poetic justice

Poetic justice presents itself as a major motif in both Julius Caesar and The Odyssey. Poetic justice, also known as karma, is when one receives what they deserve from their action or in action. Poetic justice is an essential piece to any hero’s story. Without it, there would be no moral to learn from. The characters in both text displayed many cases of poetic justice. Major cases of poetic justice were with Brutus and Cassius in Julius Caesar and Odysseus from The Odyssey. Along with some other characters from both text experience some serious poetic justice. Almost all of them ended with death. This just show poetic justice is more than sevenfolds of vengeance.

In Julius Caesar, poetic justice plays a major part to the big ending. When Brutus had found out Cassius had killed himself, Brutus made a remark. ‘’O Julius Caesar, thou art mighty yet;/ Thy spirit walks abroad and turns our swords/ In our own proper entrails’’(5.3.105-109). The significance of this remark is that the death of Cassius is sign of Caesar’s revenge over his murder. Caesar’s spirit still lives to have justice over his wrongful death. When Brutus killed himself with his own sword, Caesar’s revenge has been fulfilled. Caesar has felt that Cassius and Brutus must pay back with their lives for their actions. He has all of the rights to end the fates of these men. This is similar to an old saying “an eye for an eye’’, here it’s life for life. Brutus is right for saying Caesar’s spirit still roam around seeking poetic vengeance for his death. Caesar’s spirit is just a metaphor for poetic justice.

The Odyssey’s epic hero is truly an epic hero. Odysseus, the epic hero, has the poor quality of hubris. He is arrogant and arrogance had led this hero to misery bec...

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...a deadly justice for all the suitors. He refuse any other payment but slaughter from his own hands. Of course Odysseus got what he wanted and deserved from suffering enough. The suitors got more than what they deserved for their crimes. This kind of poetic justice is not fair but it is still poetic justice. Karma works in many odd ways.

Both The Odyssey and Julius Caesar presents poetic justice as a major motif. Not only is it just a literary device, it keeps the plot of these two text going, developing the plots intricately. Both text showed how poetic justice lead the character’s fate. Although, Cassius’s and Brutus’s fates were tragic but inevitable. Odysseus, however, was more lucky. Also, both texts showed the different ways poetic justice works. Either unfairly to another or greater than one deserves. Death seems to be the greater justice in both text sadly.