Telemachus gladly offers to give the stranger clothes and a sword. For example, the grave importance of hospitality was a subject of a series of greek myths and legends, and in their most famous homeric epos, iliad and odyssey. Although the suitors abuse an important social tradition of hospitality, penelope lacks the natural, social, and familial protections that would enable her to remove them from her house. Odysseuss reputation and legacy are inseparable from his heroism, and they make more difficult penelopes choices when dealing with the suitors. This barcode number lets you verify that youre getting exactly the right version or edition of a book. Hospitality being in use throughout the whole book makes the odyssey the way. Just think of all the hospitality we enjoyed at the hands of other men before we made it home, and god save us from such hard treks in years to come. Book 7 on his way to the palace of alcinous, the king of the phaeacians, odysseus is stopped by a young girl who is athena in disguise. You can say that hospitality is kindness and hospitality is an important part of homers the odyssey. Hospitality to strangers, strict protocols for behavior toward the gods, the crafts and skills of a hero, and the preservation of ones fame all figure here.
While reputation was crucial in ancient greece, how one treated guests was even more so. In the hut of eumaeus, odysseus tests the limit of his hospitality by offering to leave in. This lesson will summarize book 5 of homers epic poem, the odyssey, in which the gods finally decree. Hospitality is used throughout the whole book, contributes to the fact of how odysseus is so famous, and is treasured by the people that treat the strangers. The major themes in the odyssey are especially significant because they serve to form the moral and ethical constitution of most of the characters. Odysseus wants to take his sword to polyphemus right then, but he knows that only polyphemus is strong enough to move the rock that he has placed across the door of his cave. Find summaries for every chapter, including a the odyssey chapter summary chart to help you understand the book. His experiences range from the generous hospitality of the phaeacians to the deathly hospitality of the cyclops. In particular, hospitality is perhaps the foremost moral theme of the odyssey, one of the two great epics of ancient greece. Odyssey is undoubtedly the most popular epic of western culture.
The nature and extent to which society today follows in that tradition. Odysseus, captive to the nymph, calypso, wants desperately to return home to ithaca. Polyphemus makes a show of hospitality at first, but he soon turns hostile. We discussed one of these themes, hospitality, and the other themes on this webpage are very interesting as well. Phemius, the renowned ithacan bard, outlines the tale early in the odyssey 1. He taught telemachus to respect his elders, give libations to the gods, and that guests should be fed first, questioned later, and assisted along their journey. Hospitality in the iliad who shows it achilles lets priam give his son hector a proper trojan funeral and some peace the trojans show it by letting the greeks bury and have the 12 days for patroclus death what is hospitality closing thoughts who doesnt show it gods part the. The odyssey sparknotes literature guide sparknotes literature guide series by homer author, sparknotes author 4. The nucleus of these laws was the treatment towards another whether a guest or a host. Essay on greek hospitality in the odyssey 926 words bartleby. While presentday people usually treat it as a mere act of kindness towards guests, it was an unwritten law in the ancient times.
When telemachus arrives at the farm, eumaeus asks him to take care of the stranger. On his way to the palace of alcinous, the king of the phaeacians, odysseus is stopped by a young girl who is athena in disguise. After the trojan war ends, odysseus embarks on his journey home to ithaca. In the odyssey, by homer, odysseus experiences various forms of hospitality. In book 1, athena comes to ithaca in disguise as the hero mentes to convince. Immediately download the the odyssey summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching the odyssey.
The odyssey can be thought of as a manual for a host of how to and how not to show hospitality to a guest and vice versa. Penelope is in a very dangerous situation when the suitors begin invading her house and asking and then demanding her hand in marriage. The true exemplars of good hospitality in the odyssey are the phaeacians who host odysseus when he washes ashore near their town. Here is this stranger, i do not know who he is, come wandering suppliant here to my house from the eastern or western people.
See important quotations explained the narrator of the odyssey invokes the muse, asking for inspiration as he prepares to tell the story of odysseus. Hospitality in the odyssey essay 479 words bartleby. Home english literature classic books the odyssey book xviii. Menelaus tells telemachus what he knows of odysseus. The art of hospitality the greeks and the odyssey essay 871 words 4 pages. Each form of hospitality, whether generous or cruel, distinguishes the civilized hosts from those who are not. He devours two of odysseus s men on the spot and imprisons odysseus and the rest in his cave for future meals. It was a teaching moment between nestor and telemachus about the proper guesthost relationship. The odyssey by homer book 1 summary and analysis youtube. Zeus advises athena to help telemachus return home. It was written according to tradition by homer, who was also the author of the other great greek epic, the iliad.
One of the most hospitable cultures was that of the ancient greeks, exemplified in homers the odyssey by both gracious hosts and guests. About the odyssey the odyssey summary character list glossary themes quotes and analysis books 14 books 58 books 912 books 16 books 1720 books 2124 symbols, allegory and motifs metaphors and similes irony imagery the fractal structure of epics literary elements related links essay questions quiz 1 quiz 2 quiz 3 quiz 4 citations. Book four telemachus and nestors son are welcomed by king menelaus with great hospitality. Book 49 of 57 in the sparknotes literature guide series. The iliad portrays the laws of hospitality in the plot and in its background. When the suitors retire for the night, telemachus and odysseus remove the arms as planned. They have turned odysseus home into their own private party hall and spend most of their time feasting and drinking at the hosts expense. It also describes the insolence of the young nobles in ithaca led by antinous and eurymachus who, in the absence of odysseus, live off his wealth and woo his wife, penelope. Strangers relied upon the hospitality of others to survive.
Using this definition, there is only one place odysseus could show hospitality, and that is when he returns to his home in ithaca. In homers world, however, hospitality is essential. Jun 29, 2017 near the start of the book, the familiar theme of hospitality creeps up. Perfect for acing essays, tests, and quizzes, as well as for writing lesson plans. Odysseus thanks alcinous for his hospitality, and after some fanfare alcinous men set sail while odysseus sleeps peacefully on board. Menelaus is prepping for weddings, but when he hears there are strangers on his shore, he insists that they be properly entertained, and all, of course, before he questions his visitors. This lesson will summarize book 1 of homers ancient epic poem the odyssey and take a look at some important quotes. Book 21 odysseus strings his bow book 22 slaughter in the hall book 23 the great rooted bed book 24 peace summaries excerpted from the essential odyssey, translated by stanley lombardo. The odyssey sparknotes literature guide by sparknotes. Odysseus, still disguised as a beggar, walks to the swineherds house.
Odyssey essay on hospitality, an essay fiction fictionpress. The notion of hospitality is so strong in the world of the odyssey that guests can even be considered part of ones family. The odyssey by homer books 14 summary and analysis youtube. Hospitality is a very important and widely recurring theme hosts who do not give good hospitality are usually punished. The mens next stop was the aeolian island, home to the god of the winds. The odyssey important quotes with page numbers this list of important quotations from the odyssey by homer will help you work with the essay topics and thesis statements above by allowing you to support your claims. In book 6, odysseus meets princess nausicaa, who, despite the threat of a strange man and the possibility of becoming the subject of rumor, offers him food and help reaching the city of scheria. Telemachus leaves odysseus at eumaeuss hut and heads to his palace, where he receives a tearful welcome from penelope and the nurse. Essay on greek hospitality in the odyssey 926 words. The odyssey by homer books 14 summary and analysis. Queen helen immediately recognizes telemachus as the spitting image of odysseus. Chapter summary for homers the odyssey, book 1 summary. Zeus law of hospitality food, bath, rest, gift when odysseus is on his journey, he is let into peoples homes such as alcinous, king of phaecia.
May 23, 20 in particular, hospitality is perhaps the foremost moral theme of the odyssey, one of the two great epics of ancient greece. He devours two of odysseuss men on the spot and imprisons odysseus and the rest in. Click to copy see book summaries chart timeline of events. Hospitality is such a main factor in the epic tale that the odyssey would collapse with the lack of use of it. Eumaeus invites odysseus in to eat and drink and tell his story. The gods of hospitality in homers iliad and odyssey in homers the iliad and the odyssey, much is made of hospitality as a recurring theme. Themes and symbols in the odyssey flashcards quizlet. Thinking of hospitality as a major theme in a literary work may seem odd to modern readers. Layers of meaning in the odyssey if you would like to learn more about some of the hidden themes throughout the odyssey, such as spiritual growth, loyalty, perseverance, and hospitality, take a look at this site. The odyssey sparknotes literature guide volume 49 sparknotes literature guide series paperback february 4, 2014 by sparknotes author, homer author 4. Odysseus thanks the swineherd for his hospitality, and eumaeus answers that zeus.
Telemachus is in a difficult position because he is not seen as an. At pylos, telemachus and mentor athena in disguise witness an impressive religious ceremony in which dozens of bulls are sacrificed to. With a prayer to athena for hospitality from the phaeacians, odysseus sets out for the palace. In the odyssey, the reader first sees hospitality exploited by penelopes suitors. Jeremy worden hospitality illustrated in homer s the odyssey far removed from our individualistic society today is the ancient greece portrayed in homers the odyssey, where hospitality and good will are the main focus of these people. Book 1 the first book informs the reader of the imprisonment of odysseus on calypsos island, ogygia, in the tenth year after the trojan war. For the majority of homer s epic poem, odysseus is far from home.
Men are measured by the way they play host or guest, and those that antagonize the hero often do so by failing their part of this important contract. Homers epic poem the odyssey tells the story of odysseus, greek hero of the trojan. In book fourteen odysseus goes to visit a swineherd named eumaeus at athenas request. The odyssey books 14 summary and analysis gradesaver. And bring them in, strangers, guests, to share our flowing feast. Zeus agrees to send his son hermes immediately to ogygia in order to liberate the king of ithaca from calypso. Odysseus stops telling his story, and the next day alcinous and others give him gifts. This lesson will summarize book 1 of homers ancient epic poem the odyssey and take a.
Sing to me of the man, muse, the man of twists and turns. They claim they have the right to stay because penelope will not remarry. They stayed with aeolus for a month, and his parting gift to odysseus was a sack holding the winds. Telemachus welcomes him and offers him hospitality when they get to ithaca. Telemachus calls the assembly because his house is plagued with guests who will not leave. Converted notes into questions book 6 of the odyssey learn with flashcards, games, and more for free. This 77page guide for the odyssey by homer includes detailed chapter summaries and analysis covering 24 chapters, as well as several more indepth sections of expertwritten literary analysis. Learn exactly what happened in this chapter, scene, or section of the odyssey and what it means. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides for challenging works of literature. Its chief character, odysseus, or ulysses, inspired more literary works than any other legendary hero. Summary and analysis book 5 odysseus nymph and shipwreck. Litcharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in the odyssey, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work. Good hospitality and etiquette were explained well by nestor in the odyssey, book 3.
Eumaeus shows his hospitality by welcoming the stranger, feeding him, and giving him a place to sleep for the night. The details are not articulated there either, but the story of ajaxs attempted rape of cassandra in athenas temple and the lack of punishment meted out to him by the greeks would have been well known. Poseidon is notably absent, and athena once more advocates odysseus case. Essays related to themes of hospitality in the odyssey. The trojan war is over, but odysseus still has not made his way home.
Hospitality has a great significance in human history. Telemachus, the focus of the first four books of the odyssey, provides an early example of good hospitality as both a host and a guest. These rules govern the relationship and behavior of hosts and guests in ancient greece. In the ancient greek society, like the society present in the book the odyssey, hospitality is exactly what was anticipated from the people. The more complicated a character is, the more he or she engages these major themes. This quality has led some scholars to conclude that homer wrote the odyssey at a later time of his life, when he showed less interest in struggles at arms and was more receptive to a storyline that focused on the fortunes and misadventures of a single man.
Near the start of the book, the familiar theme of hospitality creeps up. In an accurate reflection of ancient greek culture, rules of hospitality are among the most revered social and religious laws in the odyssey. Find a summary of this and each chapter of the odyssey. The odyssey sparknotes literature guide volume 49 sparknotes literature guide series 9781411469761. She offers to guide him to the kings house and shrouds him in a protective mist that keeps the phaeacians, a kind but somewhat xenophobic people, from harassing him. The odyssey books 16 summary and analysis gradesaver. Hospitality in the odyssey by ciara nicolaou on prezi. The reader learns about the characters through the themes. The nature and extent to which society today follows in that tradition has changed in form only, but not in substance. Jul 18, 2017 the odyssey book summary in under five minutes. May 30, 20 good hospitality and etiquette were explained well by nestor in the odyssey, book 3. Book 1 book 2 book 3 book 4 book 5 book 6 book 7 book 8 book 9 book 10 book 11 book 12 book book 14 book 15 book 16 book 17 book 18 book 19 book 20 book 21 book 22 book 23 book 24 themes all themes fate, the gods, and free will piety, customs, and justice cunning, disguise, and selfrestraint memory and grief glory and honor. Homers epic poem the odyssey tells the story of odysseus, greek hero of the trojan war, and his adventures at sea during his travel home.