What problems have you identified in making connections between the
world described in the Homeric poems and the archaeological evidence
you have studied? How far do you think it is possible to resolve these
problems?
In this essay I shall demonstrate that it is not currently possible to
resolve the problems I have identified in making connections, between
the world of the Homeric poems and the archaeological evidence I have
studied. This essay will deal with two specific areas, the first is
that of the problems associated with the citadel of Troy while the
second, will deal with the problems posed by, Homers descriptions of
the armour and the weapons used by the hero’s of the Iliad.
In book six of the Iliad Homer mentions a series of features in
relation to the citadel of Troy. These range from the description of
the hero’s houses, such as Hektor’s ‘well established dwelling’ in 370
and Paris’ ‘high house’ in 503, to the descriptions of the defences of
the city as found in lines 327 where he mentions ‘the steep wall’, and
in line 386 the ‘great bastions of Ilion’. When looking at the
archaeological evidence that remains at the site of Troy (known today
as Hissarlik), we find that there are several related problems which
make its interpretation and therefore its connection to the world
described by Homer in the Iliad difficult. The first problem
relates to the history of the site in terms of its habitation. First
settled in 3000BCE, evidence from archaeology suggests that there are
a total of 50 settlement layers that makeup the mound on which the
citadel was built, (These have subsequently been subdivided into nine
sect...
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...o be resolved there would need to be a discovery on the
site, of some form of textual evidence that explicitly refers to the
events as described by Homer in his poems (AC4, band 6). The issues
relating to the Armour and weapons of the Iliad are also difficult to
resolve in relation to the world created by Homer, as the
archaeological evidence clearly indicates that, the stories have
changed, being manipulated as they passed through centuries of oral
recitation. It is therefore my conclusion that it is not currently
possible to resolve the issues that have been dealt with within this
essay.
Bibliography
Homer (1961) The Iliad of Homer, tr. Richmond Lattimore, London, The
University of Chicago Press Ltd
Malcolm M. Willcock (1976) A companion to the Iliad, London, The
University of Chicago Press Ltd.
According to Don Talpalriu with Softpedia, copper and bronze weapons were found 500 miles from Athens in 2008. In the Odyssey, Telemachus provides evidence on page 55 that there were five main sources of elements to be found in Greece:
It is important to note that the Iliad is originally a poem told by many bards and storytellers; by using similes, Homer compliments the spoken word of the Iliad with a visual component. In certain scenes, Homer utilizes similes in the Greeks’ favor, elevating their battle prowess in comparison to the Trojans. Presented to a primarily Greek audience, Homer’s particularity in bolstering the Greek army plays to the bias of the audience––augmenting the atmosphere of the crowd. The implementation of similes throughout the epic is vital to the poem as it provides the Greek audience with a brief respite from the practically nonstop gore of
Homer’s famous work, The Odyssey, is the epic tale of Odysseus’ decade-long journey to return home from the Trojan War. It was during the finale of the war, Battle of Troy, that Odysseus employed his celebrated Wooden Horse stratagem. His treacherous journey home is marked by catastrophe after catastrophe, but Homer uses these challenges to develop Odysseus’ character, to humble him and to give him knowledge. This essay will examine Odysseus’ identity and its progression throughout the book; the explanation of the metaphor of “home”; ancient Greek society; and the character development of Penelope, Telemachus and the Suitors.
Greek mythology deals significantly with culture and its factors, as they describe the societies and the people inhabiting it by depicting their everyday life and the state of their land. Both Hephaestus, in Homer’s Iliad, and Odysseus, in Homer’s The Odyssey, set out to portray the cultures that they saw, yet the cultures and societies varied greatly, from Hephaestus illustrating the highly developed societies of the Greek and their culture; while on the other hand, Odysseus seems baffled by how underdeveloped the Cyclopes land and culture is. Hephaestus and Odysseus seem to have the same understanding what is normal of a culture, society, and their factors; however, there are noteworthy variations between their accounts.
The narrative epic, ‘The Odyssey’ composed by Homer between 750 and 650 BC recounts the nostos or homeward voyage of Odysseus If I were you, I should take steps to make these men disperse. Listen, now, and attend to what I say: at daybreak call the islanders to assembly, and speak your will, and call the gods to witness: the suitors must go scattering to their homes. Then here’s a course for you, if you agree: get a sound craft afloat with twenty oars and go abroad for news of your lost father— perhaps a traveller’s tale, or rumored fame issued from Zeus abroad in the world of men. Talk to that noble sage at Pylos, Nestor, then go to Menelálos, the red-haired king 330 at Sparta, last man home of all the Akhaians. If you should learn your father is alive and coming home, you could hold out a year.
The famous literary works of Gilgamesh, Ramayana, and The Odyssey have been studied, written about, and heralded in the literary world many times over. Each of the literary pieces has been held in the highest esteem for varying different reasons. Some of them have been because of the literary influences that they have produced over the subsequent years and the religious influences they had. The purpose of this writing assignment is to compare and contrast the religious influences found in each of the literary works.
Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988
The development of the theories of art education by various theories has been influenced by the various artistic works, especially poetry. In the past few centuries, poetry has become an important element in the development of English literature and various theories on the art of education. Notably, these poetry and theories are developed by various philosophers who have contributed in the growth of the field of education and the teaching practice. Apart from contributing to the development of education and teaching practice, these works of poetry helps in understanding medieval societies and the modern society in light of the changes that have taken place. This is achieved through portrayal of cultural stereotypes, heroic
Women play an outstanding large role in "The Odyssey" by the Greek poet Homer, although it is much of a tale of a man's heroic quest."The Odyssey" by homer is majority move around Odysseus's quest to return back to his home and wife, Penelope, so that he may be reunited with her someday and take control over his place, which was overrun by suitors. In the presence of the many suitors, Odysseus's son, Telemachos attempts to regain authority but he finds this difficult and he started his own journey under the guidance of Athena. The most parts of the story of "The Odyssey" focus upon the adventures of Odysseus as he endeavors to get back home, which he finally does in the end.
The Odyssey is an epic poem originally written by Homer, and was translated by Robert Fitzgerald. The Odyssey, remains relevant today because of the wisdom that Odysseus has and he’s sharing his wisdom with his son and we learn from Odysseus’ wisdom from reading the story. The theme that is relevant today, that was also relevant in The Odyssey, is that some kids all over the world are suffering from only having one parent taking care of them.
Homer’s Iliad has been a European myth for many millennia , the long poetic narrative written in the 8th century B.C. recounts a fearsome war fought over a beautiful woman. The reliability of Homers Iliad as a true historical document has been challenged for hundreds of years and only through archaeological studies can the truth be deciphered. The Iliad was written five centuries after the war, where the stories had been passed down through the oral tradition, therefore the type of society reflected within the poems resemble much more the time of Homer . The fact and fiction of the Iliad has been uncovered through archaeology. Archaeologist found a site in which they thought to have been ‘Troy’ destroyed by the powerful country of Mycenae in the late Bronze Age. They found large amount of material culture from where they could reconstruct the society, this included pottery, engravings, murals and clay tablets. A reason for the Trojan War has always inspired great controversy. The Trojan War according to Homer was fought over the abduction of a beautiful women but this theory appears improbable. Other causes which could have sparked a war is Troy’s geographical positioning. This made it extremely opulent, where other countries of the Aegean would trade there goods and use its harbour. The Mycenaean’s being an extremely imperial, violent and militaristic country would have seen Troy as a great opportunity to gain territory and wealth, on this motive the war took place.
Aesop, Hesiod, Pindar, and Sappho were all great Greek poets that have work still alive today, but one author stands out above the rest. His name is Homer. Homer was a Greek poet that lived somewhere on the coast of Asia Minor into Greek territory. He grew up to become the most well known Greek poet ever. He is also one of the most influential writers in Western culture to have existed. Along with his writings being influential to others, these passages were shaped by his own experiences and learned knowledge. Homer’s epics and other writings were influenced by the traditions of storytelling, Greece’s history, and his religious beliefs.
During this rather short Spring Semester, I have grown quite a bit as a student through projects that forced me to test my skills and improve. So, in the beginning of the semester, the meaning of works really baffled me. I struggled with identifying theme and analysing it, which is a pretty huge skill in literature. However, the Odyssey project in Honors English served as a vessel to improve these skills. In the project, we had to analyse the theme of a book in the Odyssey, specifically, Book 21. I had to take this theme, show how it is apparent in the book, and then, the big one, find another piece of media that shares the theme while comparing how it is shown there and in the Odyssey. To add insult to injury, my ability to create slideshows
Homer. ?The Odyssey,? World Masterpieces: Expanded Edition. Maynard Mack ed. Ed. Coptic St.: Prentice, 1995.
Book Six of The Iliad depicts one of the most interesting conflicts depicted by Homer in this poem, one that occurs between both Hector and Paris in a passage approximately between 380 through 410. Through the context and language Homer uses to illustrate this conflict also explores certain characteristics of these two Trojans. This characterization of Hector and Paris is important as it scrutinizes the brotherly relationship that exists between these characters, offering insight into their personalities and characteristics. The language that Homer uses to describe the conflict in this particular passage establishes the relationship and characteristics of Hector and Paris through the conflict, highlighting the fundamental aspects and values