2. Was Odysseus justified in stabbing the Cyclops? Why/why not? (Think about all the events that happen in Book 9 leading up to this event and the aftermath of his escape from the cave.)
Polyphemus, a Cyclops, made great threats and exacted horrific violence against Odysseus and his men. Still, in some ways, Odysseus’ blinding of the Cyclops could be seen as undeserved or unjust; on the other hand, Polyphemus’ strife may have been well deserved. Let us examine the events leading up to this event, shown in “The Odyssey”’s book 5-9. Was Poseidon’s wrath upon Odysseus completely justified?
Odysseus landed on the Cyclopic island on which Polyphemus resided. His crew hunted, catching enough sheep to eat their fill for many a week, yet Odysseus insisted upon still going forth and finding a good hostess. In his words, between lines 171 and 175, he says: “‘Stay here, the rest of you, while with my boat and crew I go check who those men are, find out if they are wild, lawless aggressors, or the type to welcome stranger, and fear the gods.’” His final statement makes it clear how he intends to stay longer, given they were received by a host who could feed them and shelter them, giving them a brief respite from their sailing.
Soon, Odysseus notes the Cyclops’ plentiful herd and “fresh white milk”. Upon Polyphemus’ asking from where the crew sailed from and was headed, Odysseus deceived the giant, lying that they were shipwrecked.
Almost immediately, Polyphemus attacks Odysseus’ men, violently and gorily eating two men, though unprovoked. Lines 288 through 296 say: “He reached his hands towards my men, seized two, and knocked them hard against the ground like puppies, and the floor was wet with brains. He ripped them limb by limb to make his meal, then ate them like a lion on the mountains, devouring flesh, entrails, and marrow bones, and leaving nothing… we felt so helpless.” Like Odysseus’ stabbing through the Cyclops’ eye, this act of violence can be seen as unprovoked, though this action objectively resulted in greater misery, pain, and death.
Lines later, the Cyclops again eats two men with seemingly no justification, and without explaining his ferocity. The bitter, vengeful Odysseus along with his vindictive crew form a plan, sharpening a sword of olive wood from Polyphemus’ enormous club. Hatching a plan, Odysseus gives the Cyclops some of his godly wine, which the giant greedily consumes. Sleep soon overtook him, and subsequently, the remaining crew used the wooden needle to stab Polyphemus in the eye, blinding him. They drilled it deep into the Cyclops’ eye.
Once the events leading up to the stabbing of the Cyclops have been made clear, an opinion can be formed that Odysseus’ stabbing of the Cyclops was wholly justified. Polyphemus, unprovoked, slaughtered several of Odysseus’ men. In retribution, Odysseus and his men committed an act that, though gory and painful, could not have had the same effect on the Cyclops and his family. Odysseus’ men must have experienced great pain as their brains were bashed in, and limbs torn off. The crew which went with Odysseus to the Cyclops’ cave were some of the crew’s most valued sailors and men. Their families must have felt great pain for years later, like Odysseus’ family’s pain after his years of failing to return home.
Poseidon, most likely acting against Odysseus after his son was blinded, most likely felt a deep gash in his pride, and felt his son’s pitiful cries must have been accounted for. And yet, as an all seeing god, he overlooked the pain Polyphemus caused on Odysseus and his men. Odysseus’ blinding of the Cyclops was justified, regardless of what questionable decisions Odysseus made along the way.