Law of Hospitality in Odyssey
The Importance of the Law of Hospitality in Homer's The Odyssey The Law of Hospitality is an unwritten law in which a host cannot refuse a guest, whether it is a weary traveler, a nobleman, or a beggar. This law is not widely used today, if at all, but in the time of Homer's The Odyssey, this was considered a moral and ethical code. However, there were certain standards that were to be upheld in this agreement. The host could not refuse a guest or make him leave; at the same time, a guest could not mistreat or behave in an otherwise unacceptable way toward the others in the host's house. In the same respect, a guest could not overstay his welcome in the host's home. In The Odyssey, this guest-host relationship was shown in all of its forms throughout the book. There are three basic forms that the Law of Hospitality can be expressed in. Both the guest and host can benefit, or be unaffected by the visit. Another common situation that can result from a guest-host relationship is that the houseguest can affect the host in a bad way. Also, contrarily, the host can affect the guest in a bad way. All of these situations were present in The Odyssey in many forms. The Law of Hospitality is shown in what some may see
It is also possible, that in performing this act of kindness, one is unknowingly hosting a king or prince, such as Eumaeus with Odysseus. In taking someone in for the night, they could be saving him or her from something bad that may await them if they continue. This relationship is a prime example of a situation where both the host and the guest are benefited. The suitors are surrogate hosts in this situation, and they are not proving to be very hospitable. Although Telemachus declines the offer, because he must get back to his mother and the suitors, he realizes how that Menelaos was a great host. as an unusual pair; a person of low status accepts a person of equal if not higher status. The result of the few days that Odysseus and his men stayed in the cave brought a lot of misfortune unto both parties. When Odysseus, (disguised as a beggar) comes to his humble home, Eumaeus accepts him, regardless of the fact that he is of lesser status. In this situation, the members of Odysseus's household unwillingly honor the presence of the suitors who stay in Odysseus's esate, eating them out of house and home and bringing overall unrest to the household. An example of the Law of Hospitality being abused is when Odysseus calls upon Polyphemos, the Cyclopes. rudeness to a stranger is not decency, poor though he may by, poorer than you" (249). The travelers themselves were bathed by maidservants and were given fresh clothing and a feast before they even met with Menelaos.
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