One night, while watching television with my parents back home, my mom asked my dad if he would shoot a person trying to break into our house. My dad, in a fairly serious tone, replied, "No, I'd give the shotgun to Jamie. She's a better shot." (He was kidding. I think...) I'm not a fan of violence, by any means. However, being raised by a family full of strong-willed, hardworking southern men and women, it was instilled in me from a very young age to never allow anyone to take advantage of me. I think it was partially for this reason that I was cheering for Odysseus while he was taking back his household.
While I'm pretty certain that I could never personally go to the extent Odysseus did, I feel that he was justified in killing the suitors. I actually like him more as a character because he did. Was it ethical? I honestly don't have a clue. Just like I don't know if it is ethical to kill someone who is breaking into your house, or someone who is trying to rape your wife, or someone who is trying to kill you, for that matter. What I do know is how I would feel if this story were told in modern times. If there was a man who came back from war to find strange men living in his house, harassing his wife, and threading the life of his son, I couldn't blame him for starting a fight.
Commented on Josh Spell's "the Second Coming of Odysseus"
I totally agree with what you said! I don't think it's ethical though. Think back to Kierkegaard when we were discussing that phrase that we all shy away from, Teleological Suspension of the Ethical. Murder, in any way shape or form, is not ethical. Abraham was doing what God told him to and so was able to suspend the ethical, but killing someone is never ethical. Do I believe that what Odysseus did was justified? Absolutely! Do I believe that in today's society if I were to shoot someone who was trying to enter my house I would within my rights to do so? Of course, but I don't believe that killing anyone, whether in cold blood or in defense, is ethical.
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