Showing results for "Homer" in Literary History & Criticism

Homer's Iliad is the famous epic poem set among the tales of Troy. Its subject is the anger of the hero Achilles and its consequences for the warring Greeks and Trojans. Unlike other books on the Iliad, this one combines the detailed expertise of a historian with the sensitivity of a teacher of it as poetry. Lane Fox goes on to consider hallmarks of the poem, its values, implicit and explicit, its characters, its women, its gods and even its horses. He argues repeatedly for its beautiful observation and addresses its parallel use of what is, to us, the natural world.

The Iliad, together with the Odyssey, is one of two ancient Greek epic poems traditionally attributed to Homer. The poem is commonly dated to the 8th or 7th century BC, and many scholars believe it is the oldest extant work of literature in the Greek language, making it the first work of European literature. The existence of a single author for the poems is disputed as the poems themselves show evidence of a long oral tradition and hence, multiple authors. The poem concerns events during the tenth and final year in the siege of the city of Iliun, or Troy, by the Greeks.View our entire ...

The Odyssey is the original hero’s journey, an epic voyage into the unknown, and has inspired other creative work for millennia. With its consummately modern hero, full of guile and wit, always prepared to reinvent himself in order to realize his heart’s desire—to return to his home and family after ten years of war—the Odyssey now speaks to us again across 2,600 years.

Here are the most exciting and essential parts of two historic, epic poems: the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey". The ancient words of Homer find a new home in today's world - spoken aloud, just as Homer intended. Translated by Stanley Lombardo.

The Iliad by Homer is a legendary sonnet set during the Trojan Conflict, zeroing in on the contention between the Greek legend Achilles and the Trojan sovereign Hector. The sonnet starts with Achilles' indignation after his authority, Agamemnon, claims away his reward, the lady Briseis. Achilles pulls out from the fight, prompting Greek misfortunes. As the Trojans, drove by Hector, make strides, Achilles' companion Patroclus wears Achilles' protection and is killed by Hector. Irritated, Achilles gets back to fight, kills Hector, and disrespects his body. At last, Lord Priam of Troy asks ...

The Odyssey is one of the two major ancient Greek epic poems (the other being the Iliad), attributed to the poet Homer. The poem is commonly dated to between 800 and 600 BC. The poem is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, and concerns the events that befall the Greek hero Odysseus in his long journey back to his native land Ithaca after the fall of Troy.It takes Odysseus ten years to return to his native land of Ithaca after ten years of war; during his 20-year absence, his son Telemachus and his wife Penelope must deal with a group of unruly suitors who have moved into Odysseus' home to compete ...

This guide opens up Homer’s The Odyssey and highlights the universal themes of endurance and longing for rest as displayed in this epic tale of a man trying to find his way home.

At the age of 48, film critic David Denby returned to his alma mater, Columbia University, to re-experience the core humanities courses he had taken as a freshman 30 years before. Facing the question of what he really knows, Denby re-examines the besieged Western classics, ranging from Homer, Sappho, and Sophocles to Dante, Nietzsche, and Woolf. What relevance do the writers and thinkers of the past have to our current life? The answer surprised Denby and will surprise and enlighten his listeners.

Here are some interesting facts about The Odyssey by Homer:The Odyssey is one of the oldest extant works of Western literature, dating back to around the 8th century BC. It is an oral epic, meaning that it was originally transmitted orally rather than in writing.The poem is divided into 24 books, and it tells the story of the Greek hero Odysseus's journey home after the Trojan War. Odysseus's journey is long and perilous, and he faces many challenges along the way, including monsters, storms, and the wrath of the gods.The Odyssey is a complex and multi-layered poem. It explores a wide range of...