How Does Polyphemus Show Hospitality In Odysseus

Even though hospitality is a big theme in this book, Polyphemus showed the exact opposite of hospitality. Polyphemus is a cyclops who surprisingly turns out to be one of Poseidon's children. Odysseus and his shipmates encounter him on his way home to Ithika. They land on the island where the cyclops lives and they discover his house. Shortly after, Polyphemus arrives at his cave and shuts it, trapping Odysseus and some of his men. To show a sign of peace, Odysseus gives Polyphemus wine. As their conversation comes to an end, Polyphemus ends up eating one of his men. Homer says,
Neither reply nor pity came from him, but in one stride, he clutched at my companions and caught two in his hands like squirming puppies to beat their brains out spattering the floor. …show more content…
375-__). Nothing is worse than not showing hospitality by eating your own guests. One by one his men are eaten, and Polyphemus shows no honor, grace, or help to Odysseus. Eventually they craft a spear and shove it into Polyphemus’s eye and he really deserves it. One who does not show hospitality to his guest is severely punished by Zeus. There is one last person in this book who shows great hospitality to Odysseus, Penelope. When Odysseus arrives at Ithika, he goes to Penelope to discuss what is happening relating to her and the situation at the castle. At first, Penelope kindly welcomes Odysseus into her home and shows him a moderate amount of hospitality. However, this all changes when Odysseus describes his backstory to Penelope. His backstory reminds her of Odysseus because he explains that he had a connection with Odysseus at one point in time. Later, she says,
Maids, maids: come wash him, make a bed for him, bedstead and colored rugs and coverlets to let him lie warm into the gold