Homer and the Epic. Oral Tradition Before written language, knowledge passed down orally through...
-
Upload
todd-mccormick -
Category
Documents
-
view
233 -
download
0
Transcript of Homer and the Epic. Oral Tradition Before written language, knowledge passed down orally through...
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