Although one may not believe it, in our everyday world contrasting to that of ancient Greece, heroic-like trials can be found in the most mundane of events. Though I may not be a beefy Greek warrior living in the twelfth century like Odysseus, I have...
Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, chronicles the trials and tribulations of Odysseus, a hero subjected to a twenty-year struggle as punishment by Poseidon for the death of his cherished Cyclops. Throughout the narrative, Odysseus faces daunting challenges, from captivity on remote islands to resisting the...
Revenge, justice, and destiny are three major themes intertwined in the Iliad. The book opens with the rage of Achilles in response to his dishonor, then immediately switches to an incident that occurred previously where a priest of the son of Zeus (Apollo) suffered a...
In Homer’s The Odyssey, the Greek Gods interfere with the citizens from Ithaca on a daily basis, majorly affecting and changing their lives. Throughout The Odyssey, Greek Gods use their significant power to their advantage. The Greek Gods’ interventions are either rewarding or punishing to...
The Iliad is an epic poem that glorifies the heroic ideals that war imposes on its men. War itself has a strange, deadly fascination for those who are involved. Although war is characterized as being dreadful and grim, it is also characterized as the way...
Homer’s epic poem “The Iliad” has many different types of characters and theme. It focuses on two main characters, who are Achilles and Hector. These two characters have completely different personalities and little to no similarities other than them being great warriors. In this epic...
The Odyssey is an epic ballad on a Greek legend’s experiences. The significant subjects in this lyric also apply to life today as a result of the manner in which it helps an individual’s character by learning through the characters’ actions, emotions, victories, and errors....
Book VII and Book IX of Homer’s Iliad present opposing views on the significance of material wealth in relation to the heroic code, contrasting Hector and Achilles consecutively, who have already been established by the poet as polar in character. On one hand, in the...
Of all the things highlighted in these ancient texts in our first unit of Culture and Expression, the concept that stood out to me the most is that of xenia. Xenia, or “guest friendship”, is the Greek practice of hospitality in which it is expected...
In the vast universe of Greek mythology, perhaps one of the best-known and revered works is the epic poem The Odyssey, attributed Homer. This legendary work examines many aspects of human nature, notably the distinction between moral and political behavior. The main character in the...
In Homer’s epic ballads The Iliad and The Odyssey, Achilles and Odysseus are the outstanding saints. Achilles battles Hector outside the dividers of Troy since Hector executed his closest companion, Patroclus. In the wake of battling in the Trojan War, Odysseus goes up against an...
Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus crosses countless borders, from the literal borders of kingdoms like Phaeacia and Ithaca, to the borders of life and death in Hades. However, there’s one border Odysseus seems to be unable, and perhaps even unwilling, to cross: The border between soldier...
I’m not acquainted enough with the matter to debate the issue itself, but if there are “Protagonists” and “Villains” we must also additionally contemplate that “good” and “bad” should have meant essentially Different things when the epic was written than they are doing to us...
Battle Between Love and Duty Dido made Aeneas forget about his duty for some time, but in the end, duty matters more than romantic love, and his feelings will always come in second. But when Aeneas leaves because of duty, the love that Dido felt...
Do you believe that the journey outweighs the goal? For example, in the movie Moana, the main character sets out on an adventure that teachers her many things on the way to success. Heroes go on a journey that changes them for the better, in...
Introduction: The Iliad is an epic poem studied by many in multiple areas of research. The epic holds many themes such as pride, morality, compassion, warfare, etc. However, one that contributes to them all is the role of fate. It is after much analyzing and...
How is loyalty shown in the Odyssey? The epic poem The Odyssey written by Homer and translated by Robert Fitzgerald is the story of a man as he embarks on an unexpectedly long and brutal journey home from the Trojan war with his crew of...
It is commonly known that the Ancient Grecians and Romans relied on the supernatural for many things; in fact, it was really just a way of life for them. They went to Oracles to hear their futures, performed certain rituals for luck or otherwise, and...
Despite there only being one copy of the source material for the Greek epic poet Homer’s The Odyssey, there have been numerous different interpretations and ideas, as the original language and stylistic elements of the text can be interpreted in various ways. The two translations...
War is most commonly thought of as a bloody and depressing state. However, in Homer’s “The Iliad” war is used by the warriors of it, searching for their own glory in these gruesome battles. Homer displays this quest for glory through heavy use of imagery,...
Reading The Odyssey by Homer is like entering a world infused by fantasy. Many important traits such as respect and hospitality are exemplified when read with a nonliteral mindset. Respect and hospitality is clearly seen in the real world. For obvious reasons, those traits are...
Homer, the author of The Odyssey, created a hero with negative attributes named Odysseus in his epic poem. The epic hero, Odysseus, is trying to get back home after being away for 17 years. During his expedition, the poem portrays Odysseus’s traits, whether they’re flaws...
An epic poem over 400 pages long. Yep a poem. The plot line details the return journey of Odysseus, a Greek warrior, and his encounters with civilizations and Greek Gods through his travels.Composed in 700BC, it is one of the earliest poems to ever exist....
In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, one Greek value explored is Kleos, otherwise known as glory. This value is not only explored in the Odyssey by the protagonist (Odysseus), but is also used to explore different themes through the protagonist reaching their Kleos....
In ancient Greek times their values and social ideals were the fundamental basis of their daily lives. Not only were they apart of their daily lives but these moral codes formed the social structures and mores of the ancient culture. Greeks embraced these values and...
Specifically in Bacchae, he does so to support his theme of the natural world in contrast to the world of man. To the audience, the application of imagery allows them further clarity of the characters, the evolution the plot, and it invests their emotions into...
Death is commonly reflected in Greek mythology. Many epics, myths, and short stories include death in their plot or theme. For instance, the short story of Pyramus and Thisbe conveys the idea that when one dies, it does not mean the other should too. However,...
Odysseus is considered one of the greatest Greek heroes who fought during the Trojan War. Known for his cunning intellect, Odysseus designed the plan that sacked the city of Troy and brought Greece’s victory in the Trojan War. The story of Odysseus begins in Homer’s...
Homer’s Odyssey was set 10 years after the Trojan war which would mean the stories taking place in the epic are dated sometime around 1170 BC. This is a time that is arguably unrecognisable by today’s standards in many parts of the world in terms...
The epic of The Iliad primarily focuses on the glory-seeking heroes within the Trojan and Akkhaian ranks, describing their varied attempts to immortalize themselves through gaining honor. Interestingly, while the heroes all possess this same aspiration for glory, there are quite obvious differences in the...
Homer is the legendary author to whom the authorship of the Iliad and the Odyssey (the two epic poems that are the foundational works of ancient Greek literature) is attributed. He is regarded as one of the greatest and most influential authors of all time.
Works
“Iliad”, “Odyssey”
Style
The Homeric epics are written in an artificial literary language or 'Kunstsprache' only used in epic hexameter poetry. Homer frequently uses set phrases such as epithets, Homeric formulae, simile, type scenes, ring composition and repetition. These habits aid the extemporizing bard, and are characteristic of oral poetry.
Influence
The Homeric epics were a defining influence on ancient Greek culture and education. To Plato, Homer was simply the one who "has taught Greece". From antiquity until the present day, the influence of Homeric epic on Western civilization has been great, inspiring many of its most famous works of literature, music, art and film.
Quotes
“Of all creatures that breathe and move upon the earth, nothing is bred that is weaker than man.”
“…There is the heat of Love, the pulsing rush of Longing, the lover’s whisper, irresistible—magic to make the sanest man go mad.”
“A man who has been through bitter experiences and travelled far enjoys even his sufferings after a time”
