Concept of Crime, Punishment, and Justice in the Odyssey (Essay Sample)

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Institution
Date
Concept of Crime, Punishment, and Justice in the Odyssey
Ancient Greek culture laced its literature with crime, and for whatever reasons literature usually relies heavily on a crime, but not always in the same way. The Ancient Greeks did not have any official laws or punishments for crimes committed after the Green Dark Ages. Ancient Greek crime consisted of crimes such as adultery, pirating, murder, rape, and theft. Punishments varied for different crimes. Most people engaged in these crimes because they were bored with their lives, and they were poor in that they could not afford basic needs such as food; thus, they indulged in stealing. Murder and adultery were treated as capital crimes with serious consequences. The most common crime was vagrancy, being a wanderer was not looked upon sympathetically. Murder cases was settled by the family of the victim who would kill the murderer to bring justice although this form of punishment led to endless blood feuds in Ancient Greek culture. There are those who believe that to end the lives of the murderers is a noble act that would bring justice to the bereaved, while others strongly opposed this initiative. Nevertheless, the major mistake that was overlooked during the Ancient Greek was the decision to have laws to direct and redirect crime and punishment to enhance peace and stability in the society.