Forgiveness In The Odyssey

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The similarities continue when the characters eventually forgive but they diverge in their reasons. Joseph eventually forgives his brothers, “And now, do not be pained and do not be incensed with yourselves that you sold me down here…” (45:5). The reason for this forgiveness is because of his earlier revelation that God had a plan for him. He exclaims in the same line “...because for sustenance God has sent me before you.” (45:5), in which he illustrates that despite them committing an evil act God had a plan for him. This allowed him to forgive because he knows that it was God’s will, “While you meant evil toward me, God meant it for good…”, Joseph can forgive them because of his belief in God and his knowledge that he was able to save people …show more content…
Instead his wrath, the driving force behind his lack of reconciliation, was shifted. Achilles only forgave Agamemnon in order to get revenge on Hector. When presented with the initial cause of their quarrel Achilles did not care for them, “the gifts are yours to give if you wish,...” instead he only focused on his new wrath, “but now let us remember our joy in warcraft…” (19: 146-148). This change demonstrates how he forgave Agamemnon in order for him to extract revenge and not from a true change in heart. Similarly Philoctetes was like Achilles in which he didn’t ever totally forgive, but he was more similar to Joseph because godly power influenced his decision. Philoctetes only forgave the Greek army because Hercules told him to “Go with this man to the city of Troy” (1424). He did not come to his own conclusion like Achilles and Joseph but instead he just forgave them because of direct divine intervention. The intervention closely resembles the importance of the divine, but it also shows a change in heart like Achilles. He initially rejected reconciliation because he was abandoned and lost his faith, but the direct appearance of the God proved to Philoctetes that the Gods still
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