#and it would have worked wonderfully if Odysseus hadn’t latched onto what Polites said | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

keikoayano · 2 years ago

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Right back at you on the tags because I could talk about this for so long

thinking about epic the musical. thinking about polites. thinking about how they decided to kill polites at the cyclops, and not have him be a part of convincing odysseus to leave circe. thinking about how early they took out odysseus's conscience personified. and also how odysseus doesn't kill polyphemus despite him killing odysseus's best friend.

#epic the musical #IT ALL CIRCLES BACK TO HIM TRYING TO BECOME POLITES VERSION OF MERCY #if he had accepted what Polites said and incorporated it into his present ideals then the whole journey would Not Have Happened Like That #he wouldn’t have had to later adapt to Poseidon’s version of mercy being ruthlessness #because he already would have had a more balanced world view #Polites was trying to show him it’s okay to not always be on edge and ready for aggressive action #to give the enemy or strangers a chance to be kind before hostile action #the moment of Odysseus tricking Polyphemus with the lotus wine is the EXACT middle ground #that would have helped so much if he kept on doing it throughout the journey #he opened with peace but ALSO already set up a non confrontational option of knocking Polyphemus out with the wine #on the off chance that his offer of peace was not accepted #and it would have worked wonderfully if Odysseus hadn’t latched onto what Polites said #as soon as he went down in the fight #if they had been able to stall just a little longer or if it was not Polites that had gone down #he would not have tried to go to the extremes that he did and he would not have had to later become ruthless #because he would not have reacted as strongly and provided his name because he would not have been as deep in grief if Polites had survived #he would have still had added guilt for the lost men but not to the same extent because it wouldn’t have been POLITES #it’s the act of grief and mourning that pushed Odysseus into such an extreme that would NEVER work for him or for someone in his position #Odysseus would not have given his name after being warned otherwise if he had not been in the beginnings of grief #he would have thought it through and stuck with his original plan and been Nobody

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