Greek Culture and History: Epics and the Epic Hero

What is an epic?

“A long narrative poem that tells of the adventures of heroes who in some way embody the values of their civilizations” (878).

Examples: The Odyssey and The Iliad by Homer

Epics became an essential for Greek Education. They gave form to Greek values.

How Greek Epics were performed in Greek culture

Told Orally: “[T]he Iliad and the Odyssey were originally told aloud by people who could not read and write” (883).

Spoke or sang the epic and an audience would watch.

Epics were so long that they could not be told in one sitting. It would take a couple of days.

Performance of Epics continued..

Repetition since it was orally told: “We can see from this why there is so much repetition in the Homeric epics. The oral storyteller, in fact, had a store of formulas ready in his memory” (883).

Homeric Similes were used: “[C]ompare heroic or epic events to simple and easily understandable everyday events- events the audience would recognize instantly” (884).

Use masks to show emotion when performing

What Epics possessed:

Greek gods and goddesses: Zeus, Athena, Aphrodite, Hermes, Apollo

Greek values and traditions. Love for their country.

Foreshadowing, flashbacks, Homeric similesForeshadowing: the use of clues or hints to suggest what is going to happen later in

the story.

Epic Heroes

What is an Epic Hero?

The main character in an epic whose heroic actions are central to his culture’s traditions and values.

Usually goes on a long journey and faces many obstacles.

Example: Odysseus from The Odyssey

Achilles from The Iliad

Background on the Iliad

The story before The Odyssey.

War between the Greeks and the Romans.

Based on theTrojan War and the myth of the Trojan Horse (wooden horse)

Book 22: Desolation Before Troy

The Greeks and the Trojans in the middle of war.

Achilles vs. Hector: Greek hero vs. Roman hero

Hector kills Achilles’ best friend and now the two are after one another. The battle scene.

Homer…the author of the Iliad

We know very little about Homer Many think he was a blind author/oral bard: “The

later Greeks believed he was a blind minstrel who came from the island of Chios” (882).

Some think Homer is just a legend He was a model for rhapsodes, which were

singer of tales (882).

References

Holt, Rinehart, & Winston (Eds.). (2003). Elements of Literature (3rd ed.). Austin, TX: A Harcourt Education Company.