Hospitality Is A Recurring Theme Throughout The Odyssey

The Lack of Hospitality In Polyphemos In The Ancient Greek Culture Hospitality is a recurring theme throughout the Odyssey. Whether it is how Penelope and the people at Ithaca treat their guests, or how Oddyseus and his companions are welcomed in many of the lands they arrive to, hospitality is revealed as a significant feature and value in the Ancient Greek society. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus, the main character, has different types of encounters throughout his long years of adventure. In Book IX â€Å"New Coasts and Poseidon’s Son† he arrives to the Cyclopes Land and he faces Polyphemos, a Cyclops. Jeffrey Jerome Cohen states in his text â€Å"Monster Culture (Seven Theses),† that monsters express societies’ desires, fears, limits, and values, among others. Moreover Cohen states that monsters represent the â€Å"other†: the one opposite to oneself. Thus by analyzing a culture’s monsters one is able to learn about the culture itself. Taking this into account, this paper will demonstrate how Polyphemo s’ savagery and man-eating behavior is representative of his lack of hospitality and what does this reflect about the Ancient Greek society and their values. Polyphemos’ is significantly defined by his savagery and man-eating nature when describing him as a monster. This can be seen in his behavior when he first encounters Odysseus. The Ithacan hero tells the Cyclops about their catastrophic situation, and the creature, unmoved by the story, reaches out and eats some of Odysseus’Show MoreRelatedThe Odyssey : Themes Of Loyalty, Justice, And Hospitality1017 Words   |  5 Pagesliterature. When teachers teach about analyzation within works of literature, most attempt to have a student find a theme, or what the author is trying to teach the reader. While some books only have one themes, others have a multiple. In one of Homer s most famous pieces of literature, various themes can be found. 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