What Theme is Best Revealed By This Conflict?

What theme is best revealed by this conflict?

A. With cooperation, crews can defeat the gods.
 

B. Dangerous ocean travel claims many lives.
 

C. Rest is required for all who work hard.
 

D. People must respect the wrath of the gods.
 

Correct Answer: D. People must respect the wrath of the gods.

Explanation:

The best theme revealed by the conflict is that human beings should respect the wrath of the gods. In Homer's Odyssey, the Greek warrior Odysseus and his men consistently face the consequences of their disobedience and disrespect for the will of the gods. For example, Odysseus's men, in defiance, sacrifice the sacred cattle of the sun god Helios. Zeus punishes them by sinking their ship, killing all of the sailors except Odysseus (Homer, Odyssey, Book XII). This gruesome punishment marks the theme that human beings should not disobey the will of the gods. In Greek mythology, the gods are enormously powerful and their will is not comprehensible by human beings. Conflicts in the Odyssey consistently demonstrate that disrespect for the gods leads to suffering and tragedy, supporting the ethical view of the culture that divine wrath must be respected and feared.

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