The Role Of Hospitality In The Odyssey

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The Odyssey was a story of many themes and one in particular was hospitality. Hospitality also known as Xenia is the relationship between a guest and host, and for the Greeks it was extremely important to their lifestyle. Throughout the book there is an understanding in their culture of a “good” host to their guest. First, you feed your guest, bathe them, clothe them and finally question them. From the book, it is made clear that the god Zeus was responsible for the punishment and rewarding of those who were bad or good hosts and guests. In the Odyssey there is a representation of either good and bad guests or hosts. Like the interaction Odysseus has with the Phaiakians and Kyklopes, who ways of life were very different.
Civilization is characterized by the advancement of that society, including the level of culture has been reached. The Phaiakians were a people who would be considered civilized. They were a people of great wealth in resources and materialistic things. On page 113 lines 89-140 Homer explains in …show more content…

In the book, Odysseus describes these one-eye giants as barbaric and arrogant creatures. Odysseus states “they neither plow nor sow by hand…wild wheat grow and barley grow untended, and wine grapes, in clusters, ripen in heavens rain” (Homer, 148. Lines 116-119). Due to their homeland being so luxurious they don’t need to nurture crops. Although they are effective herdsmen, they have no interest in doing it the way humans do. It was also said that “Kyklopes have no muster and no meeting, no consultation or old tribal ways” (Homer, 148. Lines 120-121). Their lack of structure in law, order and cultural beliefs means they have no traditions of civility or hospitality. When Odysseus' curiosity leads him to Polyphemus' cave, his men want to raid it and leave. Odysseus insists on staying to try the hospitality of the owner, a decision that ultimately results in the death of several of his

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