Odysseus’s Journey in the Iliad

“The world is full of wonders, but nothing is more wonderful than man.” This statement depicts that the Greeks put much value to themselves, but also reflect on the knowledge that they understand the greatness of the world surrounding them. The Greeks emphasized on the value of beauty, art works, intellect, honor and truth. Some of the aspects are depicted in the story of Odyssey that reflects on the adventures of Odysseus and his entire family. For a better understanding of Greek values and how they are depicted in Greek community, one must assess how some values are depicted in the Odyssey such as hospitality, intellectuality and beauty.

In the Greek community, hospitality is the most essential element.

Odysseus’s journey happens in a period of major swaths of uninhabited land which separated human civilizations. The journey toward those places entailed facing both natural and supernatural problems. Thus the value and the code of hospitality operated as a linchpin that permitted people such as Odysseus to partake in these type of journeys (Ferguson, 2016). These acts as a set of potentials and responsibilities that not only alleviate the privations of travelling but helped in reinforcing bonds of friendship. Those people who did not follow these values were punished as it was a sacred social norm. Some of the people who violated these code like the suitors and Achier soldiers were highly punished. People who upheld the societal value of hospitality were highly rewarded such as Emmaus and Phaeacian.

In the Iliad, the values are depicted by gods who relate to human beings through their external powers that aids in influencing their mortal lives. In Iliad the gods as supporters of human values as they sometime their mortal disguises. The actions and operations of the gods in some instances remains worldly such as when Poseidon decides to destroy a ship of the Phaeacian. This aspect of destroying does not show a value of hospitality. The Iliad shows a violent and severe war, and the gods operates as frightful powers who do not hold any value for hospitality and peace. The Odyssey in contrast shows a story of long journey full of Greek values and how the gods acts in guiding the traveling hero.

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