Theme of Hospitality in the Odyssey

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Throughout The Odyssey, the theme of hospitality is revealed in many contrasting ways. There have been bad guests, bad hosts, good guests and good hosts determined by whether or not one has followed the law of Zeus. The people offering good hospitality received justice while there were punishments to bad hosts. The contrasting situations compared will be good hosts to bad hosts: the swineherd, Eumaeus to the Cyclops, Polyphemus. When Odysseus arrives in Ithaca disguised as a beggar, Eumaeus welcomes Odysseus and gives him food, water and shelter. He offered good hospitality to Odysseus and was a good host. He lived a good life afterwards. However, when Odysseus and his shipmates go in Polyphemus’ cave, Polyphemus eats 6 of Odysseus’ shipmates. Polyphemus obviously did not offer good hospitality and therefore was a bad host. He ended up losing his only eye. Therefore, in The Odyssey, good hosts who offered good hospitality lived a good life while bad hosts were punished. First of all, a good host was Eumaeus. He showed good hospitality by offering Odysseus what he needed. In book 14, Eumaeus said: “Every stranger and beggar comes from Zeus”. He recognized Zeus’ law and gave Odysseus a good meal and a nice place to sleep. In return, for his good hospitality, he was offered land and ultimately a good life by Odysseus. After Odysseus reveals himself to the swineherd and cowherd in book 21, he said: “If a god beats down the lofty suitors at my hands, I’ll find you wives, both of you, grant you property” (ll.240-241). This was Eumaeus’ reward for giving good hospitality. Odysseus would find him a wife, and even give him a house, instead of looking after swine for all his life and living in a hut. Thus, because Eumaeus was a good host, he was rewarded with property and was treated well. In contrast, an example of a bad host was Polyphemus. When Polyphemus found

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