The Odyssey: Did the Suitors Deserve to Die at the Hands of Odysseus?

Should Odysseus have killed the suitors? Odysseus had many alternative options that could have been done, instead of killing the suitors. Not only did Odysseus kill the suitors but he killed some of Penelope’s maids. Odysseus should have found another punishment like the suitors could of payed for everything they consumed and for the death of Odysseus’s dog. At the end of the day, all Odysseus wanted to do was feel the satisfaction of killing all the suitors, and he could happily obtain revenge.

Odysseus had no right to kill the suitors. Odysseus was mad with the suitors because they wanted to remove him from his throne, they wanted to marry Penelope, and the suitors were disrespectful to Ithaca. What Odysseus do was an act of compulsiveness because in his mind Odysseus had planned this massacre for a long time. Odysseus also uses the fact that they were disrespectful to him as an excuse to kill 108 suitors. He was also mad because he was the king and the suitors claimed his property.

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The suitors also assumed Odysseus was dead and they invaded Odysseus' palace, eating all his food and drinking his precious wine. Odysseus was blinded by his revenge, and he showed no mercy while he killed the poor suitors. Regardless if they trashed his home, Odysseus didn’t have to kill them. He should have talked it out with his family, and then they all could have prevented this horrible massacre. A few of the suitors begged for mercy and the only thing Odysseus do, was look and them and without a breath kill them.

Also, Telemachus didn’t have to do this but instead, he chose to stand by his father\'s side and help him kill 108 men. Odysseus almost killed an innocent and loyal man, Odysseus didn’t realize what he was doing because he was blinded by coldness and death. The suitors were harming Penelope which made Odysseus really mad. Homer in the poem wants the audience to believe that Odysseus was the big hero, when truly Odysseus is a monster. Also, why did Odysseus have to kill the maids and not sort things out with them? Odysseus has to pay justice for the terrifying crimes he committed. Odysseus didn’t even give the suitors the right punishment, the most messed up thing Odysseus did was pretend to be a beggar and then secretly see the suitors weaknesses.

Penelope could have also stopped her husband (Odysseus), and Odysseus should have given the suitors another opportunity and even possibly feel some mercy and kindness for them. Odysseus also killed 12 maids. Why didn’t Odysseus kill the maids on his own, instead he told his son to do it “ When the whole palace is restored I order you to take the women out of the hall between the round-house and the great of the courtyard, and set on them with your long swords till you have executed them all and they have forgotten their secret love-making in the arms of the suitors.” Od.22.440 Odysseus was also a bad dad to Telemachus because he killed 108 men in front of his son. Odysseus’s should be glad that the suitors didn’t kill Penelope or his son. Also, Odysseus had no right no come back and judge Penelope’s loyalty because he was the one who cheated on her with Calypso. Odysseus should have not killed the suitors because they never truly hurt him.

One of the reasons Odysseus killed the suitors was because they ate his food and that’s still not an acceptable excuse. Odysseus committed many crimes not only murder, and the murder of the suitors was the worst thing he could have done. Odysseus should face many years in prison for the horrible stuff he did. If Odysseus said he would kill all the 108 suitors himself then why did he bring Athena and Telemachus into the mini-war. Odysseus wanted to kill the suitors so badly that we got the chance to, he didn’t even know where to start and he just killed everyone who was in front of him. Odysseus also traumatized the maids because he made them clean all the dead bodies and the blood. Also, Odysseus threw an arrow at 1 of the suitors, instantly killing him. Odysseus was very protective of his palace but then why did he turn his hall into a bloody crime scene.

Odysseus also tried to kill the remaining Ithacans because he was blinded by rage, if it weren’t for Athena who stopped him then he could have killed more innocent men. Odysseus should have let the suitors apologize for trying to marry his wife (Penelope). The suitors assumed that Odysseus was dead and they invaded his palace when Odysseus came back the suitors saw that Odysseus was alive but so what still Odysseus had no right to kill them. He could have asked the suitors to leave but instead, he wanted to be a big hero and instead decided to kill all of them. Also Penelope could have told them nicely to leave instead of tricking them into believing she was going to marry 1 of them. Penelope could have seriously stopped his husband from killing all of the suitors but instead, she went to her room and slept while 108 men were being killed.

Odysseus said “Fear no more, my son has saved you from bloody death.” (Hinds) When Odysseus said that, he admitted he had just committed murder and that the suitor’s death would be bloody. Plus not all the suitors had to die, but he decided to kill every single one of them. Odysseus certainly saw the deaths of the suitors as just for the misdeeds in his home. Odysseus instead should have stayed with Calypso and prevented these bloody deaths. So to summarize this court time, Odysseus is found guilty of murder and should be punished for his horrible actions. Odysseus should also be killed for justice to the death of all of then he killed, and the people who help him should go to prison for being accomplices. Penelope should also get some punishment because she didn’t do anything to stop Odysseus. Odysseus is guilty for murder.

Written by Sophia Nguyen

Updated: Jan 18, 2024

Keep in mind: this is only a sample!

Updated: Jan 18, 2024