Homer s The Iliad And The Odyssey Essay - 1590 Words

One of the greatest and highly esteemed authors throughout all of history is known simply as Homer. Homer is the author who gave a visible, written form to two of the greatest and highly respected epic stories of the world of the ancient Greeks, the Iliad and The Odyssey. However, none are certain of the time in which Homer lived. It is believed now that, if Homer was at all more than myth himself, he did not create the two stories, rather he organized or edited the poems in a written form (Bloom). Regardless of Homer’s involvement with the two stories, these ancient tales are distinct and characterized by the world in which they were conceived. The Iliad and The Odyssey both heavily draw inspiration from and are firmly founded upon the religious beliefs of the ancient Greeks. Being so firmly founded upon the ancient Greek religion, which has for centuries been mythology with many mystical and unusual creatures of fantasy, homer’s tales have withstood the test of time, captivating the attention of countless readers though many millennia and inspired the imagination of those who have read through the glorious epic. As to the origins of Homer, much is unclear. Where did he lived? Where he was from? When did he live? These are all mysteries with very little evidence to support any definite answers. Though many cities of the Ancient Greek world had claimed that they were the home of the greatly esteemed Homer, details in his stories lead toward the beliefs of many that his homeShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Homer s The Iliad And The Odysseys1428 Words   |  6 PagesHomer’s The Iliad and The Odysseys are depicted on the vases. Each vase has a story and the painters depict the moments or events in the poem in the exact way Homer describes. However, some depictions on the vases could be dramatized by the painters because the painter brought their imagination from the story of Homer. Through the Ancient Greek vases, we can get new information or background information about the Homer’s poem and we can understand the scenes better in the Iliad and the odysseys even thoughRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s The Iliad And The Odysseys1428 Words   |  6 PagesHomer’s The Iliad and The Odysseys are depicted on the vases. Each vase has a story and the painters depict the moments or events in the poem in the exact way Homer describes. However, some depictions on the vases could be dramatized by the painters because the painter brought their imagination from the story of Homer. Through the Ancient Greek vases, we can get new information or background information about the Homer’s poem and we can understand the scenes better in the Iliad and the odysseys even thoughRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s The Iliad And The Odyssey Essay1606 Words   |  7 PagesBy examining the roles that women play in Homer’s epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey, the political divide becomes even more apparent. The role of women is clearly defined throughout these literary works, and some of what Homer teaches us is still pertinent today. One such instance that draws attention to t he political divide is the structure of leadership in Ithaca. Penelope in The Odyssey assumes a position of power while Odysseus is away from Ithaca fighting in the Trojan War. She defies theRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s Epic Of The Iliad And Odyssey903 Words   |  4 PagesWith this personal narrative, I will analyze two themes from Homer’s epic’s pertaining to the Iliad and the Odyssey. I have chosen hospitality (Xenia) and shame (Aidos) as the subject of interest, and will focus on these as a main source of the topic. Xenia is the ancient Greek word for â€Å"hospitality†, which is the consideration and kindness shown to those who are far from home and/or associates of the person bestowing xenia upon them. The rituals of hospitality created and conveyed a reciprocalRead MoreHomer s Epic Poems, The Iliad And The Odyssey1254 Words   |  6 Pagesthe Greek Poet Homer. Actually, there are many who believe that no such ‘Homer’ ever even existed in Ancient Greece. Nonetheless, it is agreed that Homer is one of the first writers that have shaped our culture immensely. Homer gives us a look into what morals the Greeks followed and what their beliefs were. Homer shows us how the Greeks put these beliefs into action by presenting multiple struggles that our characters must go through. Homer’s epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey, are thousandsRead MoreComparison Of Virgil s The Aeneid, The Iliad And Homer s `` The Odyssey `` Essay1155 Words   |  5 Pagesthe outcome will remai n the same. The idea of being able to control one’s own fate is laughed at. This idea of a definite destiny is found in both Virgil’s â€Å"The Aeneid† and Homer’s â€Å"The Odyssey.† Both hero’s lives are shaped by their destiny and it forces them to make difficult decisions. In â€Å"The Odyssey† Homer presents us with an epic hero, Odysseus. A man who fought in the Trojan War and won. All he wants is to return home and be with his family. He was given a prophecy by the seer TiresiasRead MoreGreek Mythology By Homer s Odyssey, Iliad And Hesiod s Theogony2522 Words   |  11 Pages Different regions of the Greek empire had different heroes with their own traditions, and thus Greek mythology was firmly tied to it geographical location. Geography and physical places helped shape Greek mythology to a large extent. Homer’s Odyssey, Iliad and Hesiod’s Theogony are examples of Greek mythology where the myth is tied with the geographical space. With the mention of place, these poets strive to appeal to as many city-states as possible. Mentioning as many places and incidents occurringRead MoreThe Iliad And The Odyssey1060 Words   |  5 PagesHomer once said, â€Å"Hateful to me as the gates of Hades is that man who hides one thing in his heart and speaks another.† (The Iliad pg.405) The quote is relevant to the stories Homer created during the period of the Trojan War. Homer orally performed two of his best works The Iliad and The Odyssey. Homer’s stories are old and probably translated differently than their original telling. Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey still show the basic human emotions and are an inspiration to other authors, poetsRead MoreComparison Between The Odyssey And The Iliad1068 Words   |  5 Pagesnovel The Odyssey, the author Homer describes an outcry against death; whereas in the Iliad death is portrayed as an accomplishment., Both were in the times that is also known as Before Common Era, or BCE. It is known that Iliad begins 10 years before the great Seige of Troy and eventually the odyssey had begun a couple years after that(Classical Lit). When Homer had written these novels it is clear that they have numerous lines, and Homer had written both. In the novel The Iliad it consistsRead MoreGreek Mythology1294 Words   |  6 Pagestutorials, developing arguments, and writing essays. Required Texts: 1) Aeschylus, Oresteia, trans. C. Collard (Oxford World s Classics) 2) Euripides, Bacchae, trans. Paul Woodruff (Hackett) 3) Hesiod, Works and Days and Theogony, trans. Stanley Lombardo (Hackett) 4) Homer, The Iliad, trans. Robert Fitzgerald (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux) 5) Homer, The Odyssey, trans. Robert Fitzgerald (New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux) 6) Virgil, The Aeneid, trans. R. Fitzgerald (Vintage, 1990)