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Theme Of Hospitality In The Odyssey

1314 Words6 Pages

In The Odyssey by Homer, hospitality is something seen in almost every book. This idea of being kind to strangers is a top priority in the Greek world because there is no way of telling who the person in need is and if they are a god. So, it is better to help all, rather than face the wrath of an angry god. However, Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, has suitors who do not follow these laws as the other people do. The theme of hospitality is established as a rule, and when it is broken, a terrible fate is set in place. The kings throughout Greece are hospitable, specifically to Telemachus, but the suitors are inconsiderate, sealing their bloody future. Hospitality is a law, and those who follow this law will have a favorable fate. This idea of going above and beyond to make strangers feel welcome is seen through King Nestor and King Menelaus. These two men represent the kindness Telemachus received from others on his journey away from Ithaca. King Nestor welcomes Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, into his home and gives him his best meat, his best wine, and maids who bathe him. This shows that he respected the gods’ laws enough to provide his best to someone in need. King Menelaus tells Telemachus all he can about Odysseus, gives him a gold …show more content…

Hospitality is used as a way to show the difference between favorable and unfavorable people. Good people, like King Menelaus and King Nestor who helped Telemachus, do not upset the gods, and therefore, do not face bad consequences. Bad people, like the suitors who are inhospitable, upset the gods, and therefore, pay for their actions. The suitors are brazen and inhospitable, leading to their fates of painful deaths at the hands of Odysseus. Hospitality is a theme seen all throughout the Odyssey to escalate the severity of the suitors’ actions. Hospitality is a law of the gods, and when this law is not followed, the perpetrator will suffer impending

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