Mnemonic Elements In The Odyssey

The fall of Troy in the 12th or 13th century BCE and the pursuit of historical/documentation gave inspiration for the composition of Homer’s the Odyssey. Epic poetry is seen by many historical scholars as Homer’s forte. His use of Odysseus as a centralized heroic figure, the heavy involvement of the Greek Gods, plentiful examples of repetition/enumerations, and Homer’s invoking of Zeus’ nine daughters the Muses are all glaring characteristics of epic poetry. These characteristics incidentally make excellent mnemonic devices. Evidence such as the way Athena speaks to Zeus: “Father of us all, thou son of Cronos, high above all lords…” in (Homer, Odyssey Book 1 line 45) which is repeated throughout the text is indicative of the poem’s auditory

Written in Archaic Greece – Homer’s the Odyssey demonstrates the advancement of Greek culture and history though its emphasis on cultural values and moral laws such as hospitality and loyalty. During the 8th century BCE the ancient world has experienced the development of the alphabet, the rise of massive stone temples to the Gods, the first Olympic games, the founding of Rome, and the emergence of the polis. These events are all signs of early modernization: with the development of the alphabet the Greeks now have a standardized written communication method and the emergence of the Olympic games shows that they now have more free time which can be spent on leisure. Homer being able to spend time and preserve important Greek cultural standards such as importance of hospitality

This line is an invocation by Homer or the orator for divine inspiration from the Muses – which were the nine daughters of Zeus responsible memory. Therefore, if the repetition of the poem was not enough to prove that the poem was delivered in an oratory fashion then the invocation of the Muses is a clear indication. Throughout the Odyssey we also see the heavy involvement with the gods primarily with Athena, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hermes. Athena watches over Odysseus throughout his travels by arguing his case before Zeus (resulting in Hermes freeing him from Calypso), providing him with words of wisdom, and also transforming him into various forms to keep him safe. The heavy involvement of the supernatural in the poem is yet another hallmark of epic poetry, all in an effort to ensure the preservation of Greek history and