becomes angered by the accusations Basil makes of him, he eventually snaps and decides to show Basil the monstrous painting of himself. Upon seeing the painting and witnessing the devilish nature of it; Basil begs for Dorian to pray for forgiveness. Dorian attained “an uncontrollable feeling of hatred for Basil Hallward” (Wilde 151).
Each time he acted immorally he did not seem to physically suffer, only the portrait changed. So to him, he still looked beautiful and so he must have been acting good. It was always the other person's fault. In the end Dorian was disgusted with his past and thought that destroying the portrait would allow him to continue without repercussions of the murder; however, by stabbing the painting, he killed himself and preserved the original portrait.