Theme Of Hospitality In The Iliad

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. Every show of hospitality exposes the host for who they really are. The people who help Odysseus along his journey allow him to come into their home and eat and drink until he is rested and well content. Those

Ancient Greek culture highly valued hospitality. To begin with, Ancient Greeks treated their guests with respect and kindness. In Neil Dolan’s the article, “Phaeacian Hospitality for Odysseus,” he states that, ”the relationship between guest and host was a matter of greatest importance in the culture.” The author’s words do a good job at creating an underlying meaning of what Greek Hospitality is. Ancient Greeks understand that when they treat a guest with respect the guest will give them more respect in return. In addition, when Odysseus was staying on the island of the Phaeacians,”He (Odysseus) is treated courteously and generously”(Dolan). This tells some of the characteristics of Greek Hospitality that are very important when it comes to

The Odyssey takes the reader on a trip of showing Odysseus’s way back home, after held on an island with the goddess Calypso for years. With the aid of Pallas Athena and other courteous gods and goddesses, he could make it home to Ithaca, and annihilate the suitors that were ill-behaved. However, before his arrival in Ithaca, he encountered and was kindly embraced in numerous stranger’s homes. One of the prime themes in The Odyssey is hospitality. No matter who someone was or where an individual has been, they would always be met with kindheartedness.

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.

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

Back in Homer’s time, hospitality is of greatest importance because of the lack of hotels. Travelers rely heavily on others in support of their needs. Therefore, in Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, reflects that attitude towards hospitality. At the same it becomes a strategy used to manipulate the minds of gods and mortals in purpose of deceiving and having their way. It is not by choice but by force. Fear of disobeying the law given unto them by the gods made it impossible for mortals to not follow. Zeus, the God of sky and lightening, addressing at the assembly says, “All their afflictions came from them.” (Homer Page 2). Clearly, no one wants to be in the position of having to face their wrath. They punish the mortals that do not abide by

Back in ancient Greece hospitality was a major belief in greek culture. Guests were suppose to be treated like family, and no questions asked about who they were or where they were from until they enjoyed their first meal with their host. Treating people with hospitality was essential because Greeks believed the gods would often come down to earth disguised and test you. In the epic The Odyssey by Homer hospitality is a recurring concept throughout the storyline. Both positive and negative examples of hospitality exist in The Odyssey; Homer uses these examples to suggest that good hospitality gives you good luck while bad hospitality gives you bad karma.

Hospitality is the appropriate and generous manner in which guests are welcomed into a stranger’s home or country. Hospitality is something that is very highly valued in many cultures throughout the world past and present. During the Homeric period of The Odyssey, the Greek’s traditional custom was to be hospitable to anyone that visited their homes, regardless of whether they were a mere beggar, or a wealthy hero. The Greeks considered hospitality to be an indication of civilized society, therefore, upholding this tradition and following it accordingly was crucial. It was widely believed that the gods, (especially Zeus, the associated god of hospitality) wanted civilized persons to be hospitable to all walks of life, or they would suffer at

In the Iliad, the character of Achilles has numerous character flaws that cause him to have blinded judgement towards his actions as well as shutting out everyone around within the epic poem. Achilles’ rage keeps him from being the hero that we were supposed to see him as. Achilles’ anger has lead to him committing cruel behavior; a large majority of the horrific violence within Homer’s story, comes from Achilles’ relentless rage. But is his rage truly without proper cause and justification? King Agamemnon forced Achilles’ to hand over his beloved Briseis to him, which caused Achilles to withdraw his men from the Achaean army. Achilles’ closest

“Xenia”, the Greek concept of hospitality, is both followed and rejected throughout Homer’s The Odyssey, and it causes significant results in the situations expressed throughout the book. For example, when Odysseus gets back to Ithaka, Eumaios, his swineherd, does not recognize his master but still welcomes him into his hut, resulting in Odysseus eventually reuniting with his son. Even though Eumaios does not know it is his master, he still allows Odysseus to come inside and make him feel comfortable. Eumaios’s actions prove the significance of the practice of xenia throughout Ancient Greece. In opposition, when Odysseus and his men go into the house of Polyphemus, a savage kyklops who does harm unto any trespasser, they are showed hostility,

Hubris is one of the many themes that were brought up in the Iliad. Its definition is extreme pride and arrogance shown by a person that will bring downfall to that person or to others. The first time this theme is brought up is when Helen leaves with Paris. Agamemnon uses Helen as an excuse to rile up all the Greek kings. Agamemnon knew that if they beat Troy, then he would control a major passage of trade which would make him the undisputed ruler of all of Greece. But, while all the kings gathered in Greece, the gods would not send a fair wind for the ships to sail. Agamemnon said, “Give me a fair wind and a hope of glory if it will cost me my kingdom and my life.” He is then told by the Greek prophet, Calchas, that the king would have to sacrifice his daughter, Iphigenia at the temple of Artemis in order to sail. Agamemnon was shocked, and refrained from doing anything. Yet, when the days grew long and the kings began to blame Agamemnon, he feared the kings would leave. His pride was wounded, and so he took Iphigenia to the temple of Artemis. In the skies, even the hunting goddess Artemis, was shocked at Agamemnon’s deed. She took one

Today it is quite frightening to stay in a stranger’s home, but in The Odyssey, it is common to do so. The Odyssey, a novel written by Homer in the twelfth century B.C.E.

In the Iliad, Achilles is responding to Odysseus’s speech attempting to convince him to return to the war. Achilles’ main argument against returning is his incalculable rage against Agamemnon for “the prize of honor / The warlord Agamemnon gave me / And in his insulting arrogance took back” which is not only an insult to Achilles’ status, but also to his honor as a warrior (Il. 9.378-379). In addition to focusing on the main argument of Achilles’ speech, it is worth noting the contradictions present within his speech as well. In the first few lines of Achilles speech, he states, “I hate it like I hate hell / The man who says one thing and thinks another” (Il. 9.317-318). The accuracy of this statement comes into question twice within the confines of a few pages. First, Achilles changes his plans for departing with his ships, not once, but twice. At the end of his first speech, Achilles asserts that “Tomorrow / he [Phoenix] sails with me on our voyage home,” but in his next speech in response to Phoenix, he reassures his old friend by saying “At daybreak / We will decide whether to set sail

The Odyssey Literary Analysis In The Odyssey, one main part in the story and in the Greek civilization is the hospitality to strangers. They take this seriously because if they take and help someone out, when they go on a trip and they need a place the people there will

The Lessons of The Iliad From a story to a literary work of art, The Iliad by Homer is still entertaining people today. As readers examine the story of “strong, swift, and godlike” Achilles, they also discover the lessons he learns (1 192). As the war rages on in Troy, Achilles