Who lives? Who dies?
When reading The Odyssey by Homer, the book shows a special case of disloyalty and loyalty shown by many characters. Only a few were loyal and they received their reward. Many were quick to turn on the King of Ithaca, and there was a special consequence given to them. The country of Ithaca reminds me of a specific country. The country of The United States of America. Throughout the American history people have suffered a great consequence of death or prison for committing any form of treason against the country. In other words, if you were disloyal to your government in any way you were punished for it.
During World War I, there was a law passed by the name of Espionage Act. This law defended the U.S government, if any citizen was to speak against the great throne of our President and his decisions, would be sentence to prison or fined. Ithaca citizens were in Odysseus’s home speaking terrible about him and his family, trying to take his wife’s hand in marriage, and more. It was a simple judgement for them, death.
Today the Espionage Act still continues. The United States can be considered the country of Ithaca. If you speak out or act in anyway that is against the throne of the United States you will suffer in some way. Being in prison is a form of death because one is not allowed to do whatever one pleases. Might have thought you were free from the wrath of Ithaca, but you live in Ithaca(U.S) even now. So, who lives and who dies? Remain loyal, and mercy will be shown unto you. Show disloyalty,and we all know what will happen…….
Wow what a great connection AlJeanette! That is true. After reading your blog a question popped into my head. Is it possible that the Government can be disloyal to their people? The government's headliner is "For the people, By the people." But is that real true? The rich get richer while the poor get poorer. I always question whether the government really has our best input in consideration. You used such a great example!
ReplyDeleteGreat connection Aljeanette! I guess the main idea is that there are consequences to being disloyal, whether it is to an individual or to a population. In The Odyssey, I can clearly see how people(suitors and maids) were being disloyal in the house of Odysseus but does loyalty mean the same thing to the government? The people who the government might consider loyal are the people who stay quiet and don't bring attention to their political corruption. Loyalty to the government means just letting them do whatever they while you suffer as they rejoice. As Bre said, they get richer and you get poorer, and that to them is "loyalty"
ReplyDeleteOdysseus was right in killing who he killed. Loyalty is a big part of every day life. If you promise to be loyal and do or say otherwise, there should be consequences. The suitors deserved their punishments of death. Now, the Espionage Act penalizes people who give secrets to other countries and use them to hurt the U.S. government. I don't know about you, but anyone who does so to jeopardize the welfare of the country should be rightfully punished.
ReplyDeleteHilda, I do agree with what you are saying. But what if you remaing loyal to the United States goes against your moral beliefs? What if you were sitting watching corruptness and you decided to set the truth free? Are you still considered loayl or disloyal? You did it for the well being of people. There was a good intention......
ReplyDeleteThat was a great connection! I never thought about how loyalty, or disloyalty rather, is punished in our country. But it is interesting to see how ancient Greeks and our modern day society both feel similarly about a common trait.
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