The Perfect Species?

Many believe that humans are the perfect species. Many believe that no other species in the universe can compare to the intellect and emotional stability of humans. Although this is the popular belief for the majority of the public, many philosophers say this is not the case. Humans are far from perfect and various authors and journalists, directors and philosophers exemplify how humans are flawed daily through their works. Alexandre Dumas and Homer are two particular authors/philosophers that not only show why humans are not the perfect species but also just how flawed they are. In Dumas’ book The Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantes, the son of a poor fisherman lives a perfect life with his fiancée and father. His friends however recognizes that though they are richer and better off than Edmond, they are not nearly as happy which leads them to frame Edmond for treason and that gets him sent off to jail for 14 years, while in jail the only thing that kept Edmond going was the thought of revenge. As for Homer’s Odyssey, Odysseus, the king of Ithaca having won the Trojan War is trying to return back home to his wife and son but is lost at sea. Back on his island however suitors of Odysseus’ wife has taken over his palace in attempts to marry his wife. Dumas and Homer exemplify how flawed humans are as a species in their books, The Count of Monte Cristo and Odyssey, through their characters undying envy and need for revenge which in turn portrays their view on society and humans as a whole.
Envy is an ugly thing, it brings the worst out of people, in addition, most of the time the envious not only fail to get what they truly want but also ruin the lives of several happy people along the way. This is shown when both Fernand Mondago and Antinous allowed their envy to get the better of them and plot harm to innocent men. Antinous, the leader of the suitors who gave in to the envy of his king Odysseus and decided to become a suitor for the king’s wife, Penelope and