Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey"

Paper Summary:

The poetic verses of Homer as found in his "Iliad" and "Odyssey" were handed down through the generations via the oral tradition, being the transmission of traditions from the past in the form of storytelling, which is closely related to the poetic style of oral presentation. This paper examines the form of poetry in both of Homer's works. In addition, it looks at the role of women in both plays and shows their importance in the overall structure and plot of the tales.

From the Paper:

"Out of all the female characters that play major and minor roles in the Odyssey, Penelope is by far the most important, due to being the wife of Odysseus, the mother of Telemachus, and the object of desire by the numerous suitors who attempt to take the place of Odysseus, thinking that he has perished at the hands of the gods. Her attitude toward these suitors is somewhat ambivalent, but "the reader is assured several times that her faithfulness to her husband is unswerving and Odysseus himself is also assured of this fact by Anticleia and Agamemmon in the
world of the dead and by Eumaeus in the land of the living" (Page, 215). It is also quite clear that Penelope has done everything she possibly can to avoid the pressures brought about by the suitors to marry one of them and forget about Odysseus."

More papers on Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey":

• Poem Review # 127032 : "Homer's "The Odyssey"
• Analytical Essay # 52273 : "Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey"
• Comparison Essay # 8285 : "Homer's "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey"

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