Throughout The Odyssey there are many examples that prove the significance of the Homeric value of “hospitality.” Due to the unadvanced ways of transportation and communication, many days could be spent in an unknown location and the hosts of the location were supposed to treat the guests very well. For instance, as Odysseus arrives on the island of the Phaeacians, he is greeted with welcoming hospitality. Nausikaa, “But now that you have taken refuge here, you shall not lack for clothing, or any other comfort due to a poor man in distress (VI.205-207.104.) Clearly Nausikaa and Phaeacians are aware of the challenges Odysseus has endured and offered him clothes, food and any comfort he wants, all hospitable acts. On a different note, as Odysseus
On Odysseus’ journey home he is consistently offered places to stay and given everything he needs without question by people that he has just met. The actions by these people are good examples of how to properly follow the rules of hospitality. While Odysseus has good experiences with hospitality on his journey home, his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus are not having the same positive experiences. They are instead being forced to offer hospitality to a group of suitors who are attempting to sway Penelope into marrying one of them. Although Penelope and Telemachus are following the rules of hospitality by offering the suitors food and a place to stay the suitors have taken it too far and are taking advantage of the situation by doing things such as butchering and eating the animals owned by the homeowners without asking permission first.
The pathos and ethos of cultures is often discernable in literary narratives as expressions of the sentiment of approval or disapproval. Thus, the impact of literary narratives on cultures cannot be understated; the arts do impact and influence culture in both positive and negative ways. This is not a new phenomenon and can be observed in cultures as early as 6 Century B.C. and can be traced throughout human history. An example of this can be seen in Homer’s Odyssey, in which there are certain characters within the narrative that portray what is known as “arete.” Arete is viewed as a desirable character trait which some define as the display of perseverance, quick-wittedness, prowess, valor, etc.
Kindness is in everyone Kindness is like a chocolate chip cookie, it is always nice to have. Kindness can be a little as holding the elevator door open to something as big as donating a kidney. Kindness can be seen as many different things or acts, but it is simply being generous without wanting anything in return. This is not to be confused with being a doormat or being someone who is easily used to your expense. There is kindness everywhere around us.
Xenia, The Law of Hospitality The theme of Xenia was one of the most spotted out in The Odyssey, which is the Law of Hospitality. The Law of Hospitality is being polite to strangers who need assistance but it is more than it’s a host and guest relationship. Xenia is seen throughout The Odyssey. Xenia provides an effort of making the community a safer and better community.
The Odyssey by Homer is an exemplary story that teaches life lessons to those going on a journey for themselves. It illustrates how the challenges and obstacles one may face can help someone become a better leader. The Odyssey highlights one man, Odysseus, a man filled with excessive pride, experiencing the wrath of the god Poseidon. He expects to arrive at his home, Ithaca, safely to reunite with his wife, Penelope, but unfortunately faces many temptations and setbacks. Due to the challenges he faces, it prevents him from arriving home as early as he thought he would.
In this book, Odysseus has been disguised by Athena as a beggar who has traveled the world. He has been dropped back on Ithaca by the Phaeacians. On his journey back to Ithaca Odysseus has changed greatly. As the prophecy has said he has returned home in a stranger 's ship, without his crew, and as a broken man. After Athena disguises him, Odysseus goes to his loyal swine herder, Eumaeus.
From Odysseus’ time with Calypso in Ogygia up until the moment he takes back his home and wife from the suitors in Ithaca, the struggles he faces help answer what makes for a good life. Homer uses Odysseus’ journey throughout “The Odyssey” to identify four aspects of a good life: mortality, honor, hospitality, and experiences. Homer reveals that mortality is necessary for a good life when Odysseus denies the opportunity for immortality that Calypso offers, he shows the significance of honor in his description of Odysseus’ bravery in the Trojan war and the consequent respect that Odysseus’ crew has for him, Homer reinforces the importance of hospitality in each city Odysseus travels to, and he conveys that experiences, good or bad, define a good life. The Greeks held their gods in high esteem and therefore when Homer or other characters in the epic refer to Odysseus as being “godlike,” this is one of the highest compliments he could receive.
Naturally, he has much to be proud of: his sexy and loyal wife, his bravery, and his victorious battles from the Trojan War and beyond. However, his arrogance creates a weakness in his character that negatively impacts himself and the people around him. The evolution in Odysseus’s personality turns him from an arrogant flaunter to a humble man, and demonstrates that the strifes he encounters during his journey home is not simply new experiences, but also his beginning of a profound revelation. Starting from the middle of the mountain, Odysseus’s new transformation will allow him to soar to the top with eagle
Hospitality and kindness played a major role in Greek society and this is clear throughout Homer’s writing. In his epic, The Odyssey, Homer creates two groups, those who are kind and hospitable, and those who are not. Those who are hospitable are respected and thought highly off, while those who violate the laws of kindness eventually end up punished. During his long and treacherous journey back home to Ithica, Odysseus experiences many forms of hospitality. Some of these shows of hospitality are need and generous, while others are not.
Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, chronicles the homeward bound voyage of the main character, King Odysseus of Ithaca. After Trojan War which lasted ten years, Odysseus sets foot on another adventure, which also spans ten years, to return to Ithaca. Odysseus is gone from his home for a total twenty years, but upon his arrival back to Ithaca, he finds that his title has been defended by his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus, who have been awaiting his return this entire time. Odysseus and Penelope are meant to be a model couple, so people often argue about which of the two is more admirable. To be admirable is to have faced a struggle with honor and dignity.
In Homer’s The Odyssey, he demonstrates the strength of bonds formed by members of society, and how their loyalty is not affected over an extended period of time. Homer utilizes a faith connection to loyalty, Odysseus and Penelope’s marriage bed, and Odysseus’s dog Argos in order to articulate his strong belief in the importance of loyalty. Everywhere Odysseus went, he left his mark on the world.
Odyssey exhibits a wide variety of xenia which exhibits hospitality towards others. Most hospitality that we use is xenia. Without xenia we would not show the utter most respect for
Martin Luther King Junior once said “Let the wife make the husband glad to come home, and let him make her sorry to see him leave”. The importance of home is an universally applicable subject from Odyssey that has a meaning that can be applicable to our lives. Home was a very important part in Greek culture and is also important to us in western society. In The Odyssey by Homer, xenia, nostos, and hubris is used to show the importance of home. Xenia is used in the Odyssey to show the importance of home.
The stories and epics of the great Greek heroes were each composed of a long journey that was greatly aided by the idea of hospitality. Most think of hospitality as the warm, friendly welcoming into your home. However, hospitality is merely defined as the relationship between the host and guest and can be negative or unfavorable. In the Odyssey, Odysseus learns to adapt to the different forms of hospitality. Homer clearly demonstrates the positive and negative effects of the frequent offering of hospitality throughout Odysseus’s journey in the Odyssey.
A major theme in the Odyssey is reciprocity: people getting what they deserve. Reciprocity is an important theme in the Odyssey because it explains why Odysseus’ journey was very long and treacherous. Eurylochus, Antinous, and Odysseus all suffered consequences due to poorly made actions. Each of them made the wrong decisions which lead to death and a long/adventurous journey. Eurylochus was the first to be killed by Odysseus and his men due to his actions.