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Classic English Literature
Hospitality has played a great role in the ancient Greek society, and this is highly evident in most of the classics written during those times. Homer’s Odyssey is a classic example of this fact. The Odyssey is one of the greatest masterpieces of Greek Literature. It is dated written between 750 and 650 B.C.E. (Notes, 1968) According to Fagles and Knox hospitality is understood to be a major part of the moral code. One of the most important factors that can be heavily noticed in this work of Homer is hospitality, with respect to the way different characters in the play act and the way in which the treatment is reciprocated. This paper highlights the significance offered to Hospitality in Homer’s Odyssey, with specific reference to ten different quotes from the work that evidently indicates the theme of hospitality.
“Here we stand, beholden for your help, or any gifts you give-as custom is to honor strangers. We would entreat you, great Sir, have a care for the gods’ courtesy; Zeus will avenge the unoffending guest (Homer 989).” This quote explains how Odysseus believes to be treated well, as he is habituated to. Hospitality is a form of graciousness and courtesy to the Greek gods and deities.
The first story shows Odysseus captured on the island of Ogygia by Calypso. His wife is in dire straits trying to keep faithful from just suitors coming to her door. Hospitality played a significant role in the Odyssey. Despite the fact that many had to welcome strangers into their house, even the ones with evil intentions, hospitality was regarded as a moral duty to strangers and highly looked on in Greek society. This kind of hospitality remained one of the major aids for Odysseus. Penelope sends her son to search for his Father in the hopes of welcoming him home from war. In the first book of the Odyssey Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, sees Minerva standing alone at the gate and is surprised that anyone would permit someone to stand so long without paying attention to them.
Upon seeing a stranger in his house he “went straight to the forecourt, the heart within him scandalized that a guest should still be standing at the doors [1.119-120].”
When he sees Minerva waiting at the gate, he runs to attend to her needs. The first thing Telemachus tells Minerva is giving her a welcome, and then he invites her to eat. Telemachus leads his guests into an inner chamber where he gives her a footstool so that she can comfort her feet from the journey. Telemachus distances Minerva from the ill suitors so that she won’t be disturbed by them. Homer tells us Telemachus does this so that Minerva would be free of care from the noisy suitors who are presently in the house. Telemachus is not finished showing Minerva his hospitality. He next has the maid join him in his hospitality. The maid “brought them water in a beautiful golden vessel (Homer, Ch. 1). The maid also helps them to “wash their hands” by pouring water on their hands. Later, the same maid sets a clean table in their presence. A third servant comes into the room and “brings bread (Homer, Ch. 1).”
Homer tells us that the third servant offered “many good things” which were in the house. The hospitality kept pouring in on all sides for Minerva and Telemachus. Homer shows that this hospitality of the Greeks was more than opening the house to a stranger, but was something that the entire household of family and servants enjoyed sharing with their guests.
‘Xenia’ is the term that explains the Greek relationship existing amid two individuals hailing from various regions. ‘Xenia’ essentially permitted the members of a relationship to securely travel into the territory of the other person and get the basic amenities like food and a place to stay during their tenure of the stay in that particular territory.
Hospitality in Odyssey could also have been possibly used to popularize a particular individual, thus bringing them fame in case they offer the best hospitality to their guests, especially strangers. This can be understood from the following quote from the work.
“Come, friend, and give me something; for you seem to be no lowly man among the Greeks, but their most noble lord-indeed a chief. So you should offer more than others can-I’d make you famous then in endless lands. I, too, was once a man of means; my house was rich; I often gave to vagabonds, whoever they might be, who came in need” (Homer, p. 351).”
Another instance where hospitality is evident is when Menelaos offers a few insights into why the directions of hospitality are given such high prominence in those days. He treats his guests with high esteem and great service; as he was treated by the hosts in the same manner earlier. Menelaos’s insights about the hospitality rules are evident from the following quote from the work.
“(Menelaos:) 'Surely we two have eaten much hospitality from other men before we came back here. May Zeus only make an end of such misery hereafter. Unharness the strangers' horses then, and bring the men here to be feasted (4.33-36).”
In book two Telemachus calls a meeting with his counselor sin order to find out what to do to keep his Mother’s hospitality from being abused. Hospitality is a virtue od significance to the Greeks. Telemachus makes a big stink about it to the leading men of Ithaca. Telemachus make sit very plain to the men of Ithaca the he is suffering two very great sorrows. The first is the loss of his Father, Odysseus. The second is the ill-treatment his Mother has to receive from men who are the ill fit to be her suitors. Telemachus and Penelope at one time had to see after more than a hundred guests in their home, and most of these were suitors after Penelope. Penelope and Telemachus didn’t want to anger Zeus who was the caretaker of Xenia or hospitality.
The people of ancient Greek society offered hospitality more because of the fear of the Greek Gods, rather than as a voluntary act of good manners. In ancient Greek, as already indicated earlier in this paper, hospitality was regarded as a test by the Gods. In Book XIV, Eumaeus says: “for it is Zeus who sends to us all beggars and strangers; and a gift, however small, means much when given by a man like me (Book XIV, p. 275)” This indicates to the fact that the Greek God Zeus is the one who demands outstanding hospitality upon all humans.
Homer presents the readers of Odyssey, the theme of hospitality. Hospitality, up to this point in the Odyssey, both a model of moral right, but also a virtue that many choose to forfeit in the face of revenge and greed. Will Odysseus ever learn the true meaning of hospitality? Is Homer using Odysseus as an example of a person who seeks the glory at the expense of his hospitality? It is easy to see that Odysseus seeks his fame and glory. Odysseus is not afraid to do honorable things that bring his glory to the minds of his viewers, but he is also a conniving and deceitful villain when given a chance.
The fact that Odysseus wanted to return home to unite with his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus, is a fact that is rather unquestionable. When talking with Alcinous, Odysseys once mentions that,
“For if a man is far from his own home and parents, then even if he is housed in opulence within that foreign land, no thing he finds can be sweeter than what he left behind (Homer, p. 170).” This statement substantiates how Odysseus regarded hospitality he had been offered and provided and his longing to come back home and unite with his family.
We know that Odysseus returns home, but rather than showing up as a man who has made great conquests he disguises himself as a beggar. On his return home, Odysseus first receives hospitality from a swineherd named Eumaeus. Eumaeus treats Odysseus with the greatest hospitality. Odysseus disguises himself as a beggar who wants to ask for bread and lodging.
“I will from place to place in the town begging as I needs must, to see if anyone will give me a drink and a piece Of the bread (Homer, Book XV ).”
Odysseus true intentions are to get inside his home and use hospitality as a key to his devious plan to revenge the ill suitors of Penelope, who have been abusing her and the hospitality of his home. Odysseus ultimately carries out his plan, but he thought he would reveal his true identity to his wife he chose to reveal himself to Telemachus.
There are also instances in Odyssey, where hospitality offered is unwanted. This fact can be understood from the following example. All through his entire journey, Odysseus also starts rejecting hospitality when he finds himself bumping into difficulties at every place that he visits as part of his travel. Ultimately, he is the only individual left alive. When on the island of Schería, at the time he wakes up, he says, “What misery is mine? What mortals must I meet in this new land that I now touch?”(Homer, p. 119)” He feels that the hospitality he is provided with when on the island is unwanted as he has started interrogating the intentions of the people he comes across. He starts wondering if they are really kind as they look, or if they are only trying to satisfy and make the Gods happy with their acts of hospitality.
Odysseus is willing to do anything to take revenge on those who abused Penelope’s hospitality. Odysseus tells Eumaeus, while concealing his true identity as a beggar, that Odysseus will to Ithaca soon.
“by the rites of hospitality, that all will surely happen,” (Homer, Book XIV)
When Odysseus comes to Penelope, he disguises himself as a beggar and asks for a room. Penelope questions the beggar for his sincerity, for he says that he knew her husband. Odysseus at this point uses hospitality as a ruse to tell Penelope of the hospitality he showed to her husband.
“it was in Crete I saw Ulysses and showed him hospitality (Homer, Book XIX).”
Odysseus doesn’t want to draw attention to himself. Odysseus wants to carry out his plans of destroying the suitors of Penelope. Euiclea, while performing an act of hospitality to a person posed as a beggar recognizes him to be Odysseus. Euriclea recognizes a secret scar of Odysseus that he gained in battle. Odysseus asks her not to reveal his identity to Penelope.
“I’m sure you must be Ulysses himself, I did not know you till I had touched and handled," you (Homer, Book XIX).”
Euriclea had nursed Odysseus as a child and was very touched by his coming home as a beggar.
It is Penelope who challenges her suitors to perform a certain task using Odysseus’s bow in order to gain her hand that bring south weapon that will satisfy Odysseus. Odysseus will use the bow to kill all of the ill suitors of Penelope. It is an act of hospitality that begins her quest to find her husband and an act of hospitality that will end her quest in finding a new husband.
“Listen .. suitors, who are abusing the hospitality of this house (Homer, Book XXI),”
Odysseus uses Penelope's hospitality to take up his bow and win the competition that would again win his wife. He uses the same bow to slay his suitors with the help of Telemachus and others.
"he took aim, and his arrow pierced every one of the handle-holes of the axes (Homer, Book XXI).”
Odysseus having won his household again, destroys the suitors who have abused the hospitality of his wife. Odysseus reveals his true identity before his enemies before he slays all of them with his bow.
“Then Ulysses tore off his rags, with his bow and his quiver full of arrows. He shed the arrows,"The mighty contest is at the end (Homer, Book XXII)
Hospitality in the modern day world has gone beyond just being friendly and respectful to your guest. There are no universal guidelines standards that are in place with respect to the conduct of either the host or even the guest; much less a risk of violence if an individual does not behave appropriately. The Odyssey, takes its readers to a completely different realm of standards of hospitality and customs. Odyssey is a work in which hospitality plays a major role in the life of Odysseus, his family and his travels. Hospitality is a significance moral virtue often exercised in the Greek culture. Hospitality is a virtue close to the gods, especially Zeus. Hospitality is both used as a way to honor guests in the home and comfort them. On the other hand, hospitality is often put aside when the challenge of one’s glory is at stake. Hospitality is used to comfort guests and strangers. Hospitality can also be used as a tool to save one’s home and honor.
Works Cited
Homer. "Odyssey." MIT. Trans. Samuel Butler. MIT.edu, n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2014. <http://classics.mit.eduHomer/odyssey.mb.txt>.
Homer, Translated by Stanley Lombardo. Odyssey. Indianapolis, Indiana: Hackett Publishing
Company, Inc., 2000.
Homer. Odysseus, the Hero of Ithaca / Adapted from the Third Book of the Primary Schools of Athens, Greece (Kindle Locations 219-220).
Notes, Spark, comp. "Odyssey." Nature 220.5171 (1968): 996. SparkNotes. SparkNotes. Web. 8 Oct. 2014.
"The Odyssey By Homer Critical Essays Major Themes in The Odyssey." Major Themes in The Odyssey. Cliffnotes, n.d. Web. 08 Oct. 2014. <http://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/o/the-odyssey/critical-essays/major-themes-in-the-odyssey>.
