Significance of Greek Epic Poetry: Earliest Extensive Narratives in a European Language

Significance of Greek Epic Poetry: earliest extensive narratives in a European language

Greek identity (Panhellenism)

primary source documents

influence

Early Greek Epic Poetry (Marks)

significance

Historical Contexts for Greek Epic

Bronze Age (BA) (c2000-1100 BCE): Minoans & Mycenaeans

the Trojan War

Early Iron Age (EIA) / Dark Ages (1100-800 BCE)

Greek Renaissance (800-700 BCE)

Orientalizing Period (700-600)

Archaic Period (600-480)

Classical Period (480-338)

Hellenistic Period (338-146)

The Parry-Lord Model of Oral Composition-in-Performance

methods: statistical, comparative

underlying structure of epic: meter, dactylic hexameter, formulas

performance & training of singers (Slavic guslari)

implications of the model

The Iliad: The Wrath of Achilles

mythological background: wedding of Peleus & Thetis, Judgment of Paris; assembly of Greek

beginning of the Iliad

the Muse

quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon

role of the gods

overall structure

Bks 1-4 withdrawal of Achilles to first battle scene

Bks 5-8 indecisive fighting > Zeus bans divine participation

Bks 9-12 embassy to Achilles; Trojans reach the ships

Bks 13-15 Greeks rally (Hera seduces Zeus)

Bks 16-19 death of Patroklos leads to return of Achilles

Bks 20-22 Achilles fights until he kills Hektor

Bks 23-24 funerals of Patroklos and Hektor

the withdrawal-devastation-return pattern