Eager to move on, odysseus receives an oxskin pouch from aeolus. Readers hear of the captive and long absent odysseus, observe the council of the gods, and learn of the trouble that penelope and telemachus face back home in ithaca. Good and bad xenia in the odyssey by homer 892 words. Nov 27, 2012 the guesthost relationship, powered by the observance of xenia, as a social institution was probably something familiar in the life of the contemporary audience of the odyssey and its poet. The role of food, drink, and xenia in monroe community college. When guests showed up, they were expected to be good guests bring gifts and behave themselves. Significance and consequences of xenia in the odyssey. The poet invokes the muse to help him tell the story of odysseus. Oct 21, 2009 xenia in books 1 5 of the odyssey by homer.
Xenia is a prevalent theme in the book and holds a central place in the odyssey. B the suitors slaughter the palaces livestock for their feasts. The first sign of xenia shown in book 1 is provided by odysseus son telamachus when he first sees athena disguised as mentes, straight to the porch he went, mortified that a guest might still be standing at the doors. Oct 11, 2014 xenia is a strong theme that runs through the odyssey as a whole. Odysseus please you with sacrifices beside the greek ships at troy. Homer opens the odyssey with an invocation to the muse of epic poetry and asks for her. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. 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, books 112 xenia, odysseus and nausicaa youtube.
Menelaus begins to tell telemachus about the trojan war and how women cannot be trusted. Late the next morning, he woke up to the sound of girls screaming while at play with a ball they had accidentally kicked into a nearby stream. 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. The greek guestfriendship xenia may have been formed from this. The development of xenia and its role in the odyssey a. Oct 10, 20 xenia is presented in books 14 of the odyssey through the hospitality telemachus gives and receives, and the response to their hospitality. The development of xenia and its role in the odyssey a really. By the time homers audience encounters odyssey 23, odysseus has revealed his identity to his son. Oct 01, 2017 heres my first somewhat boring fax with jax video. 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. This type of hospitality was very unique and it played an important role in the ancient greek society. Xenia is the ancient greek sacred rule of hospitality or hospitium, the. Overall, xenia is a majorly important theme in the odyssey.
Books 9 through 12 are told as flashbacks, as odysseus sits in the palace of the phaeacians telling the story of his wanderings. Odysseus, the reader is told, is the only greek survivor of the trojan war who. Summary and analysis book 10 the bewitching queen of aeaea. About the odyssey the odyssey summary character list glossary themes quotes and analysis books 1 4 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. How is xenia shown in the first four books of the odyssey. May 17, 2015 menelaus offers good xenia, he greets the guests and sits them down to have a meal with himself and helen. Through books 1 4, many characters demonstrate methods of xenia which allow us to see its importance in society.
Much of the first half of the epic features telemachus and odysseus arriving. Summary and analysis book 1 athena inspires the prince. Hospitality called xenia was a big deal in the ancient world. Morning jazz music relaxing background bossa nova jazz playlist good morning relax music 7,401 watching live now.
As early as book 1 we see that odysseus wife, penelope and son, telemachus are obliged to entertain the 108 suitors who are looking to usurp. Xenia, the greek concept of hospitality and the guesthost relationship, was, according to m. Significance and consequences of xenia in the odyssey the. It is a greek concept of hospitality to guests entering their households. Jan 04, 2014 one of the best examples of good xenia in the odyssey is that of nausikaa, a princess on the island of the phaiakians. Nestor and menelaos take in telemakhos warmly as a guest and eumaios plays an excellent host to odysseus, while odysseus is disguised as a wandering beggar. If you could just outline a couple on point it would be much appreciated. Instead of turning him out as the enemy, achilles abides by the rules of xenia and allows him to stay. Oct 12, 20 the first 4 books of the odyssey give lots of examples of positive and negative xenia. May 05, 2009 in the odyssey, xenia is a theme which is shown repeatedly throughout the book. Apr 19, 20 there are many rich and varied themes in the odyssey. Every household in the epic is seen alongside xenia. Its a self contained set of missions that will earn you a trophy. Xenia, the greek concept of hospitality and the guesthost.
Xenia represented a very reciprocal relationship, with both parties exchanging gifts and favours. The guesthost relationship, powered by the observance of xenia, as a social institution was probably something familiar in the life of the. Throughout the odyssey there are many ongoing themes, but one of the most important themes of this story is the tradition of greek hospitality or xenia. Book 5 the odyssey, traits of the epic hero, book 1 odyssey. Lines 125144, when telemachus offers xenia to his guests, are a good example of a stock. Indeed, it is worked into the odyssey as a major theme, and comes to influence the plot in significant ways. Xenia is an important theme in the odyssey as well. When one of the suitors ctesippus mocks the disguised odysseus and. Good and bad xenia in the odyssey by homer 892 words bartleby.
Not only is it used as a literary device by homer, as it provides an explanation for many aspects of the plot and provides the poem with continuity as well as a way for homer to portray characters as heroes and villains. Check out our revolutionary sidebyside summary and analysis. Which of the following best describes the theme of xenia, or hospitality, in books 1 6 of the odyssey. In modern times, hospitality is something we rarely think of, and the first thing that comes to mind is the hotel industry, but in ancient greece, xenia was not about hotels, or just about etiquette, it was a way of life with many benefits in a world that was still mostly savage. In being mortified that a guest might still be standing at the doors, he shows his humility. Menelaus tells telemachus he looks just like odysseus which is when telemachus tells him he is truly the son of odysseus. How is xenia shown in the first 4 books of the odyssey. In book 1, telemachus shows examples of good xenia. Athene disguised as mentes receives hospitality from telemachus in ithaca. In the last book of the iliad, priam supplicates achilles in an attempt to get his son hector back. Odysseus is a guest on his journeys, and meets the most varied set of hosts, from maneating monsters to sexy goddesses to the luxurious, soft, and ultimately generous phaeacians.
Leave a like and tell me what i should talk about next time. In being mortified that a guest might still be standing at the doors, he shows his humility and servitude towards his guest. Nestor and menelaos take in telemakhos warmly as a guest and eumaios plays an excellent host to odysseus, while odysseus is disguised as a wandering show more content. Here is this stranger, i do not know who he is, come wandering suppliant here to my house from the eastern or western people. Throughout the odyssey there are many ongoing themes, but one of the most. Why is xenia such an important theme in the odyssey. A athena encourages telemachus to embark on a journey seeking news about his father. What is the importance of odysseuss bed in homers odyssey.
The odyssey, books 112 xenia, odysseus and nausicaa. Good and bad xenia in the odyssey by homer 892 words 4 pages more than a cup of tea offering a hot beverage, food, the safety of your home, or entertainment are all examples of presenting good xenia to guests. Telemachus shows xenia, in book one, to the disguised athena. These books thus give background not only to odysseuss audience but to homers as well. Universal xenia given to kings in the same way as it is given to beggars. In book 1, athena comes to ithaca in disguise as the hero mentes to convince telemachus to go in search of news of odysseus. The odyssey book 1 lyrics the gods in councilminervas visit to ithacathe challenge from telemachus to the suitors tell me, o muse, of that ingenious hero who travelled far and wide after. Which of the following best describes the theme of xenia, or. In the odyssey, xenia is a theme which is shown repeatedly throughout the book. In book 1, xenia is first demonstrated when telemachus greets athena as mentes, an old friend of odysseus.
The odyssey books 14 summary and analysis gradesaver. One of the swineherds here would lend a wrap now they spurn me, dressed in filthy rags 377. Here we have the chance to see how xenia should be properly conducted by wise and noble homeric heroes. If things are worth discussing, as i always feel strongly that the odyssey is, then i will definitely do just that. Xenia is presented in books 1 4 of the odyssey through the hospitality telemachus gives and receives, and the response to their hospitality. How xenia causes conflict in the odyssey fax with jax. Oct 04, 20 xenia in book 3 beginning xenia refers to the classical concept of hospitality, and is a recurring theme through the entirety of the odyssey. Really long answer coming through in some ways unnecessarily, in others incredibly necessarily. Its apparent that homer uses xenia as a vehicle to show that the suitors have no redeeming qualities.
Start studying book 5 the odyssey, traits of the epic hero, book 1 odyssey, book 1 odyssey. In books 1 4, telemachus develops the xenia theme further by visiting the courts of menelaus and nestor. However, it may be surprising that above all these, it is one that appears so simple, xenia, that has a hugely dominant role to play. It is a practice extended to all strangers who appeared at the door and is of great importance violation is a crime.
Likewise, the hosts were expected to, well, be good hosts provide. Odysseus had been shipwrecked and took refuge under a bush for the night. Having escaped the cyclops, odysseus and his men arrive at the home of aeolus, master of the winds, where they are greeted warmly and hosted for a month. Apr 01, 2011 one of the most important themes in the odyssey is the concept of xenia, which is the old greek word for hospitality. Being men without klaos honor and glory or even arete virtue and human excellence, the suitors were foolishness personified and represented the very worst in human nature for the readers of the odyssey. Finley in the world of odysseus, a powerful institution in ancient greek times which solidified relationships between peoples and created alliances 100. Homer opens the odyssey with an invocation to the muse of epic poetry and asks for her guidance in telling the story of a man who has experienced many twists and turns of fate and has suffered many hardships. Providing some of the richest and most celebrated examples of odyssean cunning, they speak as much to the resourcefulness of. Sep 14, 2012 the odyssey, books 112 xenia, odysseus and nausicaa. Book 1 introduces some of the multitudes of characters, many interwoven plots, and significant themes encountered during odysseuss return home. Throughout the book, zeus demands the highest level of xenia, yet some people do not abide by his rules.
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