The Key Elements Of Hospitality In The Odyssey

The two examples given above provide us with support that gift giving and gifts were connected to respect. However, throughout the Odyssey we also witness the operation of a degenerate society going against what was important to Homeric society. Polyphemus didn’t worship the gods and lived in caves. They didn’t live like how Odyssey or those from Homeric societies were accustoming to. They went against the guest-host relationship because they simply didn’t care. Polyphemus doesn’t provide Odysseus and his men with food instead he ate all of it. Yes, like the previous examples he asks that who they are but he didn’t offer them something to eat. This deviating from what is expected in Homeric society. Odysseus states “ Your filthy crimes came down on your own head, you shameless cannibal, daring to eat your guest in your own house.” (Book IX) Odysseus expected a gift and some sort of hospitality from Polyphemus. He gives Polyphemus the opportunity to provide them with gifts, transportation, anything. Odysseus reaction to his treatment from Polyphemus shows us how important and valued the guest-host relationship was. Polyphemus was not the only one to challenge

The concept of guest hospitality is extremely important in ancient Greece. Hospitality, or Xenia, is so essential in Greek society that Zeus, in addition to being the king of the Gods, is also the God of travelers (Wikipedia). This created an obligation for the host to be hospitable to their guests, and conversely, the guests had their own responsibilities as well. If either the host or the guest was to break any rule set by Xenia, there would be severe penalties dealt by Zeus and also by society (Wikipedia). In The Odyssey, Xenia is a theme which is shown repeatedly throughout the book: Nestor and Menelaos take in Telemakhos warmly as a guest and Eumaios plays an excellent host to Odysseus, while Odysseus is disguised as a wandering

Homer values the characteristic of hospitality because the characters who do not demonstrate this characteristic typically suffer fatal or near-fatal injuries. In the Odyssey, Penelope (Odysseus’ wife) was hosting an event to make one of the suitors (potential marriage partners) her new husband because she had given up hope that Odysseus would not return home. The men who were at her house would just eat and drink, and showed no hospitality (21.70-78). In the Odyssey, Odysseus had attended this event disguised, and became aware of Penelope’s discourteous guests. Odysseus then goes on a “rampage” and slaughters all of the guests except for a few men who Telemachus (Odysseus’ son) swore their loyalty (22.16-529). Additionally, in chapter 21, Antinoös was the first to be killed because of his abrupt and rude manners, and distinctly

The Odyssey is an epic poem attributed to the now-famous Greek poet, Homer, written approximately in the early sixth century B.C.E. The poem shares the tale of the wily adventuring solider, Odysseus', return from the Trojan war to his wife and home in Ithaca. The poem details his misadventures, the efforts of his son, Telemachus, to find him, and revenge on his wife's suitors. While many themes run through this poem, the most prevalent is that of hospitality. The Host-Guest relationship is significant in the Odyssey as it acts as one of the main thematic devices used by Homer and examples of good hospitality versus bad hospitality and their results serve as the main plot elements throughout the tale.

Xenia is the ancient Greek concept of hospitality, the generosity shown to those who are far from home. Xenia is an important theme in the Odyssey – it is shown in the numerous characters, whether royal or monstrous, that Telemachus and Odysseus encounter, and could be shown as willingly given and wanted hospitality, unwanted/overwhelming, or unwillingly given; these encounters can also show lack of hospitality. This essay will discuss what xenia was to the ancient Greeks, and how this virtue was portrayed in the Odyssey.

In the epic, the way in which hosts receive strangers and offer hospitality demonstrates their Greek values. For example, when Odysseus arrives on the island of the Phaeacians, they immediately offer him hospitality as King Alcinous “rais[es] him up/… in a burnished chair, / displacing his own son, … /… the son he love[s] the most” (7: 200-204). Here, the Phaeacians are characterized as generous and kind

Throughout Homer's The Odyssey, Odysseus the main character in the story is tested with the true meaning of hospitality. In the heroic age, hospitality was viewed as punishment or acceptance of a stranger. While Odysseus longed for his return to home, he faced the two different kinds of hospitality offered within the heroic age. My theory is that Odysseus was provided with good hospitality when he would enter a town that allowed him to eat at their table, bathed within their baths, and sleep within their homes. The townspeople and their king often provided superior hospitality for strangers without questioning them first. It's thought that maybe the wonderful hospitality was provided in return of viewing the stranger as a

In Pylos, hospitality is clearly shown when the natives see Telemakhos and Mentor, as “a hail went up, and all that crowd came forward/ calling out invitations to the feast” (36). Likewise, in Sparta, King Menelaos shows unhesitating hospitality to welcome Telemakhos at the wedding feast, even calling Eteoneus an “idiot” for suggesting otherwise (54). On the other hand, suitors who lack proper hospitality plague Ithaka. They appeared at Odysseus’ manor uninvited, taking everything when nothing is offered. In Telemakhos’ own words, “[the suitors] squander everything” (21). The people of Pylos and Sparta obey the rules of hospitality, while the people on Ithaka disregard

Along with loyalty, hospitality was valued heavily in Ancient Greek.Hospitality is the generosity and courtesy shown to those who are far from home and/or associates of the person bestowing guest-friendship. Examples of hospitality can be found throughout Homer's epic. One example of hospitality can be seen when Odysseus went to the Cyclops's cave. When Odysseus approaches the Cyclop,Odysseus says, ”as the custom, is to honor strangers” (Homer 764). This tell the readers that for the greek sculpture honoring strangers is valued

A prevalent subject in The Odyssey is hospitality, known as xenia in Greek. Xenia encompasses different rules for hosts to follow, and Odysseus encounters various kings and powerful characters that all follow these rules differently. Among the hosts were Polyphemos, Calypso, Circe, Alkinoos, and Eumaios, who show good and bad hospitality. An example of the bad hospitality is the cyclops Polyphemos, shown when he says, “You are a ninny...telling me, mind the gods! We Kyklopes care not a whistle for your thundering Zeus... I would not let you go for fear of Zeus...unless I had a whim to” (9.295-303). Since Polyphemos is indifferent toward the god that protects travelers, he does not feel guilty when treating Odysseus poorly and eating his guests.

The Greeks have been known for their hospitality and politeness, especially when treating guests- whether strangers or not. This is demonstrated near the beginning of the Odyssey when Telemachus went to Pylos to visit Nestor. Nestor, not knowing who he was taking into his home as guests, treated them with great honor and respect. "Now is the time," he said, "for a few questions, now that our young guests have enjoyed their dinner. Who are you, strangers? Where are you sailing from, and where to, down the highways of sea water (p 299)?" If ever Greeks were to serve themselves before their guests or even a little better than them, then they were breaking the most basic of all Greek customs,

The final aspect of positive hospitality that is shown in the Odyssey, is by Eumaus, the old swineherd of Odysseus. Eumaus uses his very appropriate upbringing (he was kidnapped royalty) in order to provide help to Odysseys (in disguise as a beggar) all the help and wealth he can afford to share, in his meager setting. Odysseus used

The Odyssey is a celebrated epic filled with many different themes, motifs, styles, and characters that could be examined in vast detail, but the theme of hospitality is a reoccurring one throughout the entire narrative. Homer writes about examples of both great hospitality and very inhospitable characters in his epic poem. Hospitality in The Odyssey creates definition of how individuals are either punished or rewarded by the gods.

The Odyssey, an epic poem written by Greek poet Homer, follows the story of Odysseus, a war hero and king of Ithaca, as he went on a journey to return home from Troy ten years after the Trojan War. On his journey, he was confronted by various monsters, including the one-eyed Cyclops, and faced the loss of his men and his ship. Not to mention, when he returned to his land, he also had to defeat the suitors who had overrun his home and were trying to court his wife, Penelope. Homer not only tells us the adventure of brave Odysseus, but through his story, he also tells us the four qualities that a commendable Greek must possess: hospitality, humility or absence of hubris, honor, and heroism. First, hospitality, also known as “xenia,” refers to showing generosity to guests or visitors. By treating every guest with generosity, people in ancient Greece believed they could avoid angering a god if one appeared at their door disguised as a stranger. Not doing so could result in punishment from the gods. Then, hubris refers to extreme, ignorant pride shown by an individual and is punishable by the gods. Homer emphasizes the importance of showing humility and not possessing a sense of superiority over others throughout The Odyssey. Next, honor refers to having a reputation for excellence, and it can be earned through killing others in battle, looting, or even dying. In ancient Greece, battling others was considered the duty of a soldier, and dying in battle was a glorious feat.

The role of hospitality is seen in many examples throughout the Odyssey. However, it is not always the same in every example that Odysseus encounters. When Odysseus comes across the Cyclops Polyphemus, the hospitality he receives is totally outside the norm of civilization, which is what he is used to. Instead, because of his ego, Odysseus receives a barbaric welcome instead of the hospitable welcome that he is accustomed to.