Theme of Hospitality in The Odyssey Essay Sample
Homer's The Odyssey is an epic poem detailing the extraordinary feats and adventures of the warrior Odysseus on his journey back to his hometown of Ithaca after the Trojan War. A recurring and important theme throughout the Odyssey is hospitality. In Ancient Greece, hospitality was a social custom expected of the guests and hosts. Under the rules of hospitality, the host should guarantee a comfortable stay for the guests, provide the necessary means of transportation to their next destination, and offer parting gifts. The guest should respect the life, property, and rules of the host and return the favour should the need arise in the future. This theme of hospitality commences every segment of Odysseus' journey from his departure from Troy to arriving at his home in Ithaca, most prominently seen in his encounter with Polyphemus the Cyclops, the Phoenicians, and the Suitors, highlighting the consequences of adhering to or breaking the rules of hospitality.
To begin with, Odysseus' encounter with Polyphemus the Cyclops is a terrific example of poor hospitality on the part of the host and the guest, to some extent highlighting the consequences of poor hospitality. Odysseus and his men find themselves in the land of the Cyclops and enter a cave belonging to Polyphemus. Odysseus's men attempt to steal all the food belonging to the Cyclops and escape in his absence. However, Odysseus asks them not to do that, as a proper guest should behave, and instead, they help themselves to some food and burn a sacrifice to the gods while awaiting the return of the Cyclops. When the Cyclops got back, he asked who they were. Odysseus tries to explain the situation by saying "We’re men of Atrides Agamemnon … We’ve chanced on you, we’re at your knees in hopes of a warm welcome, even a guest-gift, the sorts that hosts give strangers. That’s the custom… we’re suppliants at your mercy! Zeus of the strangers guard all guests and suppliants: strangers are sacred – Zeus will avenge their rights!” . Instead of being a welcoming host, he responds by saying “You must be a fool, stranger, or come from nowhere, telling me to fear the gods or avoid their wrath? We Cyclops never blink at Zeus and Zeus’s shield of storm and thunder, or any other blessed god – we’ve got more force by far. I’d never spare you in fear of Zeus’s hatred. You or your comrades here” . This resulted in the Cyclops eating two of Odysseus's men, causing Odysseus to exact revenge by blinding the Cyclops, so he could escape ending up as his meal. The Cyclops asked who they were with hostility and did not offer them acceptable hospitality. He had no fear or reverence for the gods and their rules and thus faced the consequences of his actions. This example is a case of an atrocious host and bad guests, to an extent highlighting the repercussions of such actions, as the Cyclops would not have lost his sight if he had not violated the rules of hospitality or disrespected the gods. Odysseus is not exempt from the consequences of his actions. Poseidon wrecked his ship for blinding his son, the Cyclops, showing that although initially, Odysseus had upright intentions, he did not fulfil his part of being a quality guest and was not exempt from the consequences of his actions.
Furthermore, the ideal models of exemplary hospitality in the Odyssey are the Phoenicians. When Odysseus washed ashore naked and exhausted after Poseidon wrecked his raft, the Phoenician princess Nausicaa was the first to offer him hospitality as a stranger by providing clothes and directions to her parents, Arete and Alcinous. They extended their hospitality even further by inviting him into their home, celebrating him, before Alcinous inquiries about his identity and the adventures of his journey thus far, saying "All these things are performed for him, our honoured guest, the royal send-off here and gifts we give in love. Treat your guests and suppliant like a brother: anyone with touch of sense knows that… Come, tell us the name they call you at home… tell me your land your land, your people, your city too, so our ships can sail you home…. Where have your rovings forced you? What lands of men have you seen” . In response to the hospitality Odysseus received from the Phoenicians, he celebrated with them, telling them about himself and his journey so far, creating a relationship and bond with them that would last a long time and achieve the goal of superior hospitality as intended by Zeus. As a result of that, they not only hosted him but offered him parting gifts, a ship and rowers to take him speedily and safely to his destination. This example is a case of adequate hospitality, both from the host and the guest, highlighting how different approaches to obeying the rules of hospitality results in varying reactions, noting the mindset of those who uphold the rules set by the gods in comparison to those who do not. If the Phoenicians were not hospitable to Odysseus, their interaction would not have ended so peacefully. Likewise, supposing Odysseus had not upheld his part as a guest, he would not have gotten to Ithaca as swiftly as he did with the help of the Phoenicians.
Lastly, since hospitality is a two-way street, being a worthy guest is equally crucial as being a worthy host, and the Suitors are exemplars of awful hospitality on the part of the guests. In Odysseus' absence, the Suitors are fed, housed, and provided acceptable hospitality, but they respond by overstaying their welcome and attempting to covert Odysseus' possessions and his wife, Penelope. When Odysseus, disguised as an old man, meets Telemachus in the lodge, he talks about the unacceptable behaviour of the Suitors, saying "I’d rather die, cut down in my own house than have to look on at their outrage day by day. Guests treated to blows, men dragging the serving women through the noble house, exploiting them all, no shame. And the gushing wine swilled, the food squandered – gorging for gorging sake – and the courting game goes on, no end in sight” . That is no way to treat people who have been nothing but hospitable to you, and due to their terrible reception of exceptional hospitality, even Athena, the goddess, supports Odysseus' punishment of the Suitors, saying “Royal son of Laertes, Odysseus, old campaigner, now is the time, now tell your son the truth. Hold nothing back, so the two of you can plot the Suitors’ doom and then set out for town. I myself won’t lag behind you long – I’m blazing for a battle” . This shows that the gods fully supported Odysseus' claim to punish the Suitors and were actively involved in the plan to punish the Suitors. Making this is the most ferocious reaction to the disregard of the rules of hospitality. The Suitors eventually are killed, and the gods make them forget it to avoid an attempt at revenge. The gods fully supported the decision to kill the Suitors due to their disobedience of the rules of hospitality. They had no claim to retribution due to their wrongdoing in the first place and deserved the consequences of their actions. This example is a case of satisfactory hospitality from the hosts but poor reception to hospitality from the guests. This highlights how being a fine or lousy host or guest has its consequences and shows how those who play their role gain full support from the gods as if the hosts did not play their part in showing excellent hospitality, the gods would never support Odysseus' claims to revenge or assist him. Likewise, if the Suitors played their role as positive guests, they would likely be alive.
In conclusion, hospitality is a dominant theme in the Odyssey. It is a story of a journey back home, highlighting that the gods require the rules of hospitality to be upheld by both parties. Those who follow the rules of hospitality face the consequences, as seen with the valuable host-guest relationship between Odysseus and the Phoenicians, which resulted in a peaceful, amicable ending for both parties involved because they fulfilled their requirements by being a wonderful host and a wonderful guest. Those who ignore the rules of hospitality also face the consequences of their actions, as seen with the dreadful host-guest relationship between Odysseus's entourage and the Cyclops, which resulted in a sad interaction for both parties as the Cyclops ate two of Odysseus's men and Odysseus blinded the Cyclops as revenge. In retribution for blinding his son, Poseidon wrecked Odysseus's ship. Since they all approached hospitality the wrong way, Odysseus could not escape the consequences of his actions. In situations where one party upholds their end of superb hospitality and the other party does not like the ideal host and substandard guest relationship between Odysseus' house and the Suitors, the gods bless those who follow the rules and punish those who do not. Odysseus received retribution. In contrast, the Suitors were punished by death, erasing their memories, so they would not exact revenge on the house of Odysseus because they were the only ones in the wrong, which contrasts with the situation with Poseidon, as Odysseus was also in the wrong. These circumstances are excellent examples of highlighting the theme of hospitality, the ramifications of not providing satisfactory hospitality, and how the consequences of their choices affected the story of The Odyssey.
