Xenia, an ancient Greek concept of hospitality, has been passed down for centuries. In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus tries to find his way back home after the Trojan War. During this journey, Odysseus enters many households, such as Polyphemus’s lair and Calypso's island. In each household, Xenia's may be shown in a positive or negative light, but either way, it is a subject of great cultural importance. While Xenia has long been embedded in Greek society , in The Odyssey, Homer suggests that it is not a good tradition to keep.
Xenia is composed of respect from host to guest and respect from guest to host. However, as these rules require a lot of trust between both the guest and host, it is easy to take advantage of the rules. Odysseus gives …show more content…
The host must be as hospitable as possible to the guests, provide them with what they need and give them gifts when they leave. In The Odyssey, Calypso shows great Xenia to Odysseus. As a host, she provides him with all his needs and helps him to build a boat when he decides to leave. Before his departure, she says, "I will supply you bread, water, and the ruddy wine you like, to keep off hunger; I will provide you clothing and will send a wind to follow, that you may come unharmed to your own native land" (Homer 48). The use of anaphora here makes Calypso’s love to Odysseus more convincing,, as she is willing to do anything for him. Although Calypso tries her best to be a great host, her hospitality is unwanted by Odysseus, in fact, it bothers him. In this case, Xenia is troublesome because it separates Odysseus from his family for seven years. As Homer describes what happens on Calypso's island, "But brave Odysseus [...] sat weeping on the shore, where, [everyday], with tears and groans and griefs racking his heart, he watched the barren sea and poured forth tears" (Homer 46). Homer uses polysyndeton in this phrase to further describe the misery of Odysseus, yet he also uses "brave" to give this phrase a contrasting effect and helps to portray the hopelessness Odysseus is facing. Although Calypso is showing enough Xenia to Odysseus, as her Xenia is unwanted by Odysseus, it gives him nothing but
Xenia is composed of respect from host to guest and respect from guest to host. However, as these rules require a lot of trust between both the guest and host, it is easy to take advantage of the rules. Odysseus gives …show more content…
The host must be as hospitable as possible to the guests, provide them with what they need and give them gifts when they leave. In The Odyssey, Calypso shows great Xenia to Odysseus. As a host, she provides him with all his needs and helps him to build a boat when he decides to leave. Before his departure, she says, "I will supply you bread, water, and the ruddy wine you like, to keep off hunger; I will provide you clothing and will send a wind to follow, that you may come unharmed to your own native land" (Homer 48). The use of anaphora here makes Calypso’s love to Odysseus more convincing,, as she is willing to do anything for him. Although Calypso tries her best to be a great host, her hospitality is unwanted by Odysseus, in fact, it bothers him. In this case, Xenia is troublesome because it separates Odysseus from his family for seven years. As Homer describes what happens on Calypso's island, "But brave Odysseus [...] sat weeping on the shore, where, [everyday], with tears and groans and griefs racking his heart, he watched the barren sea and poured forth tears" (Homer 46). Homer uses polysyndeton in this phrase to further describe the misery of Odysseus, yet he also uses "brave" to give this phrase a contrasting effect and helps to portray the hopelessness Odysseus is facing. Although Calypso is showing enough Xenia to Odysseus, as her Xenia is unwanted by Odysseus, it gives him nothing but