Study on the association between schizophrenia and violence

Study on the association between schizophrenia and violence Schizophrenia is a mental health disorder characterised by a disintegration of thought processes and emotional responsiveness. Schizophrenic individuals are presented with a wide range of symptoms. These are often classified in terms of positive and negative symptoms. Positive symptoms may include presentation of hallucinations, delusions, disorganised speech or thinking, disorganised behaviour, catatonic behaviours, derealisation, and unusual motor behaviour, while negative symptoms may include affective flattening, alogia, or avolition (DSM-IV; Kneisl Trigoboff, 2009). Although wide ranging, the experience of psychotic manifestations, such as hearing internal voices or experiencing sensations not connected to an obvious source, are common in this group of individuals. These individuals are often marked by an inability to function in daily life and require a significant level of care and support system. Given the variable presentations, no single or a mix of symptoms is definitive for diagnosis. The diagnosis criteria thus encompass a pattern of expressed symptoms and in conjunction with impaired occupational or social functioning (DSM-IV). The onset of this disorder usually begins during late adolescence or early adulthood. It can be a gradual process, whereby the individual became increasingly seclusive. It can sometimes be sudden, marked by emotional turmoil and intense confusion (Strauss, Carpenter Bethesda, 1972). The prevalence of Schizophrenia is approximately 1% of the general population and appears to be constant across cultures (Bhugra, 2005). The literature suggests that the aetiology of Schizophrenia is multifactorial. In regards to environmental components, it is unclear whether childhood trauma and stress influence the development of Schizophrenia, but there is evidence to suggest that environmental factors (Heinrichs, 1993), such as maternal stress, may be important in the aetiology of Schizophrenia, as high level of stress may trigger Schizophrenia by increasing Cortisol level in the body. In addition, enlarged brain ventricles and decreased activity in the frontal lobe is observed in some individuals with Schizophrenia. Together, it suggests that abnormal brain chemistry and brain structure may be important in the development of Schizophrenia. It has also been observed that there is a strong hereditary component in the manifestation of Schizophrenic symptoms. Individuals with a first-degree relative who has schizophrenia have a 10% change of developing the disorder. Twin and adoption studies observed that monozygotic twins display 50% concordance of Schizophrenia (Van Os, Rutten Poulton, 2008). While this suggests a moderate to high heritability of Schizophrenia, it is clear that this disorder is not deterministic by genetic components. The Association between Schizophrenia and Violence It is now generally accepted that individuals with Schizophrenia are at elevated risk of violent behaviour than member of the general population. In the community, 8% of individuals with Schizophrenia alone were violent, compared to 2% of individuals without mental illness (Eaton Kessler, 1985). In addition, a study estimated that 20% of first-admission patients with Schizophrenia had perpetrated against others in a life threatening manner prior to their admission, while 9% of the discharged patients acted violently in the first 20 weeks after hospitalisation (Humphreys et al., 1992; Monahan Applebaum, 2000). More importantly, longitudinal studies following selected and unselected cohorts showed that Schizophrenic individuals are four to seven times more likely to have committed a violent crime than the general population (e.g., Lindqvist Allebeck, 1990; Tiihonen et al., 1997), and twice as likely than men with other mental disorders to have a violent conviction (Wesselt et al., 1 994). Despite of differences in methodological approaches, these observable results are consistent across studies, cohorts, and cultures. The literature suggests that there is an over-representation of Schizophrenic individuals among the offender and prison populations. As mentioned above, the prevalence of Schizophrenia is less than 1% in the community. However, the prevalence of Schizophrenia in the prison setting was found to approximately 3%. In addition, 9-11% of individuals who were convicted of non-fatal and fatal violence respectively, had a diagnosis of Schizophrenia (Taylor Gunn, 1984), which are significantly higher than its prevalence in the general population. Individuals with Schizophrenia were at a four times higher chance to be convicted of interpersonal violence and ten times greater for conviction of homicide than the general public (Wallace et al., 2004). Interestingly, the chance of developing Schizophrenia among those with a history of violent crime is approximately five times greater than those committed non-violent crime only (Gosden et al., 2005). Thus, individuals with Schizophrenia contribute to a disproportionate rate of violent crimes. Typologies of Offenders with Schizophrenia There is a correlation between the development of Schizophrenic symotoms and increased rates of antisocial behaviour in violence (e.g., Wallace et al., 2004). Similar to offenders without mental health problems, there are subtypes of offenders with Schizophrenia, as defined by the age of onset and persistence of antisocial behaviour. It is suggested that there may be three types of Schizophrenic offenders (e.g., Hodgins, 2008). Type I offenders is a group of offenders that display a long history of antisocial behaviour since childhood or early adolescence, which remains stable across the lifespan (Moffitt, 2006). It is common that they are presented with a conviction for violence prior to onset of Schizophrenia and those who meets criteria for conduct disorder (CD). This group of offenders is presented with a wide array of criminal conduct, including both violent and non-violent crimes. Their criminal history appears to be similar to individuals with CD who lacks other mental health issues. It has been speculated that individuals with CD who developed Schizophrenia are characterised by lower levels of anxiety, heart rate, and cortisol level. Type II offenders are a large group of violence offenders with Schizophrenia who had no display of antisocial behaviours prior to the onset of the disorder, but become persistently violent thereafter. The onset of symptoms begins in adulthood for this subgroup and is usually associated with some form of brain disorder (e.g., Hodges et al., 1996). It is suspected that this group is particular susceptible to illicit drug use and that substance abuse may be directly associated with their violent behaviours (Mueser et al., 2006). Substance use by Schizophrenic individuals increases their risk of violence in multiple ways. It acts to further impair social cognition, increase the likelihood of them associating with antisocial peers for drug use and crime, and affect their capacity to engage with service providers and compliance with medication and support (Green et al., 2007). Type III offenders are a small group of serious violence offenders who display chronic course of Schizophrenia with no expression of antisocial and aggressive behaviours prior to their late thirties, and subsequently proceed to violently murder those who care for them. Type II offenders appear to display shallow affect, callousness, lack of remorse, and a failure to accept responsibilities (Sunak, 2006). It is hypothesised that this group of offenders have deficient and fluctuating affective experience, which increases the vulnerability for aggressive behaviour towards others (Hodgins, 2008). Overall, this group of individuals expressed higher level of violent behaviours and are at greater rate of conviction and incarceration of violent crime than individuals of the general community. Such violent behaviours account for a significant amount of human suffering, in party of the victims and their families, also in part of the perpetrators. These behaviours poses further financial burden on the society. Given the prevalence of violence among Schizophrenic individuals, there are important consequences for the criminal justice system. In addition, offenders with Schizophrenia constitute a heterogeneous population. It is suggested that most violence in the Schizophrenia population is attributed to Type I, although it is possible that Type III offenders are over-represented among homicides cases (Mullen, 2006). The development of typologies of offenders with Schizophrenia is relevant to identifying appropriate treatment options that address the characteristics of each type of off ender. Mediators of Violence among Individuals with Schizophrenia Substance Misuse: It has been repeatedly demonstrated that comorbid substance abuse issues significantly increase the risk of violence in Schizophrenic individuals (e.g., Tiihonen et al., 1997; Wallace et al., 2004). Some has suggested that comorbid substance abuse accounts for most rates of violence among people with Schizophrenia (Monahan et al., 2001). It appears that comorbid substance abuse account for up to 30% of violence in the community, compared to 8% in those with Schizophrenia alone (Eaton Kessler, 1985). The literature expressed concerns for the increasing numbers of substance misuse in individuals with both Schizophrenia and a propensity to violence over the past 30 years (Mullen, 2006). Reducing rates of substance misuse among this group of offenders is an important therapeutic goal, which will improve symptom control, quality of life, and act to decrease antisocial behaviours that are related to violence. Active Symptoms: Considerable evidence suggests that the violence observed in Schizophrenic individuals is directed and motivated by psychotic symptoms. Some research has shown that individuals frequently act upon the experienced delusions and that violence is often a defence or retaliation mechanism against seemingly harmful and manipulative actions (regardless of whether their beliefs are correct) that others are directing against the individual (Link Stueve, 1994). The expression of psychotic features is associated a five times increase in the risk of assaults of other person compared to those with no mental disorder (Mojtabai, 2006). For instances, there are evidence to support the association between delusional jealousy and attacks on a partner, persecutory delusions, and hallucinations and non-specific psychotic agitation all on occasion precipitate violence (Mullen, 1996; Mullen, 2006). Personality Factors: More recently, personality factors have been implicated in criminality in Schizophrenia (e.g., Moran et al., 2003). This group of offenders is associated with irritable, dissocial, lack of empathy and remorse, grandiose, suspicious, maintenance of unrealistic beliefs of entitlement, and inability to learn from experience. In addition, it is suggested that the relationship between comorbid substance abuse and violence in Schizophrenia may be mediated by personality factors and social problems. Developmental Factors: Compared to the general population and non-violent Schizophrenic individuals, those individuals with Schizophrenia who are violent are more likely to have experienced developmental problems, deprived and disadvantaged backgrounds, family history of criminality, and a problematic childhood in areas education and social functioning (e.g., Mullen, 2006; Tiihonen et al., 1997). Treatment for Schizophrenia To date, no cure has been found for Schizophrenia. The major goals of treatment are to reduce symptoms, minimise side effects, prevent relapses, and provide social and occupational rehabilitation for this group of offenders. Identification of High-Risk Offenders: It should be of high priority to identify individuals who fall into a high risk category of future violence. Past literature indicated that male individuals with a history of childhood conduct disorder, antisocial and violent behaviour in adolescence, substance abuse, unemployment and a disorganised lifestyle is at increasing rate of being high-risk of violence recidivism. Risk assessment is a practical exercise that should inform the risk, needs, and responsitivity of an individual. Their main function for the clinician is to direct attention to known correlates of violent behaviour. The HCR-20 (Webster et al., 1997) is an instrument that incorporates the PCL, which combines professionals approach to risk assessment and clinical opinion. Psychological Management: The manifestation of Schizophrenic symptoms renders individuals with criminogenic personality traits, attitudes, and social and occupational problems (Mullen, 2006). Reducing violent behaviours will depend large on modifying these factors and the behaviours they generate. While psychosocial treatment interventions have limited value for acutely psychotic individuals, it has been found beneficial to reduce violence risk for individuals who are already stabilised on antipsychotic medication (Swanson et al., 2008). Psychosocial treatment provide clients with the skills to work, self-care, communication, forming and keeping relationships, and learning and using appropriate coping mechanisms to deal with difficult situations and events and increase their chances of associating with others (Penn et al., 2005). Past research indicated that patients who receive regular psychosocial treatment are more likely to be compliant with medication and reduces their rate of relapse (Penn et al., 2005). In addition, recent studies indicate that cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) approaches that teach clients coping and problem solving skills can be beneficial for Schizophrenic individuals in reducing violent behaviours. When compared to control, recreational activities, or support, CBT was repeatedly found to be more effective during and immediately after treatment. CBT has also been found to be effective in relapse prevention and positive symptom control, even when the intervention was presented by therapists who had limited prior training (Durham et al., 2003). CBT as practiced for Schizophrenia should be modified to address some of the specific limitations imposed by the disorder (e.g., cognitive dysfunction, and stigma and loss). Therapists will need to be mindful of developing a therapeutic alliance based on the clients beliefs, to be able to develop alternative explainations of symptoms, and reducing the impact of positive symptoms (Turkington, Kingdon, Weiden, 2006). Treatment for Substance Misuse: Given the significant risks substance misuse poses to increase the rate of violence among Schizophrenic individuals, the assessment and management of drug and alcohol misuse has become a major priority. A study examining an integrated intervention program that consisted of motivational interviewing and cognitive behavioural therapy resulted in significantly greater improvement in patents general function, reduction in positive symptoms, and increased the length of abstinence periods from substances in Schizophrenic individuals (Barrowclough et al., 2001). In addition, this effect was still significant at 12 months follow up. Recommendation in relation to Treatment Outcome A careful design of methodology is required to be able to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the treatment program. Participants: A control group is necessary to allow comparisons to be made. Participants should be randomly assigned into control or treatment group. Participants with a diagnosis of Schizophrenia should be compared to a control group also with diagnoses of Schizophrenia. Participants who are actively psychotic and deemed unsuitable for treatment should be excluded. Procedures: All therapists should receive the same training for the intervention program to ensure consistency across therapy sessions. Adequate supervision will need to be provided to determine the qualification of therapist to deliver the treatment. This should be determined based on structured ratings of therapists adherence and competence to the treatment program, using instruments such as an Adherence-Competence Scale (Najavits Liese, 1997). All sessions must run according to the procedures described in a manual that detail the tasks of each session. Measures: Assessments regarding level of violent behaviours needs to be conducted at pre-, during, post-treatment, and follow-up measures. The follow up measures will provide an indication of the duration of treatment effect and patient relapse outcomes. Researchers should be trained in administering all measures. If more than one researcher is responsible, actions should be taken to ensure consistency between them. The current program will involve the treatment of inmates who express violent behaviours. Adequate measures of violence will be needed to examine the efficacy of the treatment program. The rate of violence depends greatly on the levels of violence measured. Most decisions concerning the level of violence of an individual are based on clinical evaluation, patients self report, and structured assessment. Some widely used instrument to assess violent behaviours includes the Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R), Historical, Clinical, Risk-Management (HCR-20), and the MacArthur Violence Risk Assessment. Since comorbid substance abuse issues is indicated to be a significant factor that elevates the rates of violence in Schizophrenia as well as other mental health disorders, the treatment program should target such issue and aim to reduce or eliminate use of substances among this population. The addiction Severity Index (ASI; McLellan, Kushner, et al., 1992) and the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM can be used to assess substance use outcomes at various point in time. Participants perception of treatment effectiveness should also be assessed. This should be measured at post-treatment, using questionnaires that adequately assess perception of treatment outcome. The Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (Attkisson Zwick, 1982) and the End-of-Treatment Questionnaire (Najavits, 1994) can be used to measure participants opinions about treatment. The outcome analysis should include description of the sample characteristics. Depending on what the control groups of the study is, manipulation check should be used to examine whether participants in both the treatment and placebo groups perceived the content of their respective intervention differently.

Cognitive Linguistic Approach to Language Study

It has its origins in the sass as a conscious reaction to Chomsky linguistics, tit its emphasis on formalistic syntactic analysis and its underlying assumption that language is independent from other forms of cognition. Increasingly, evidence was beginning to show that language is learned and processed much in the same way as other types of Information about the world, and that the same cognitive processes are Involved In language as are Involved In other forms of thinking.For example, In our everyday lives, we look at things from deferent angles, we get up close to them or further away and see them from different vantage points and with efferent levels of granularity; we assess the relative features of our environment and decide which are important and need to be attended to and which are less important and need to be backgrounder; we lump information together, perceive and create patterns in our environment, and look for these patterns in new environments when we encounter them.As we will see in this volume, all of these processes are at work in language too. The two key figures who are associated with the inception of Cognitive Linguistics are George Alaska and Ronald Linebacker. Both, t should be remembered, started their careers as members of a group of young scholars associated with the radical new approach spearheaded by NOAA Chomsky. By the sass, however, both Alaska and Linebacker were becoming increasingly disaffected with the formalistic approach to syntax associated with the Chomsky school.Both scholars turned their attention, Instead, to semantic Issues, which had been relatively neglected within the Chomsky framework. Alaska raised fundamental questions with regard to ‘objectivism' SE antics that is, theories which maintained that entente meaning maps onto objectively verifiable states of affairs in the world. He argued, instead, that semantic content is mediated by how speakers construe and conceptualize the world. An important aspect of co nstrual is how we categorize the things in our environment.Taking up the notion of prototype category developed by cognitive psychologist Eleanor Roach, Alaska argued that words do not name classically defined categories, that Is, categories constituted by a set of necessary and sufficient conditions. Rather, entitles can be good, or less good, members of a category. In a crucial and highly influential move, Alaska then proposed that the a syntactic construction, might also be analyses in terms of a central, prototypical member, and a number of extended, or more peripheral senses.A noteworthy milestone here is the dissertation by one of Alaska s students, Claudia Bergman, on the polymers of the preposition (Bergman, 1981). Bergman argued that t he ‘central', ‘prototypical' sense combines the meanings of ‘above' and ‘across', as in The bird flew over the yard . Extended senses, related in virtue of some common shared features, include the ‘above' sense , as in the electric is hovering over the hill, the ‘across' sense, as in Sam drove over the bridge , the ‘covering' sense She spread the tablecloth over the table, the dispersal sense, as in The guards were posted all over the hill , and several more.Bargeman's thesis (presented in Alaska 1987: Case Study 2) not only inspired a plethora of -studies, it also provided a template for polymers studies more generally. La Coffs second main contribution was to id entity a number of ‘conceptual metaphors' that underlie our abstract concepts and the way we think about the world and ourselves (Alaska and Johnson 1980, 1999).For example, one of the most important conceptual metaphors is the idea that ‘good' or ‘active' things are ‘up' whereas ‘bad' or ‘static' things are ‘down', which allows us to say that we're feeling IoW or having ‘down time', that things are or that that they are ‘up and going' . This metaphor was taken to r eflect our basic experience with the world that we have as children; when we fall over we feel bad; when we lie down we are stationary, when we get up we are active, and when we are feeling good, we literally ‘stand tall'.As discussed in a later chapter, conceptual metaphor theory has come in for a good agree of criticism in recent years and the theory has been refined to take account of empirical psycholinguistic findings as well as more socio-cultural approaches to language, but the basic tenets remain the same: language tends to reflect our physical interactions with the world and abstract concepts are linked to physical experiences through metaphor. Linebacker's contribution is perhaps more fundamental than Lassoes .His Cognitive Grammar (Linebacker 1987, 1991, 2008) offers a radical re-think of basic issues concerning the nature of linguistic meaning and its relation to the surface form of utterances. He proposed a ‘minimalist' approach, whereby the only elements in linguistic description are (a) phonological representations, concerning the overt form of an expression (whether spoken, written, or signed), (b) semantic representations, roughly, meanings, broadly understood to include pragmatic, situational, and encyclopedic aspects, and (c) symbolic relations between elements of (a) and elements of (b).On this basis, a language comes to be characterized, quite simply, as an inventory of phonological, semantic, and symbolic units, and language acquisition is a matter of a speaker's increasing command of these units. Importantly, the units differ along a number of dimensions. Thus some units are internally complex, while others are schematic to some degree or other.For example, the expression can-opener is internally complex, while the component unit can is an instance of the more schematic unit Noun, the whole expression being an instance of the complex schematic unit [N V- ere] and its associated semantics (roughly: ‘ a device that can be used for V- ins Ins'). The schematic unit can sanction an open-ended set of instantiations; in this way, Cognitive Grammar is bled to handle syntactic and morphological generalizations.It should also be noted that the unit has other semantic values (think of examples such as dog-lover , which denotes a person, not a thing, and , where the initial noun designates the place where a person dwells); in other words, the unit is polygamous, Just like the words of a language. The mechanics of Cognitive Grammar are discussed in more detail elsewhere in this volume. Three aspects, however, may be singled out for special mention here: The first concerns the way in which ‘grammaticality (or ‘acceptability- cognitive insists see little reason to distinguish the two concepts) is to be understood.Grammaticality, namely, has to do with the extent to which an expression is sanctioned, or legitimated, by an already existing schematic unit, or possibly by several such units, in the langu age; the fit, needless to say, need not be perfect, neither will different speakers of the language always assess the matter in the same way. * The second observation concerns the idea that syntactic organization is inherently symbolic and therefore meaningful, and that syntactic structures – Just like individual words ND morphemes associate a form and meaning.An early indicative study concerned the passive construction in English (Linebacker, 1982). Rather than being seen as the result of syntactic transformations, the construction and its various components, such as the verb be the verbal participle, and the by phrase, were argued to have semantic content, which contribute cumulatively to the semantic and pragmatic value of the passive construction. Thirdly, the Cognitive Grammar approach is sympathetic to the notion that linguistic knowledge, rather than residing in a small number of very road, high-level abstractions, may actually be rather low-level and ‘surface or iented', consisting in multiple memories of already encountered usage and relatively shallow generalizations over these remembered instances.In practical terms, this means that linguistic knowledge will tend to be centered on individual lexical items and their idiosyncratic properties, concerning the syntactic environments in which they occur and their stylistic or pragmatic values. Similarly, the representation of syntactic and word-formation constructions will incorporate knowledge of the lexical items which typically occur in hem, in addition, once again, to information about the kinds of situations in which they are likely to be used.Although it represents a radical departure in some ways from many established ideas in linguistics (such as the formerly widely held view that syntax, semantics and pragmatics were largely independent of one another), the principles underlying Cognitive Linguistics resonated with many traditional concerns one thinks of classics such as Gustavo Steer 's Meaning and Change of Meaning (1931), C. S. Lewdest Studies in Words (1960), and various works by Stephan Almsman (e. G. , Almsman, 1964)

Does mother earth have the capacity to sustain continued population growth

That is the question I am going to answer in the following essay. We will be looking at two persons who gave there opinion about the principal of population growth and their solutions. One called, Robert Malthus, the other person called Ester Boserup. They both differ a lot of each other in opinion. Boserup was more optimistic about it, although on the other hand Malthus was very sceptic and pessimistic. I will include their arguments and their way of looking at population growth later on, combined with my own view. Several facts are concurring about population growth. When the world would collapse of its own infirmity, it will be due different factors. One of them will be due global warming. This is also one of the arguments of Malthus which influences his credo1. Population growth is a very important issue for geographers now a day. These geographers are certainly divided into 2 groups. One group focuses more on the Malthusian-way of thinking and the other support Ester Boserups her ideas, which are more optimistic. Worries about population growth are not new. About 200 years ago, Malthus published a essay called; The Principal of Population Growth. His main arguments in this essay were about the geometrically grow of population, while the resources available to support it tend to grow arithmetically. He presented his theory in response to optimists who thought that mankind can master environment bottomless. They verified this idea with some new cures such as DDT which eliminates misquotes born with malaria, anti-biotics. During the same period, the â€Å"Green Revolution† greatly boosted food output through the cultivation of new disease-resistant rice and other food crops, and the use of fertilizers and more effective farming methods. These changes have contributed to a dramatic increase in human population growth rates2. Global Warming is causing a big impact on population growth. The carbon dioxide is sacrificing the earths nature causing a enormous impact on water altitude. Increasing water altitude causes the sea level to rise. This will finally result in floods of areas were people life. Due this fact, people will have to move because otherwise they risk another deluge. Because of this process it will contribute to the fact that the earths living surface can decrease. As more people are settling on earth then people leaving it will result that there isn't enough space for such an amount of inhabitants. If you look at the facts of Population Growth, it will tell you that, every minute there are 5 babies born. This means that every year 87 million people are added to the world. In 1999 the World Watchers institute said that population growth is slowing down due the fact of rising Death Rates. They estimated a 8,9 billion people on the world instead of the predicted 9,4 billion. Two-thirds of this drop is because of falling birth rates, but one-third is due rising death rates. Three factors are pushing the death rates up, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and the Indian sub-continent3: the HIV epidemic the depletion of aquifers shrinking cropland area per person. We analyze the worlds carrying capacity with Net Primary Productivity. It represents the total food resource on earth. It has been calculated that we are using 40% of the terrestrial food supply. This leaves 60% left on earth, theoreticly human population would therefore be 2.5x the current level that is 2.5Ãâ€"5.9 = 15 billion, a number that will be reached within the next century if present trends continue4. Overall, the answer would be No to the question we asked earlier. Mother earth cannot sustain continuing population growth. Scientist keep making solutions to provide human better health care, but when you look at it, medicine cure people, which influences Mortality rate obviously. So on the other hand it speaks against itself. Population growth is increasing last few years as it never did before and it is going to move on. As there are coming more inhabitants, there won't be enough space one day, to grow crops and shelters at the same time. Global warming is causing the world the heat up, increasing sea level and destroy rainforest (one of our big food resources on earth)

Hospitality in the Odyssey - 1853 Words

Jeremy Worden Hospitality Illustrated in Homer s The Odyssey Far removed from our individualistic society today is the ancient Greece portrayed in Homer’s The Odyssey, where hospitality and good will are the main focus of these people. As decreed by Zeus himself, those who wish the favor of the Gods must welcome foreigners and domestic with hospitality. A man was supposed to offer the best of his food, his home, and his knowledge before ever asking for his guest’s name or why he was there. There was a sense that those of high status are the main givers of hospitality, but they were not the only ones commanded to offer hospitality. Homer emphasizes hospitality from everyone during Telemachus’ and Odysseus’ journeys, using a man’s†¦show more content†¦What we learn is that Menelaus and Odysseus were inseparable friends. What an example of how Homer believes a man should act! Menelaus is extremely wealthy, very honorable, a great host, and he was best friends with the hero of the Trojan War! The man tha t can show hospitality is to be respected for his good nature is Menelaus. With each new proof of how honorable it is to show hospitality, we see more clearly Homer’s message of how we all should act towards our fellow man. Still, behind the hospitality, is the story of Agamemnon’s death at the hands of Aegisthus and of Orestes’ revenge. This story actually proves part of what Homer is trying to say too. For three men of integrity to agree on Orestes’ act of vengeance as the right thing to do proves how important being hospitable is. Aegisthus’ lack of hospitality cost him his life. Even if you have no dignity, you should still show hospitality if you fear for your life. At the conclusion of Telemachus’ journey, Homer’s major focus has already been brought to the forefront of the story; the suitors in Odysseus’ home are showing the same disregard for their xenos that evil Aegisthus did toward Agamemnon by plotting to kill Telem achus on his way home. Also, Telemachus and soon to be Odysseus, wish the same fate for the suitors that befell Aegisthus. But first, Odysseus must forego instances of hospitality asShow MoreRelatedHospitality in the Odyssey1979 Words   |  8 PagesJacqueline Medina World Humanities Professor Brown March 13, 2011 Hospitality: Good or Bad? Hospitality as a theme in any literary work may not seem note-worthy. However, in Homers epic poem, The Odyssey, it becomes fundamental to the telling of the story. In addition to hospitality in The Odyssey, the question of is it given out of fear of retribution from the gods or out of true generosity, is raised. What is also shown is the form of which it comes in, whether it be unwanted, givenRead MoreHospitality And Hospitality : The Odyssey By Homer1309 Words   |  6 PagesHospitality refers to the relationship between a guest and a host, where the host receives the guest with goodwill, and the guest returns the goodwill by being respectful to their host, showing courtesy, and refraining from abusing the hospitality that had been extended. The concept of hospitality is known as Xenia, a very ancient Greek concept that is still very important in many cultures today. Cultures may vary in other respect but any good society will accommodate the wandering guest (PuchnerRead Mor eThe Odyssey : Defying Hospitality Essay1303 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish 1113 15 November 2016 The Odyssey : Defying Hospitality Throughout the development of humanity, the random group of societies have been historically all-equipped to deal with challenges the state of disorganization is not conducive to advancement of society due to the chaotic nature of existence on planet earth. Humans have to impose will on a chaotic world. One way they can do this is through culturally perceived definitions of hospitality. In the Odyssey, written by Homer, Odysseus experiencesRead MoreEssay On Hospitality In The Odyssey920 Words   |  4 PagesXenia is the generosity and hospitality the Greek give to their guest when people come over to their home. Hospitality plays a major role in Greek society. In American society, today hospitality is not a priority. The most we do is let guest in to sit and offer maybe food and water. In the Odyssey Homer shows in Greek culture that hospitality is very important several times in the text and should treat everyone as royalty. Odysseus crashes into a random island with strangers and like a good hostRead MoreHospitality in The Odyssey Essay479 Words   |  2 Pages Throughout Homers The Odyssey, Odysseus the main character in the story is tested with the true meaning of hospitality. In the heroic age, hospitality was viewed as punishment or acceptance of a stranger. While Odysseus longed for his return to home, he faced the two different kinds of hospitality offered within the heroic age. My theory is that Odysseus was provided with good hospitality when he would enter a town that allowed him to eat at their table, bathed within their baths, and sleepRead MoreThe Importance of Hospitality in the Odyssey523 Words   |  2 Pages In The Odyssey, Homer uses fear of the gods to portray the idea of Xenia, which means hospitality to all, to live a normal and happy life. On multiple occasions people ignore this idea and in result get a streak of bad luck. For example, the suitors that stay in Odysseus hou se are terrible guests. They get brutally murdered by Odysseus. Polyphemus eats several of Odysseus crew mates. Polyphemus gets blinded by Odysseus. Aegisthus does certain unstated acts with Agamemnons wife, then kills AgamemnonRead MoreDuality Of Hospitality In Genesis And The Odyssey1441 Words   |  6 PagesThe Duality of Hospitality: In Genesis and the Odyssey In two of the texts considered this Fall—Genesis and the Odyssey, there are many incentives to show hospitality. Hospitality, when extended with the best intentions, speaks to the values of the ancient world as well as of the character of who extend it—usually these gestures are rewarded kindly by the master or divine being of the respective culture, but sometimes they are not. Arguably, hosts in Genesis understand hospitality as an opportunityRead MoreEssay on Greek Hospitality in The Odyssey926 Words   |  4 PagesGreek Hospitality in The Odyssey The Greeks have been known for their hospitality and politeness, especially when treating guests- whether strangers or not. This is demonstrated near the beginning of the Odyssey when Telemachus went to Pylos to visit Nestor. Nestor, not knowing who he was taking into his home as guests, treated them with great honor and respect. Now is the time, he said, for a few questions, now that our young guests have enjoyed their dinner. Who are you, strangersRead More The Art of Hospitality - The Greeks and the Odyssey Essay871 Words   |  4 Pagesof the most hospitable cultures was that of the ancient Greeks, exemplified in Homer’s The Odyssey by both gracious hosts and guests. In Greece and The Odyssey, not only was good hospitality etiquette expected, but the added pressure from the conviction that the gods would punish the host if guests were treated without respect (whether they were poor or rich) further compelled excellent manners. The Odyssey illustrates the prope r etiquette when dealing with guests. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;WhetherRead MoreHospitality Is A Recurring Theme Throughout The Odyssey1394 Words   |  6 PagesThe Lack of Hospitality In Polyphemos In The Ancient Greek Culture Hospitality is a recurring theme throughout the Odyssey. Whether it is how Penelope and the people at Ithaca treat their guests, or how Oddyseus and his companions are welcomed in many of the lands they arrive to, hospitality is revealed as a significant feature and value in the Ancient Greek society. In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus, the main character, has different types of encounters throughout his long years of adventure. In