The Idea Of Xenia In Homer's The Odyssey

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In the poem The Odyssey, by Homer, the concept of Xenia is stressed in Greek society. Following this concept can be the difference between people viewing one as “good” or “bad”. The suitors are welcomed into the home of Odysseus and Penelope, but because Odysseus is fighting in the Trojan War the suitors over stay their welcome and try to get Penelope to choose one of the suitors to marry them. The suitors completely take advantage of the hospitality of Penelope and Telemachus. They eat all of their food and have parties in their house every night. We see Telemachus realize that the suitors are overstaying their welcome in book 1: But tell me about this and spare me nothing. What’s this banqueting, this crowd carousing here? And…show more content…
(1. 260-267) This is saying that if Odysseus were there at the time he would have kicked all of the suitors out of his house. At first Telemachus blames the suitor’s presence on the fact that his dad is fighting the war instead of taking action himself and getting rid of the suitors. The suitors are portrayed as bad people in the Odyssey because even though their hosts are following the rules Xenia the suitors just keep taking and taking from them. We also know that Penelope doesn’t want the suitor in the house any more that Telemachus does because she stalled them for six years when she wove and unwove the quilt. Telemachus is portrayed as a “good” person in the poem the Odyssey. He upholds the rules of Xenia very well when the suitors first show up. Even though he wants the suitors gone after a while he still is a good person. The suitor obliviously took the good hospitality of Penelope and Telemachus for advantage. Telemachus does the “good” and right thing by taking control of the house and trying to get the suitors out of his house on page 89: So mother, Go back to your quarters. Tend to your own task, the distaff and the loom, and keep the
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