preview

Odysseus Uncivilized Analysis

Decent Essays

In The Odyssey Homer develops three themes throughout his second epic. He shows that Odysseus acts uncivilized because of the war, wreaks vengeance against those who have taken over his home, and eventually enjoys his homecoming. Throughout his epic, Homer shows the themes of uncivilized men, vengeance, and homecoming through Odysseus’s experiences with Polyphemus the Cyclops, the suitors who invade his home, and his wife Penelope. Odysseus is shown to be uncivilized through his interactions with Polyphemus. Although Odysseus was originally a very civilized king of Ithaca, the Trojan War brutalized him. In the midst of constant bloodshed, Odysseus transformed from a civilized king who always respected the hospitality rules into an uncivilized man who disregards the rules of hospitality when it does not benefit him. Odysseus ends up acting more uncivilized than the Cyclopians, who are known for their lack of society. The Cyclops lack culture, agriculture, and community. Odysseus explains, “These Cyclopians have no parliament for debates and no laws, but they live on high mountains in hollow caves; each one lays down the law for wife and children, and no one cares for his neighbours” (108). As Odysseus and his crew arrive at the cave of Polyphemus, they do not wait for him to return home; instead, Odysseus and twelve of his men enter the cave, uninvited. While they do bring gifts, something important to hospitality, they cannot resist all of the food and end up helping themselves “to as many cheeses as [they] wanted to eat” (111). By eating Polyphemus’s food, Odysseus disobeys the rules of hospitality by not waiting for Polyphemus to return. While the cyclops defies the hospitality rules by eating several of his guests, he only does this in response to the crew’s violation of hospitality. Hospitality is considered one of the cornerstones of civilization. By disobeying hospitality before Polyphemus even has a chance to follow its rules, Odysseus acts even more uncivilized than the monster who lacks civilization. Odysseus faced bloodshed for ten years during the Trojan War, and he aims to exact vengeance on the suitors who moved into his home with the same type of bloodshed. Odysseus left Ithaca for twenty

Get Access