The Role Of Hospitality In The Odyssey

1340 Words3 Pages

The Odyssey Research Paper
Giving the gift of hospitality to others is an important, religious concept, and results in reward and good fortune for all of the facilitators. As represented by the epic The Odyssey, written by Homer and translated by Lombardo, hospitality is a vital classical concept even a king must follow. In addition, the Jewish religion’s interpretation of the Torah states that hospitality is a significant mitzvah everyone should fulfill. In both texts, hospitality is portrayed as a key point that determines one’s trust in a god or gods. The concept of hospitality plays an essential role in the success of the protagonists throughout The Odyssey and the Torah.
After arriving in the land of the Phaeacians, Odysseus immediately …show more content…

During the first meeting between Circe and the crew, she introduces herself as a dangerous character by turning all the sailors into pigs. Recognizing this trap, Odysseus commands the beautiful Goddess to promise not to plan new troubles for himself and his crew. After the dispute is settled, Circe keeps her promise and provides the crew members with food, clothes, and a secure place to sleep for a full year. Showing her hospitality to Odysseus and his men, “the Goddess had my men bathed, rubbed down with oil, and clothed in tunics and fleecy cloaks” (Lombardo 91). The hospitality of Circe is on full display during her time with Odysseus as represented by this quote. After receiving a year of kindness and courtesy from Circe, it enables the men of Odysseus to continue the voyage home despite knowing they will face even more troubles along the way. Moreover, the year-long stay at the house of Circe allows the men to feel their lifestyle back at home, giving them hope that they will soon return. This helps the case of Odysseus because his men will be loyal to his word and will support him on the hard journey home. The story of Rebecca and the camels connects to Circe from a standpoint of sacrifice. Rebecca, the future wife of Isaac, makes the decision to give water to the camels of Abraham’s servant after they endured a long journey. This quote by Rebecca solidified her hospitable traits and showed the servant her beautiful personality, “When she had let him drink his fill, she said, I will also draw for your camels, until they finish drinking” (Genesis 24:19). She makes this sacrifice despite knowing that she will have to go and retrieve even more water directly after. This relates to Circe because she sacrifices her house for a full year to the crew of Odysseus. The overall success of Abraham is boosted by the actions of Rebecca, because she later becomes Isaac, Abraham’s

Show More
Related

  • What Goes Around Comes Around In The Odyssey

    494 Words  | 1 Pages

    “What goes around comes around”,this great saying means that kindness is key. In the Odyssey by Homer, one important theme states how hospitality and kindness are always the best policy. Temptations and Obstacles represents a glimpse of allegory in life. Friendship is also a great thing in life because it's about support through tough and good times. Always feel generous with your kindness and support like Odysseus did on his journey.

    Read More

  • Greek Xenia in The Odyssey

    1934 Words  | 4 Pages

    All throughout The Odyssey there are scenes of good and bad, xenia, or hospitality. It can be seen that hospitality is extremely important in the Greek culture, both how someone treats their guests and how the guests treat the host. A closer look chronologically into the good, then bad examples will show how one acts affects the actions that are brought upon them when they either follow or disobey Zeus' Law. Right at the beginning of The Odyssey, the reader is shown the hospitality that Telemachus has. Athena arrives, disguised, and he invites her into his home by saying: "'Greetings, stranger!

    Read More

  • The Role Of Mortals In The Odyssey

    810 Words  | 2 Pages

    When I was young, it was easy to wish for infinite days on earth and beautiful youth for all eternity. As time passes, and more knowledge is gained, this wish starts to diminish. Reading the Odyssey really highlighted the differences between mortals and immortals. Over the course of the story we discover how different characters develop in these categories.

    Read More

  • The Odyssey

    646 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the Odyssey the people of Ithaca are accustomed to hospitality. In Odysseus’s lengthy journey home he learns to maintain modesty. Odysseus’s family never give up on him throughout his entire 20 year journey, and they kept Ithaca for him when he came back. The Greek values of hospitality, humility, and loyalty are conveyed in The Odyssey.

    Read More

  • The Odyssey

    1113 Words  | 3 Pages

    Through characters and situations, The Odyssey promotes and emphasizes many important ancient Greek values such as hospitality, pride, and fate. Stressed greatly in ancient Greek culture, hospitality is evident throughout Homer’s writing, which reflects and expresses many different value systems within it. For example, when in the cave of the Cyclops, Polyphemus, Odysseus confronts him by saying, “we therefore humbly pray to show us some hospitality and otherwise make us such presents as visitors may reasonably expect” (92). To the Greeks, hospitality was very important, to the point that it was an expectation and not just a quality, as it is in today’s culture. If you feared Zeus and the gods, you were to show hospitality.

    Read More

  • Relationships In The Odyssey

    406 Words  | 1 Pages

    Throughout the Odyssey, there are many relationships that represent love between two people. These relationships show loyalty, compassion, and the wanting to be near one another. Two of these kinds of relationships are between Odysseus and Telemakhos, and Odysseus and Penelope.

    Read More

  • Selfishness In The Odyssey

    757 Words  | 2 Pages

    For hundreds of years, psychologists have attempted to understand why toddlers selfishly refuse to share. Recently, many experts in the field agree that toddlers are incapable of sharing because of their lack of integral brain development. From birth through early childhood, a child can only recognize his own wants and needs. Around the time a child begins kindergarten, he starts to development his understanding of abstract concepts, such as empathy, and sympathy. However, some believe that humans never rid themselves of that original selfishness. In essence, humans are born selfish and hopefully become compassionate later on. The idea of a natural tendency towards selfishness

    Read More

  • Selflessness In The Odyssey

    263 Words  | 1 Pages

    In The Odyssey, book nine and ten written by Homer, Odysseus constantly embodies the principal characteristics of a hero which are : cleverness, leadership, and selflessness. Thus, this character is regarded as an idol among the other characters and greatly captures the reader’s sympathy for his choices and the fruit to his actions in life. First, Odysseus displays cleverness in Book Nine when he tricks the Cyclops Poluphemus that his name is “nobody” in order to escape the horrors of the cyclop’s cave. He states: “Nobody--so my mother and father call me, all my friends” (Homer, 18). Second, Odysseus is a brave leader of his army especially in book ten when he displays leadership by motivating his comrades in keep trying to sail despite the

    Read More

  • Xenia

    746 Words  | 2 Pages

    In The Odyssey, a Greek hero, Odysseus, journeys back home after the Trojan War. Throughout this long voyage, Odysseus meets many people who take him in out of their own courtesy and hospitality. Within this text, the re-occurring theme of hospitality has had much significance and has also made a presence in today’s society. Xenia was common in the Greek culture; however, changes throughout society have made this form of hospitality a smaller occurrence today. Xenia, or the concept of hospitality, is the main theme present in the Odyssey.

    Read More

  • Greek Hospitality in The Odyssey

    937 Words  | 2 Pages

    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, for this tradition of hospitality was passed down from generation to generation, and breaking it would bring embarrassment and dishonor upon the home.

    Read More

  • Xenia, The Greek Concept Of Hospitality In Homer's Iliad

    938 Words  | 2 Pages

    Xenia, the ancient Greek concept of hospitality, was one of the foremost forces in Homer’s Iliad. The Achaeans respect it above nearly all else, and failure to adhere to its strict customs could lead to the forfeiture of countless souls.

    Read More

  • Greek Hospitality in the Odyssey

    948 Words  | 2 Pages

    When it comes to hospitality, Greeks stand atop the list of all cultures for their generosity and politeness towards strangers. “Philoxenia” is the Greek word for “the love of strangers”. Philoxenia is demonstrated in several different cases in Homer’s The Odyssey. According to Greek customs, hospitality is respected by the immortal gods. If the Greek code of hospitality is not performed correctly, or not performed at all, the consequences may be very severe, gods may unleash their wrath to whoever does not follow this tradition of thoughtfulness. Homer suggests both positive and negative commentary on his own world through the examples of hospitalities that provide The Odyssey.

    Read More

  • Hospitality in the Iliad

    1029 Words  | 3 Pages

    Hospitality in the Iliad gives us an insight in ancient greece and was a major characteristic of their culture. In the Iliad there are many instances of the applications of hospitality in the lives of the people back then. We use the Iliad as a tool to look into their culture because this would have been passed down orally for generations as some of the only literature they had. SO their worldviews and values would be apparent in these precious tales.

    Read More

  • The Importance of Hospitality in the Odyssey

    843 Words  | 2 Pages

    Hospitality today is nothing like it was in Ancient Greece. Today, good hospitality is being friendly and respectful to a guest. In Ancient Greece, hospitality was something people had to do, or face the wrath of Zeus. Zeus’s law of hospitality is that any stranger that comes to your home, the host must be willing to feed, entertain, and maybe offer them a bath and anything else they might be in need of without question until those things had been given, and also give them a parting gift. The guest, in turn, would not be a burden in any way. In The Odyssey, most people follow the rules of hospitality, but there are others who do not. The Greek concept of xenia shows the serious priority the Greeks place on the laws of the gods.

    Read More

  • The Role of Loyalty in The Odyssey

    1045 Words  | 3 Pages

    Intro: There are a wide variety of themes present throughout the Odyssey, written by Homer. Be it hospitality, perseverance, vengeance or power of the Gods, loyalty is truly the theme that brings the whole book together. Being 10 years after the Trojan War, many have forgotten about Odysseus and his men as they constantly brave what the gods throw their way. This essay will be talking about Odysseus and Penelope’s mutual loyalty to one another, the loyal relationships between Gods and men and finally, the loyalty Odysseus’ men show for him until death. This essay with prove to us that without loyalty, Odysseus’ legendary journey would have been put to an end near where they started. The general theme of loyalty is what kept Odysseus motivated and determined.

    Read More

More about The Role Of Hospitality In The Odyssey

Open Document