Homer and the Homer and the EpicEpic

Oral TraditionOral Tradition

Before written Before written language, knowledge language, knowledge passed down orally passed down orally through generationsthrough generations

Artists with a gift & Artists with a gift & memory for memory for storytellingstorytelling

Musical Musical accompanimentaccompaniment

Greatest storyteller: Greatest storyteller: HomerHomer

Homer with Lyre

Lyre

HomerHomer 2,700 years ago, 700 BCE2,700 years ago, 700 BCE Hear literature instead of Hear literature instead of

reading itreading it Developing Greek alphabetDeveloping Greek alphabet Like most people of this Like most people of this

time, he probably could not time, he probably could not read or writeread or write

Legend is that he was blindLegend is that he was blind Created 2 of the earliest Created 2 of the earliest

epic poemsepic poems– Iliad- set during the Iliad- set during the

Trojan WarTrojan War– The Odyssey- Odysseus’s The Odyssey- Odysseus’s

trip home after wartrip home after war

Subjects & Subjects & SourcesSources

Events from history, Events from history, legends, myths, & folk legends, myths, & folk talestales

Homer added Homer added imagination, insight into imagination, insight into human condition, & human condition, & experience in storytellingexperience in storytelling

Poseidon

Polyphemus (Cyclopes)Warfare

Subjects & SourcesSubjects & Sources Heroes won & lost, Heroes won & lost,

but tale always but tale always

uplifted the uplifted the human spirithuman spirit

Audiences Audiences believed storiesbelieved stories

The Trojan War

Polyphemus (Cyclopes)

How ComposedHow Composed

Like a musician Like a musician – To a steady rhythmTo a steady rhythm– Alternating long and short Alternating long and short

syllablessyllables– Recycle long passages, routine Recycle long passages, routine

actions (like a chorus), audience looked actions (like a chorus), audience looked forward toforward to

– Verbal formulasVerbal formulas ““gray-eyed Athena”- epithetsgray-eyed Athena”- epithets ““fingertips of rose”- epithetsfingertips of rose”- epithets

Somewhat different every timeSomewhat different every time

Lyre