Good And Bad Hospitality In Homer's The Odyssey

The Odyssey, with its various examples of good and bad hospitality, offers the reader a look into the world of the Greeks, and the importance of the cultural element that hospitality played in their daily lives. The importance of hospitality goes beyond being a gracious host; there is a threat of violence if a host or guest does not fulfill their responsibilities. Throughout the novel, bad hospitality is punished with bad “karma” and good hospitality brings rewards to the people who demonstrate it. For example, Telemachus was highly respected because he follows the common greek archetype of being hospitable. Polyphemus, on the other hand, was not respected but instead seen as rude and inconsiderate because he was not hospitable. Hospitality

proved beneficial, and it distinguished the Greeks from their barbarian neighbors, while also reinforcing the ideals of civility. Hospitality is important and relevant in The Odyssey because it distinguishes which characters were civil and respected versus the ones who were not.

Throughout The Odyssey the reader sees that Proper hospitality isn't a one way street, both the host and guest need to follow the hospital custom in order to have friendly associations. Telemachus’s treatment of the suitors was the epitome of proper hospitality. However, the suitors role as “guests”, didn't follow the common ancient greek role of courtesy when one is in a stranger's home. They imposed themselves on the household, insulted their host Telemachus, consumed the wine, devoured the livestock and refused to leave when their presence and intentions toward Penelope were obviously not wanted. Penelope tells the suitors in the hall, “Others who go to court a gentlewoman, daughter of a rich house, if they are rivals, bring their own beeves and sheep along; her friends ought to be feasted, gifts are due to her; would any dare to live at her expense?” (325. 220-223). Penelope gestures to the suitors that their behavior is ill-mannered. Most men asking for a woman's hand in marriage in ancient Greece would shower her with gifts and compliments. However, the suitors seem to be doing the opposite to

Penelope by abusing her home and wealth. Their presence in The Odyssey proved that a guest’s behavior is a component just as important as the host. Proper hospitality is a double sided relationship, both host and guest need to follow the hospital customs. Despite the fact that the suitors took advantage of Ithaca's tradition of hospitality, Telemachus still kindly lets them into his home. This showed the reader Telemachus’s amiable attitude because the suitor's intentions were only to barrade his home, and marry his mother but he still welcomed them because that was the “proper thing to do”. How Telemachus reacted to the suitors proved to the reader that he had high moral standards. In the novel he states, “mortified that a guest might still be standing at the doors”(1.118-124, 130-134). He obviously values the way he is viewed because in Greek culture the type of person you are is widely based off of how your guests are treated. He was shocked and ashamed when he noticed he accidentally left a stranger waiting at the door. He defines the characteristics of a genuine host in The Odyssey and displays both civility and kindness in his actions towards his guests.
Hospitality in The Odyssey distinguished the characters from their barbarian neighbors.

Polyphemus (the cyclops) proves that bad hospitality leads to bad karma. Polyphemus and his fellow cyclops’s have no councils, no laws, and no traditions of hospitality or civility . Odysseus persists on staying at the cyclops’s island to try the hospitality of the owner, which resulted in the death of several of his men. Odysseus narrates, “To this he gave me but a pitiless answer, ‘Stranger,’ said he, ‘you are a fool, or else you know nothing of this country. Talk to me, indeed, about fearing the gods or shunning their anger? We Cyclopes do not care about Jove or any of your blessed gods, for we are ever so much stronger than they…'”. (9.272-275) The Cyclops’s are another example of ill-treatment of guests, a son of Poseidon and almost as powerful as the gods, Polyphemus scoffs at the concept of hospitality and welcomes his guests by devouring two for dinner. Polyphemus’s treatment of his guests quickly showed that he was an inconsiderate character with low moral standards. Ultimately, how a host treats their guest will determine their well being aswell. If you welcome someone kindly into your home, the guest, in most cases will respect you as well. A friendly guest-host relationship was the key to non-quarrelsome associations in The Odyssey. Since the Cyclops was a heinous host in The Odyssey it was inevitable for him to receive bad fortune for it. When Polyphemus decided to eat,

rather than welcome, Odysseus and his shipmates he payed the price by getting his eye poked out. Therefore, there is a direct relation between how hospitable you are and your fate.
Civilized people in The Odyssey, make an investment in hospitality to demonstrate their quality as human beings and in hopes that their own people will be treated well when they travel. The reader, therefore, can judge civility by the degree of hospitality offered. Through the many characters and examples, such as Telemachus and the suitors, and Odysseus and the Cyclops it's obvious that the way you treat you're guests reflects on your morals and whether you have good or bad karma. Hospitality is an important topic in The Odyssey because it distinguishes which characters showed civility versus the ones who did not.