Homer’s Rhetorical imagery in Book 9: In the One-Eyed Giant’s Cave
Homer’s Odyssey is filled with the several different dimensions of literary strengths he possessed as a poet. The strong use of imagery is a reoccurring theme throughout his work Homer’s gift of description is the focus point of every book in the Odyssey, especially in book nine: In the One-Eyed Giant’s Cave. In book nine of the Odyssey Homer used imagery as well as literary devices to convey his gift of description to his audience. Throughout this paper Homer’s usage of imagery in book 9: In the One-Eyed Giant’s Cave of his work the Odyssey will be analyzed and documented.
The imagery of food is a reoccurring theme throughout Homer’s Odyssey, Homer paints vivid pictures of
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“so nothing is as sweet as a man’s own country” (Homer 9.39) Homer referenced one’s country as being a “sweet” he painted the imagery of the audience’s homeland as a blissful place which is not applicable to everyone’s interpretation. Some might view their country as the total opposite of a “sweet” place. Homer does an excellent job creating these larger than life characters one in particular that he used great detail to describe was the Cyclops Polyphemus. Calvin S. Byre’s article “The Rhetoric of Description in "Odyssey" 9.116-41: Odysseus and Goat Island” he focuses on how Homer depicts Polyphemus as a dangerous massive creature. Polyphemus size is described in the following lines as monstrous, Homer is building the suspense of the audience by giving a very detailed description of only the top half of the creator allowing the minds of the audience to wander
“here was a piece of work, by god, a monster
Built like no mortal who ever supped on
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Scatological imagery plays a major role in book 9 of the Odyssey, it creates a gory horror setting that has not yet been introduced until now in the epic. The imagery is a thrilling turn in the rhetoric of the story as it described the barbaric nature of Polyphemus,
“their brains gushed out all over, soaked the floor—
And ripping them limb from limb to fix his meal
He bolted them down like a mountain-lion, left no scrap, devoured entrails, flesh and bones, marrow and all!” (Homer 9.227-230) the imagery Homer uses is outstanding and definitely advanced for his time. Homer could have easily depicted the scene where Polyphemus becomes intoxicated as him just simply passing out but including the vomit really shows the audience how extremely drunk he
Rengakos, Antonios. Homertext und die Hellenistichen Dichter. Hermes. Einzelschriften, Heft 64. Stuttgart, F. Steiner, 1993.
Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988
Homer, The Odyssey, The Norton Anthology of World Masterpieces, ed. Maynard Mack, Expanded Edition, (New York: W. W. Norton, 1995), pp. 219-503.
Heubeck, Alfred, Stephanie West, and J.B. Hainsworth. A Commentary on Homer's Odyssey. New York: Oxford UP, 1988.
Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988
Homer’s work, adopted epic conventions and captivates the audience by presenting majestic characters. All points considered an epic cannot solely be labeled as a poem. The omission of epic conventions does not allow for a plot such as The Odyssey’s to develop. Therefore, the existence of distinguishing elements is classified as indispensable. An epic calls for the reader to focus and appreciate the manner in which it is presented. The style is ideally formatted to expose heroism to the audience, whether it’s teenagers today or the ancient Greeks. The Odyssey defines heroism through Odysseus and the concept although modified is relevant and valuable to our society. Ultimately, the events of the series of cantos strengthen the regard in which we hold heroic
Homer (Translated by Robert Fagles. Preface by Bernard Knox). The Odyssey. New York: Viking Penguin, div. of Penguin Books, Ltd. 1996.
Each species of monster within The Odyssey represents one or more qualities that the Greeks have demonized in comparison to themselves. The one-eyed Cyclops present a monster with extremely barbaric qualities that the Greeks abhor.
The epic The Odyssey is about a hero named Odysseus that must go through many life threatening situations in order to return to his loving family. Odysseus undergoes many trials and obstacles in the form of mythological beasts that stand in the way of arriving home. All of the archetypes that show up in Ancient Greek culture are very similar to the ones that appear in modern times. The Odyssey takes place in the twelfth century B.C where its plot setting stretches from the Aegean and surrounding seas to his birthplace of Ithaca. This epic is an example in which its main story is covered by what writers base their characters off of today:archetypes. Homer wrote The Odyssey to get readers excited to learn about the archetypes that relate to the
Heubeck, Alfred, J.B. Hainsworth, et al. A commentary on Homer's Odyssey. 3 Vols. Oxford PA4167 .H4813 1988
The Odyssey is filled with emotion and adventure. Homer’s ability to show and give the reader a visual of each and every scene gives the story its unbelievable significance. To all the people who read his work there is something to be captured within every sentence, each one different in its own, unique way. Through tales of courage and defeat, friendship and love this book tells of all the values within the life of a single, solitary man, and his journey to attain what is true and dear to him. And this journey is known to all of us as The Odyssey. The Odyssey is a test of human devotion and trust through the gods, the mortals, and the obstacles through which they venture. No matter where they go or what they do, humans are tested for certain characteristics everyday of their lives, whether they realize it or not; and The Odyssey is just one of those many miraculous tests.
Home was a prevalent concept in Ancient Greece. Not only was there a goddess of the hearth and home, Hestia, but hospitality towards others was highly stressed. Home was regarded as a place to escape from chaos in the outside world. Homer and Euripides in The Odyssey and Medea, respectively, use the motif of home to show the difference in an individual’s public manner versus their personal, more natural manner. This difference is caused by the different levels of comfort individuals have in different settings. Specifically, the two works portray the difference through experience of the characters, mistrust developed towards others, and the maintenance of dual identities.
Homer. ?The Odyssey,? World Masterpieces: Expanded Edition. Maynard Mack ed. Ed. Coptic St.: Prentice, 1995.
Homer. The Odyssey: Fitzgerald Translation. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1998. Print.
In conclusion, the “Odyssey” is one of the greatest literary works ever known and this literary analysis should help the reader to understand the important components of the novel such as theme, characters, relationships, symbols, motifs, literary devices, and tone.