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What evidience is there to suggest that Schria is mythical
The Island of Schria is an excellent stepping-stone between the fantasy world of Calypso and the other characters Odysseus encounters on his journeys. As Schria shows both common and mythological quality’s.
Schria can be seen as an ordinary city as when Odysseus begins to start his journey to Alchinous’s palace, Athena comes down to him in the disguise of a young girl and tells him “the people have little affection for strangers and do not welcome visitor’s with open arms”. Thus suggesting that the Pheacians do not perform perfect xenia. Which is a key theme in the play. Xenia represents the Greek laws towards hospitality, so therefore reflects upon the fact that the people of Schria were not perfect or unusual. As they make mistakes like humans.
Poor xenia is also displayed when Odysseus arrives at Alchinous’s’ palace. After making his appeal he sits in the “ashes by the hearth, close to the fire”. This is seen as a place of humiliation and so this maybe reflective upon the views and attitudes of the pheacians. To strengthen the idea of poor xenia at Schria there is silence after Odysseus make’s his petition. Furthermore it is not Alchinous the king that is the first to welcome Odysseus. It is an old lord Echeneus “Sir tell him to get up and sit on one of the silver chairs”. However there is also an echo here, the echo supports the idea that the pheacians were much like normal Greeks. In book four when Telemachus visit’s Menealus and Helen in Sparta he encounter’s bad xenia at first. As they are not invited in immediately. A lord Eteoneus asks Menelaus if he should let Telemachus and Pesistratus Nestor’s son in. “Tell me whether we should un harness their horses for them or send them on to find someone else to entertain them”.
The idea that Telemachus’s journey’s from book 1-4 may prepare the reader or audience later on in the epic poem for Odysseus journey’s is a significant reason for why the Odysseus does not enter the odyssey until book five. The idea of homosophronye (harmony and like-mindedness), which Odysseus believes should be between a woman and man, is taken one step further in Schria. As Alchinous not only believes in like-mindedness between husband and wife but also between father and son in-law. The following quote is taken from a section where Alchinous is explaining to Odysseus his wishes for a son in-law. “I wish that a man like you likeminded with myself could have my daughter”. This proposal supports the fact that Schria is in touch with views etc of the Greek world.
The importance of Alchinous understanding Odysseus is a significant factor that may suggests the pheacians are much like other Greeks, for instance during book eight he recognises Odysseus crying when a bard sings a song about the quarrel between Odysseus and Achilles. “He managed to conceal his tears from everyone except Alchinous”.
Evidence to support the idea that Schria is a semi fantasy [next page]