Literary Essay Sample: Hospitality and Loyalty in the Odyssey

The Odyssey it utilizes several poetic and literary devices that are connected with epics such as long speeches, digressions, catalogs, metaphors, themes, and divine intervention. Notably, one of the themes that have been portrayed in the Odyssey is loyalty and hospitality. There are several cases that characters have informed the readers on the importance of these two themes when people stay together in a community. Therefore, loyalty and hospitality do not only reveal the characters inner concern and passion but also enable the writer to figuratively argue on how people should act under certain circumstances in the society.

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One of the major themes that have been portrayed in this work is hospitality. As seen in the book, during the epic, hospitality was an imperative character and essential. "As soon as they saw the strangers, all came crowding down, waving them on in welcome, urging them to sit." (III, 38) Although they were strangers before everybodys eye, they were not evicted from their intended places. Particularly, Penelope and Telemachus did not remove the suitors despite the strong lineage they had with the families. Notably, the theme of hospitality informs readers about certain aspects of life that are very imperative for individuals daily lives. For example, Now is a better time to interrogate our guests and ask them who they are, now they have had the pleasure of eating. It apprises people that despite having no information about an individual, treating them in a sober way are one of the virtues that separate human beings from the hostile animals. Hospitality informs people that during the marriage, suitors have to be warmly welcomed since there is no any form of grudge or an incidence of war.

Another important theme in this epic story is perseverance/ loyalty. The striking example of loyalty is observed when Penelope can manage to wait for her husband who went away for more than twenty years she says by day Id weave at my great and growing web-by night, by the night of the torches set besides me, I would unravel all Id done ( Homer XIX, p 431,167). On the same note, Telemachus also shows loyalty by standing by his father against suitors. On the same note, her son tells her of .. strong enduring Odysseus dead or alive, hes heard no news (XVII, 122). Moreover, Eurycleia, the old nurse remain loyal and respectful to Penelope in the absent of the master. On the part of perseverance both Odysseus and Penelope has shown tis theme since they have been without each other and still hope be together in future. Notably, Odysseus' persistence is fabled, specifically in the segment of the epic that involves his wanderings. With the use of his guile, courage, and determination, strength, he persevered. Conceivably the supreme challenging test of the perseverance and loyalty is when he spent more than seven years as Calypso's captive, a state in which could neither fight nor trick his way out. The theme of loyalty and perseverance informs people of the important of being patient to wait for something especially when there is no light shade on such matters.

Following the discussion furthered herein, it suffices that hospitality and loyalty are among the important themes that have been shown in this epic work. Notably, hospitality can be traced when Odysseus and Telemachus were warmly welcomed as they were traveling and how suitors were received despite the fact that they were strangers. Additionally, perseverance and loyalty can be observed when Penelope was able to wait for her husband for more than 20 years.