Eumeaus and The Phaeacians “Hospitality means primarily the creation of free space where the stranger can enter and become a friend instead of an enemy. Hospitality is not to change people, but to offer them space where change can take place. It is not to bring men and women over to our side, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines.” -Henry J.M Nouwen, Reaching out. This quote defines hospitality, but including it also captures the importance of loyalty as well. In order to be loyal
highlight the complexities within the Greek culture by analyzing certain literary elements. The Odyssey by Homer is one such text that emerges out of Greek culture and is able to illustrate the cultural concerns of the time. By examining the key roles of hospitality, religion, and loyalty, one is able to perceive how Greek cultural values are defined through the Odyssey. In ancient Greek society hospitality was highly valued. It was sacred to the god Zeus, who was a patron of traveling. In addition
Odysseus and Hospitality on Polyphemus’ Island Odysseus, for all his heroism, is not a perfect man; his decisions on Polyphemus’ island offend hospitality traditions laid out in Odyssey. Based on the host-guest relations throughout Odyssey, it is reasonable to conclude that these customs are serious issues. When analyzing Odysseus and Polyphemus’ interaction it is easy to accuse Polyphemus of ignoring these beliefs. It is Odysseus, however, whose decisions disrespect not only Polyphemus, but hospitality
The Odyssey and Aeneid both are similar in that they utilize the genre of epic poetry and focus around one particular hero, Odysseus and Aeneas respectively. However, considering the different historical contexts of the authors, various cultural and characterization differences present themselves. The Odyssey was composed approximately 750 years before the Aeneid and in a completely different cultural setting, although Virgil utilized many aspects of the Odyssey in writing the Aeneid. Homer lived
of society. (Sri Swami Sivanda 249.192) The three ideas that are necessary for a civilization to strive are spirituality, strength, and hospitality. Throughout The Odyssey, the famous epic poem by Homer, the protagonist, Odysseus, uses all three of these characteristics to prove his heroism that would thrive in today’s world. For the duration of The Odyssey, Odysseus evaluates his spiritual growth. “So, I, too, pined away, so doom and shot to kill me; not that illness overtook me-no true illness
In The Odyssey, Odysseus embarks on a prolonged journey home in which he endures many trials that exhibit traits the Greeks revere. Meanwhile, at home his wife Penelope resists suitors who plunder her resources and Odysseus’s wealth. This epic exemplifies qualities and characteristics, such as bravery, hospitality and cleverness, embodied by Odysseus in an environment where the Olympian gods and goddesses are intertwined in Greek life. When the Greeks value a quality in a person, they hold that person
Zhinous Ahmadi Mr. Chad Faries World Literature I March 6, 2015 The Journey of the Epic Hero Myths tell us beyond the story of a physical place or peoples. They are the hearts of cultures. This is same in Homer’s The Odyssey one of the most famous epic heroes in ancient Greek mythology, or The Epic of Gilgamesh from early Mesopotamia. These epics are from different cultural backgrounds and eras, but both represent culture, history and beliefs of the people who made them. At the beginning of
work is “The Odyssey”. Homer was believed to be the first and most fascinating epic poet of his time by the ancient Greeks. Many scholars believe “The Odyssey” was composed near the end of the 8th century and is a sequel to “The Illiad”. Although “The Odyssey” was composed near the end of the 8th century, many scholars believe that it was orally passed since around 1200 B.C. During the time in which “The Odyssey” was written major economic and social changes were underway. “The Odyssey” illuminates
the eyes of the director, will never live up to the expectations that were implanted upon the viewer when the book was read themselves. “The Odyssey” is a superior work of art to the film O! Brother, Where Art Thou? because Odysseus is the worthier epic hero and the film loses the major theme of hospitality that is displayed throughout the poem. “The Odyssey” is a poem composed by the legendary author Homer, one of the central works of Greek Literature. The poem follows
Through its almost three millennia of existence, Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey , has been a source of insight into the principles of Ancient Greek civilization and culture. The poem’s themes reveal different traditional values that make up the foundation of Ancient Greek society. One of the motifs which The Odyssey examines is the nature of thumos , or heroic courage. In this essay, I will argue that the Iliadic goal of glory through thumos is slowly overcome by a newfound Odysseadic objective to