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Unraveling Homer: The Enigma Revealed

Delve into the mystery of Homer, the enigmatic writer behind The Odyssey and The Iliad. Explore his life, his influences, and the elements that define an epic poem. Uncover the secrets of an ancient literary master.

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Unraveling Homer: The Enigma Revealed

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  1. HOMER: The Man, the Mystery

  2. He Was Not: This Guy

  3. He Was Not From: This Place

  4. He Might Have Looked Like This:

  5. Or This:

  6. Or This:

  7. And He May Have Inspired People Like This:

  8. But… Though he wrote a few of the most famous texts in our literary history, very little is know about: • Who he was • Where he lived, and • How he came to write The Odyssey and The Iliad HOWEVER…

  9. Scholars Think That He: • Was blind • Composed The Odyssey in the late eighth or early seventh century B.C. • He lived in Ionia, located in eastern Aegean. • Wrote the poems to be sung/performed, but that he did write them down.

  10. So, What is an Epic poem? • 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. Examples: • The Divine Comedy • Beowulf • The Iliad • The Odyssey • Epic of Gilgamesh • The Aeneid

  11. In An epic poem… • A larger than life main character (demigods, heroes, etc.) that embodies the ideals of a particular culture or nation—epic struggle/goal • The gods/goddesses intervene in the events/mortal lives • Setting of upheaval/change. Ex. End of Trojan War. • “Epic” in length. Odyssey=24 books • Wide setting—travel spans countries, the time can span decades

  12. An Epic Poem Contains: • Long speeches in elevated/courtly language to recount events and stories in the fashion of bards—written for performance/song • In-medias-res opening (often) • Repetition: epithets—help in both meter form and establishing character “grey eyed Athena” • Epic similes—extended, ornate comparisons using like or as • The invocation of the muses at the start

  13. Homer DID Invoke the Muse/s:

  14. THE MUSES: • Zeus and Mnemosyne (goddess of Memory) • 9 nights=9 muses • Sing of the gods and their deeds—”sing” of the past deeds of a culture • Uphold the arts and sciences • Inspire and summon the memory in the arts • Authors call for inspiration—epic poetry • Homer calls “the muse” and the “muses

  15. THE MUSES • Calliope—epic poetry • Clio—history • Erato—love poetry • Euterpe—music • Melpomen—tragedy • Polyhymnia—hymns • Terpsichore—dance • Thaleia—comedy • Urania--astronomy

  16. MUSES

  17. MUSES

  18. “THE MUSE”: Calliope (ka-lye-a-pee) • Favorite of Homer • Muse of Epic Poetry • Eldest

  19. Invocation: • Calls to the muse to aid the author • Establishes plot • Establishes characters • Establishes theme • Calls to culture/history • Employs literary devices like: epithet and epic simile

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