Ekphrasis In The Iliad Research Paper

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One of the short but readily important themes throughout Homer’s Iliad is Ekphrasis. One may wonder when this had occurred as much of the Iliad’s vivid descriptions detail the heat of battle, but this ever prevalent symbol occurs much later in the book. Ekphrasis can be seen in the crafting of the new shield for Achilles from Hephaestus, “Five were the layers of the shield itself; and on it he wrought many curious devices with cunning skill. Therein he wrought the earth, therein the heavens therein the sea, and the unwearied sun, and the moon at the full…” (Homer). Homer continues onto describe the five folds of the shield to which he has placed. The first obviously being all of the spacely bodies, the sun, moon, etc., as these forces are the

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