Vengeance in the Odyssey

Vengance in the Odyssey

Vengeance is the main theme in the Odyssey, it is what all the conflict in the story is for

every conflict in the story is caused because of each characters thirst for vengeance

. The three

characters that show this most greatly are as follows. Poseidon through his constant punishment

of Odysseus throughout the story. Secondly Telemachus' need to make the suitors pay for

disrespecting his house as well as his mother and the lack of his ability to become or even be seen

as a possible heir to his fathers thrown. Then finally Odysseus and his need to avenge the

disrespect by the suitors. The hardships that each of these character goes through during his

journey inrage them to revenge and push the story to its climax.

The strongest and longest lasting vengeance

in the story is Poseidons he punishes Odysseus

for taunting his son after he had already escaped and taken the cyclops eye. Poseidon firsts makes

Odysseus loose his ship and men at see. Next he must deal with the Charybdis and Scylla.

Throughout his journey Poseidon sends him all over the seas and even taunts him with a glance

of his home but then it is ripped away from him due to his own men and their greed. Poseidon

is unwilling to stop his punishment and even the gods and goddess' can see this as said best

by Zeus himself "Bear in mind that Poseidon is still furious with Odysseus...though he does

not kill Odysseus outright, he torments him by preventing him from getting home."(4 and 5).

Then there is Telemachus and while he shows his vengeance

only at the end of the book

his is also a key part of the story. His need for vengeance

is against the suitors, but he knows he

can't fullfill this until he has the permision of council. Since he is not king they wont allow him to

so now Athena suggest that if he can find his father or his fathers body he could get his chance.

Having not seen his father since he left for the Trojan Wars he thinks that perhaps he at least

can find his were abouts. This then leads him on his journey to manhood. While on his journey

the suitors attempt to take his life so now he has two reasons for revenge. This vengeance

is not

fullfilled