Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Odyssey

Name
Professor’s name
Course
Date
The Theme of Hospitality in “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” and “The Odyssey”
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and the Odyssey share several essential themes in which they were written. The arts were written about 1350 with authors who had a great deal of information. The Knight was the nobleman who served as the King, and his duties were to protect the morality and the truth of the church. Both texts share some themes that made readers relate the books using same literature understanding. The discussion of the epic books will drive us in understanding the objectives of different writers. The authors had convincing ideas that agrees with the readers that hospitality was the common interest throughout the epic books. Therefore, the response paper explains the comparison of the epic books by the use of the hospitality theme. In Homer’s time, hospitality was well represented throughout the long travels such as the Odyssey by Homer as well as other epics such as The Green Knight and Sir Gawain. There were many reasons why hospitality was prevalent in the Homer’s times. Traveling in the Homer’s time was not only lengthier, but also extensive than in the modern times. Through analysis of the epic books, we will understand how hospitality was portrayed in the society in which the epic books were published.
The Green Knight and Sir Gawain and The Odyssey by Homer, share hospitality as a common important social custom that allows open communication in a non-threatening style that provides instituted patterns of behaviors and norms.

Consequently, both stories use the theme of hospitality to break the ice first before discovering the intention of their visitors to create a chance of speaking about the requirements for the visit without a strain of cold or ill-treatment. In both arts, there are plenty instances of hospitality that praise the ideas of diplomacy. Also, it is evident from each story that hospitality is a common practice that demonstrates the ideals of both cultures.
When considering the books, hospitality is seen as an essential practice that serves a political and diplomatic role in the societies it is present. For instance, in the courts of all castles knights and warriors are welcomed hastily to join or dine in the festivities in the court. Surprisingly, in the case of The Green Knight, even the strange appearance such as the Green Knight is received into the castle and is provided the audience without hesitation or question. After the narrator illustrated his incredible appearance for some lines, Arthur, a hospitable and gracious host illustrated in one of the essential quotes from Sir Gawain and The Green Knight that he hailed him as an expected guest because of his valor. Wholeheartedly hospitality and reception takes place when Gawain is riding on his quest and sees a castle. Instead of slinking around to approach it and be received with suspicion or a cold greeting, he is served with a flawless hospitality as the attendants come to tend to him without any question.
When we consider the case of The Odyssey by Homer, the practice of hospitality serves an essential diplomatic role. As the thesis statement for Sir Gawain and The Green Knight asserts, providing one’s possessions, company, and food, opens the approach for an adequate communication that begins correctly. When we consider the Anglo-Saxons and the Anglo-Saxon culture portrayed in Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, just as the ancient Homeric world where men were sent on quests to different lands. These exchanges permitted for diplomacy and provided the chance for both parties to weigh each other’s intentions and motives in a non-threatening way. Also, the same acts of selfless hospitality are observed in The Odyssey by Homer and just as in the instance of the Anglo-Saxon culture. The acts of kindness and generous hospitality serve to commence communication in a non-threatening approach. For example, in The Odyssey, when Telemakhos goes off on his way and encounters the Sparta, the city of Menelaus, there is no hesitation in allowing him inside and permit him to join the feast and receives them personally. The manner in which in which he was received in the house proved existence of hospitality.
Also, when Telemachos saw Athena, he went to the forecourt without any deviation, the heart within Telemachos scandalized that the guest should still be footing at the doors. Telemachos stood beside the Athene and held her by the right hand, comforted her of the bronze spear, and communicated to her in winged words welcoming him. Telemachos was free with Athene and was happy that they can be entertained while together. Telemachos instructed Athene that after dinner, she could tell all her needs. All these are done to Athene as if she was a friend yet she was a stranger. Telemachos knew how to treat a guest in the right manner by welcoming Athene graciously by providing a chair away from the suitors. He even bring a stool for Athene to put her feet.
Another essential aspect of hospitality that is presented in the Homer’s text, Odyssey, is the approach it permits someone to force the other into obedience. While this is somewhat the case in the Gawain’s text because of the approach hospitality put the Knight at an unreal sense of effortlessness in a castle. This is the especially prominent characteristic in The Odyssey’s text. For example, when Odyssey comes upon the Circe, she makes use of hospitality to entice Odysseus. In the case, the common practice of a selfless reception can be used for manipulative roles. However, this may well be the case in some moments, thus making hospitality an essential social and diplomatic custom. Both stories show examples of generous receptions opening the door to possible guests, as the whole, and these practices are portrayed in the provided society. This renders it easy for both texts to exchange ideas without resorting to the unfriendliness as the sight of someone’s foreign.
Hospitality is a major theme that is shared across the books. Different authors portrayed different characters to portray the theme of hospitality. For example, in the Homer’s world, hospitality was portrayed as essential to all the characters. We consider arriving strangers as harmless or dangerous, and residents are considered wise to be prepared ready for any trouble. Hospitality or lack of hospitality affects Odyssey by Homer throughout the whole epic, and the Homer’s readers can judge by the level of hospitality provided. The Odyssey’s own home has been considered by the horde of visitors who vulgarly take the advantage of the Ithaca’s long-standing custom of hospitality. For instance, Penelope does not lack any strength to throw out the strangers, nor can they anticipate for much assistance from the society because the suitors portray some of the strongest families in the represented community. Also, hospitality is portrayed in Odyssey’s wandering. In Odyssey wandering, he receives impressive assistance from the Phaeacians.
The same theme of hospitality is shared in the Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. For instance, when Christmas was fast approaching, Gawain is relieved after seeing a big, well-cared castle in a midst of the enhanced forest. When Gawain arrives at the scene, he receives a warm reception and requested to spend the holiday, taking pleasure of the rich hospitality of the superb Lord and his good-looking lady. At the end of the festive season, Gawain was ready to leave. However, the Lord convinces him to stay by suggesting that he can direct Gawain to the Green Chapel. The Lord also proposed a game. They all started to ride out of the hunt. During the closing stages of the day, Gawain and the Lord exchanged what they had won. Gawain was happy with the kind of hospitality services such as enjoying the games, and was impressed with the love from Lord.
In conclusion, the responses examine the theme of hospitality in both Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Odyssey by Homer. The comparison depicted in the response paper clearly claims that hospitality is present in different scenes of the epics. Therefore, one would suggest that the authors of the different epics had same ideas to educate the society on the essentiality of hospitality in our society, and both Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Odyssey by Homer used the dramatic probable of hospitality in different scenes throughout the different epics. Works Cited
Mifflin, H. The Odyssey Of Homer, Volume 1. 1871. Print. https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=_qIwAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=Odyssey+by+homer&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=Odyssey%20by%20homer&f=falseTolkien, J. R. R., Gordon E. V., & Davis Norman. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. OUT Oxford. 1967.Print. https://books.google.co.ke/books?id=z9ELD1auNGwC&printsec=frontcover&dq=green+and+dawain+knight&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false