I find it interesting how differently the Greek culture in the Odyssey is compared to our culture today. I noticed differences in gender roles, the unquestioning hospitality offered even the most mysterious of visitors, attitudes toward glory in life and the afterlife. Additionally, differences are noticeable in smaller instances, one of the most interesting being the treatment of male expressions of emotion and, in particular, crying. Various times during the book the main protagonists (Odysseus and Telemachus) openly cry in front of others. In Modern culture boys are typically discouraged from showing their emotions as they grow older due to traditional ideas about masculinity and gender roles, it is seen as a weakness. Men are expected to
