Ancient Greek Literature: Homer’s Iliad and Epic Poetry
Ancient Greek Literature: From Homeric Epics to the Iliad
Homeric or Achaean Period
This period produced the first literary works, both epic and lyric.
Dolicho-Ionian Period
Epic poetry appears to be the first manifestation, encompassing the stories of heroes and myths (the history of the gods). It manifests in heroic poetry (the history and exploits of heroes) and didactic poetry (intended to teach). The taste for rhythmic combinations and the progress of music determine the appearance of lyric monody and melic poetry. At the end of this period, two new developments emerge: prose and philosophy.
Penthouse Period
This period saw the rise of tragedy and comedy, along with improvements to prose. Philosophy exerted a tremendous influence.
Alexandrian Period
This era focused on investigation and reasoning.
Greco-Roman Period
This period was characterized by the imitation of the past.
The Epic
Characteristics of epic poetry:
- It was written to be recited before the Ionians and addressed lofty principles.
- The poet tells the facts objectively.
- The story dealt with gods, heroes, or noble figures.
- Gods are intertwined in the lives of men.
Definition of Hero
- A male figure illustrious and famous for his exploits and virtues.
- One who carries out a heroic action.
- The main character in every poem that represents an action.
- Any of the high-status characters in the epic.
- (According to the RAE): Someone born of a god or goddess and a human, famous for their deeds and virtues.
The Hero in the Iliad
He is the most humane, reflecting the most elevated virtues. He is less harsh than the brave warriors and is said to represent a more traditional concept of the epic hero.
Definition of Epic
An epic is a tale of extraordinary feats performed by heroic characters that represent the glory of a people and are of interest to all humanity. It originates with the birth of a people, and its first manifestations are hymns in honor of the gods. Later, with the emergence of heroes who guide and lead the people, hymns are dedicated to their deeds.
Key Features of Epics
- Reflects the spirit of an era or civilization (values, beliefs, traditions, etc.).
- Possesses a sense of greatness.
- Has meaning for a people (the poet interprets the people’s feelings).
- Highlights the sense of human limitation.
- Characters are imbued with greatness and possess qualities or defects of human beings.
- Each part is independent yet subordinate to the main theme.
The Iliad
The Iliad is a Greek epic poem, traditionally attributed to Homer. Composed in dactylic hexameters, its plot revolves around the rage of Achilles. It chronicles the events that occurred during 51 days in the tenth and final year of the Trojan War.
Theme
The central theme is the anger of Achilles, which can be divided into two stages:
- Anger against Agamemnon (leading to his withdrawal from the war).
- Anger against Hector (son of King Priam) after Hector kills Patroclus, prompting Achilles’ return to battle.
Composition
The Iliad recounts an episode that lasted 51 days during the tenth and final year of the Trojan War. It was divided by the Alexandrians into rhapsodies, songs, or books. This epic contains over 12,000 hexameter verses. It is believed to have been written in the 9th century BC. The epic was created using a mix of dialects, supporting the hypothesis that it was not written by Homer alone but rather that multiple individuals contributed to its composition.
Epithets
The pre-Homeric language contains numerous epithets used to present characters, develop the story, and describe the characteristics of gods. Many of these are images, brief metaphors of beauty, descriptions, etc., that aid our imagination.
Repetitions
A large number of verses are repeated without changes, sometimes appearing in different characters, especially when it comes to commands, messages, or resolutions.
Descriptions
The poem features varied descriptions of characters and objects. Characters are presented using brief descriptions that include extraordinary visual and aural elements. The poet uses light and its absence to accompany the idea of mystery or horror. Arms and men are treated more descriptively, while character and nature are treated less extensively. The poem begins with the invocation of a god: “Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles, son of Peleus.” Greek poets believed that poetry did not come directly from men but that the gods sang in their souls. They began by asking a god to inspire them to sing. The opening lines indicate that this is an important issue: the anger of Achilles and its adverse consequences on the Achaeans. This indicates that the poet of the first song views events from the Achaean perspective. The author does not specify who Achilles or Agamemnon were, assuming that the audience is familiar with these names. The song has a large unit and is distributed across two levels: Earth and Olympus. It consists of a series of short scenes.