Images of the idealized parent permeate the media, from advertising to postcards and Hallmark films; However, the stereotypical theme of the conventional parent is not always true due to the prevalence of parental violence in modern society. For example, the US SPCC reported that “4.1 million cases of child maltreatment… and reports of child abuse involved 7.4 million children,” which demonstrates the presence of parental violence. The debate over what constitutes violence and when it is justifiable is prevalent today as individuals are desensitized to violence through the media's normalization of aggression. Earl Hipp, a graduate in psychology and a master's in psychophysiology, claims in his book Man-Making that in cases of parental abuse the "paternal wound" becomes a recurring situation that develops both in literary life and in real life. “Paternal wound” develops in young males from “an all-too-common history…of pathologically disengaged or abusive fathers” and often results in a feeling of “male insufficiency” and an inability to deal emotionally with trauma. In Beowulf, Grendel's mother exemplifies justified violence due to her fierce devotion towards her son as she seeks revenge for Grendel's death and ultimately dies in the process. In contrast, Sphocles' Three Theban Comedies and Shakespeare's Hamlet depict unjustifiable parental violence through parents' selfish and cruel acts towards their children. This essay will analyze how these texts demonstrate the complexity of how parenting clouds conventional discussion about the justifiability of good and evil. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay In Kevin Crossley-Holland's translation of Beowulf, Grendel's mother represents the result of parental love and how parents will obscure the gap between acceptable and unacceptable violence to avenge their child. Even though Grendel had tortured the Danes and Beowulf had killed him to avenge Grendel's murder, his mother became "sad and ravenous, and determined to undertake a painful journey to avenge the death of her son", demonstrating the will of a parent loving to engage in violence to such an extent that in the case of Grendel's mother "she killed...a man while he slept." His love and devotion for his son was endless as he sought to “avenge his son whom Beowulf had ravaged…with vice-like grips because Grendel had impoverished and killed…people.” Grendel was so pained and driven by the passion to “avenge her son, her only descendant” to the point that she died trying to kill her son. The relationship between mother and son in this epic displays justifiable violence because of how Grendel's mother loved her son so passionately that she became violent in retaliation. Sophocles' Three Theban Comedies depict many different parental relationships; however, many of them display a conflict-oriented relationship. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus' parents Laius and Jocasta “give him away” because of a horrible prophecy and have him sent to his death; however, he survives and fulfills the prophecy. This report shows the effects of parental violence against a child. The action of Oedipus' parents causes the disintegration of a healthy bond between the two parties and produces a curse that negatively affects the family for generations. The impact of Oedipus' parents causes him to be disgraced and leads to the king gouging out his eyes. Laius and Jocasta deprive Oedipus of the possibility of a happy life and ofsuccess. In Antigone, the focus of the play is one of Oedipus' daughters; however, the family relationship that this play examines most deeply is that between Antigone's fiancé, Haemon, and her father, Creon. The relationship is originally described as one of respect and admiration, but quickly turns to anger and then to a complete breakdown of the bond they shared. Although it doesn't seem to occur to Creon that his son could be more with the woman he loves than with his father. However, kings are not defined by anyone, not even their own son. In their heated argument, Creon states, “What wound is deeper than having a loved one turn against you?” which focuses on the disappointment he feels as a father for his son not standing behind him. Ultimately, Haemon commits suicide due to their disagreement and his loyalty to Antigone. His father discovers his own mistakes and states, "not through your stupidity, no, through mine." In his wife's grief, she takes her own life, having lost a son she truly loved. The domino effect of deaths caused by Creon's stubborn nature showcases the horrific impact of parental violence towards their child. Shakespeare's Hamlet depicts the title character's spiral into madness due to the turmoil caused by his father's death. Hamlet was extremely close to his father, which affected his inability to process the late king's death and allowed his father's spirit to appear to Hamlet and push him to take revenge. The spirit of his father forces Hamlet to “avenge his foul and unnatural murder” to allow him to be free from purgatory. By giving Hamlet this monumental decree of vengeance, the ghost showcases the parents' violence towards his son because he does not allow him to cry and continue living, but instead forces him into madness in pursuit of his quest. Hamlet becomes blind to see that he is heading towards the abyss and there is no way out due to his extreme devotion to his father. Hamlet's life in the illusory world, his aggression and desire for revenge, panic, mania, psychological disorders and state of madness are the result of the difficult family situation. While literary cases of parental violence against a child are reprehensible, the prevalence and grotesqueness of the abuse, in reality, is indefensible because, unlike in novels, real children cannot easily overcome the physical and mental ramifications of abuse. In the Miller-Fowler abuse case, "the parents of allegedly neglected and malnourished twin girls were arrested in what doctors and Oklahoma police say was "the worst case of child abuse they had ever seen." nurses were treating the twins for an unspecified medical condition and noticed that both babies had severe diaper rashes and bed sores, reports say. Nurses also found feces in one baby's ear while the other had a lump of hair wrapped tightly around one of his fingers; arrest reports indicate that the child's finger had become infected as a result and that skin had begun to grow on the hair. According to arrest reports, a nurse saw a worm on one of the girls. According to Sharon Perkins' article “What are the dangers of low weight in children”, “A child with growth problems may be weak, susceptible to infections and may not reach developmental milestones such as sitting up, crawling or walking at normal age… in severe cases… can cause permanent brain damage” this, among other gruesome details of the Miller-Fowler abuse case, describes absolutely unjustifiable violence. The case is unforgivable..