1	Odysseus the Guest October 3, 2002
2	In Phaeacia Mystery man– a test of hospitality? The right way to receive a stranger Discovery and recognition The tales told at Alkinoos’s court Odysseus his own bard, narrator of his own story Structure of these episodes
3	Polyphemus
4	Kirke Deceptive hospitality Divine assistance Victory over the stranger– physical and sexual overpowering “You must be Odysseus” (p. 175) Getting knowledge
5	The underworld
6	The Oxen of the Sun Bad guest behavior Ominous consequences (p. 223) Think of other similar “unHappy meals” in Greek mythology
7	Any patterns here? Medieval and renaissance interpretations: Odyssey as allegory of human sinfulness Dante and Tennyson Odyssey as initiatory voyage Odyssey as collection of folktales
8	The karma of hospitality 1 a Narrator: “Odysseus’ crewmen ate Helios’ oxen, out of folly; b Helios destroyed them” (7-9) 2 a Zeus: “Mortals commit acts of folly b and so they suffer unduly; just as 3 a Aegisthus killed Agamemnon, unduly, took his wife, b and was killed by Agamemnon’s son” (32-43) 4 a Athena: “May anyone who does such things b perish” (47) 5 a Zeus: “Odysseus often remembered the immortals; b how could I forget Odysseus? 6 a But Odysseus blinded Polyphemus; b Poseidon, without killing him, delays his return” (64-75) 7 a Athena: “Suitors now woo Odysseus’ wife and eat his cattle” (88-92) b ?
9	Odysseus’s police record Stole the Palladium (Athena’s statue in Troy) Robbed the Kikones (but the gods seem not to care) Blinded Polyphemus -- yet somehow, wins Athena’s favor back
10	Sinned against and sinning Provokes revenge from Poseidon; at same time, Suffers dishonor from the Suitors Never simple; always (at least) double
11	On the beach “… even a god might bow to you in matters of dissimulation” (xiii; p. 240) Shape-shifting as strategy Athena Penelope Negotiable and non-negotiable selfhood