Epic Poetry and the Homeric Tradition

1. Epic Poetry and the Homeric Tradition or, why The Iliad is so long and repeats itself so often

2. The origins of poetry (and by extension, of literature) • Poetry was first used by pre-literate societies to keep a record of historical events, traditions and genealogies, and law. • The first poems were sung or chanted, and frequently were related to religious movements or had religious purposes (think of hymns or chants you might hear in a modern church) We’re not even reading yet!

3. The Development of EPIC poetry • Scholars think that the reason poetry developed with rhythm, rhyme, and repetition was probably to aid memorization and oral transmission. (ie: the repetition of “swift-footed Achilles” in The Iliad or “the rosy fingers of dawn” in The Odyssey) • In fact, two 20th Century scholars, Milman Parry and Albert Lord, studied epic poets who were still operating in the Balkans (yep, epic poetry still lives in some societies!), and found that they used a couple of techniques to remember the poems: • Rhythm, rhyme, repetition • Poems that feature self-contained episodes (like chapters)

4. Working definition of epic poetry • Epic: a long narrative poem in elevated style presenting characters of high position in adventures forming an organic whole through their relation to a central heroic figure and through their development of episodes important to the history of a nation or race. (Harmon and Holman) Some examples of epic poems: Gilgamesh (Mesopotamia), Beowulf (Old English), Iliad and Odyssey (Greece), Mahabharata (India), Njil’s Saga (Iceland)

5. Features of epics • Frequently begins In Medias Res • Invokes a muse • States the theme right at the very beginning • Contains catalogues • Features long and formal speeches • Has a vast setting, containing many countries or locations (including non-earthly ones, like the underworld) • Features episodes of divine intervention • Catalogues the exploits of a national hero or larger-than-life figure

6. Homer as an epic poet • Not a lot is known about Homer the person (in fact, we know basically nothing for sure, not even if “Homer” was one poet or a collection of poets). BUT the figure of Homer has almost reached epic proportions… • Authors and historians have claimed that he lived anywhere from 1200 BC to 800 BC • He is said to have been born in all sorts of Greek cities, such as Ithacaor Smyrna, or some have claimed him to be from as far away as Babylon. • He is often said to have been blind, but the name “Homer” is a homophone with another Greek word that means “one who accompanies, one who is forced to follow,” or in some dialects “blind”

7. Nevertheless… • Whoever took it upon themselves to write down The Iliad and The Odyssey, they started something that western authors have been alluding to for thousands of years following…