Essay Homer's Hospitality

Hospitality in Homer's Odyssey is a central concern of the epic poem. Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines hospitality as “generous and friendly treatment of visitors and guests: hospitable treatment”. This tradition, evident in Greek mythology and customs, serves many purposes as the epic unravels. Hospitality was crucial in the ancient times as a way to survive in the seafaring culture who were often driven off course. Through analysis of passages throughout The Odyssey the significance of

Book 9 of Homer’s Odyssey tells the tale of Odysseus’ encounter with a cyclops named Polyphemus. In this book, readers are able to perceive the Greek views on civilization, and their relationship with the Gods. It is evident that hospitality plays a significant role in Greek civilization when in an attempt to persuade the cyclops to provide him and his men with shelter, Odysseus threatens that Zeus will take vengeance for the harmless guest. Once Odysseus and his men escaped the cave of Polyphemus

In the era of Homer, hospitality is a crucial part of social existence, and all Greeks put an emphasis on hospitality no matter the circumstance. Taking place in the 10 years after the events in the Iliad with the Trojan War, Homer’s the Odyssey displays notable depictions of the themes hospitality and home. In this epic, hospitality and home can be said to be major themes in the sense that it is involved in nearly every situation and ultimately affects the protagonist, Odysseus, by either helping

recall the perpetual distress found in Greek society. Fear derived from the punishments of a mistreated god stimulated the growth of xenia (hospitality), the courteous welcoming and entertainment of guests, within the Grecian city-states. Therefore, if literature is indeed the reflection of its society’s ideologies, then one may anticipate such emphasis on hospitality in the time-tested works of Ancient Greek literature, for instance, Homer’ The Odyssey translated by Robert Fitzgerald. The significance

The Odyssey is a very interesting selection that can intrigue most readers and tells us even though sometimes it may not work hospitality is should always be an option and that brute strength sometimes is no match for cleverness. To begin the story tells the reader of one of the tales of Odysseus in his quest to return home after the Trojan’s defeat. In his journey he arrives at the land of the Cyclopes, which are uncivilized monsters with one eye. As they row in the see a prodigious man who is the

The value of hospitality manifest’s within the Odyssey due to the fact that traveling in the Hellenistic age was much more extensive and lengthier than in modern times. The less advanced methods of transportation (by foot or by boat) were much slower than in today’s society. Also, there were obviously no hotels around. Because of this, travelers had to rely on the hospitality of others for shelter, food, and protection. Hospitality is important because it forms the moral

Hospitality means the friendly reception and treatment of guests or strangers or the quality or disposition of receiving and treating guests and strangers in a warm, friendly generous way. However, if a person is invited to another person’s home and upon their arrival the host shows the guest respect, then the invite will show the host and their property respect. But, if the host shows disrespect to the persons invited they will treat the host and the property of the host in a very disrespectful

In The Odyssey, many of the characters tend to either show hospitality or not towards Odysseus. Odysseus is the main character in The Odyssey, he is going on a trip back home to Ithaca after fighting in the Trojan War. During his trip, he meets a lot of people with many personalities one of the common traits shown was Hospitality only a few chose not to.     When Odysseus ends up on the island of Skheria he doesn't know whether the people will accept him or not. This is what he said once he got on

Hospitality and kindness are important characteristics that all humans should have as these two characteristics show one’s compassion and genuine care of others. In Homer's, The Odyssey, Homer defines philoxenos, the love of strangers, as the show of hospitality and kindness towards strangers. Due to this, many characters in The Odyssey participate in philoxenos in fear that one of the strangers that they may encounter will be a god as they constantly want to be in a god's good grace. In the scene

Hospitality was very important in ancient Greek culture. It was called xenia, meaning hospitality and it signified the relationship between the guest and host. The ancient Greeks believe that Zeus strictly enforced hospitality. To do this he would disguise himself as a stranger and ask for hospitality. If it was not shown, the perpetrator was severely punished. Since hospitality was very important in ancient Greek culture, it is prevalent in the epic poem, the Odyssey. Ancient Greek concept of