The Iliad

1
The Iliad

• Books 1-8

2
Some Features of Homers Style

• Special formulaic language of the aoidos such as
  fixed and recurring epithets and type scenes
• Exaggerated, leisurely pace of story-telling
• Dislike of suspense
• Fondness for lists (genealogies, catalogues), may
  derive from an oral way of organizing information
• Similes - far more common in the Iliad than the
  Odyssey a way of stopping the action, commenting
  on it, enriching or judging it.

3
Homeric Similes
4
Homer and Plot

• Aristotle analyzed plot as a literary
  representation of a single action (praxis) its
  beginning, middle, and end.
• The action of the Iliad the anger of Achilles.
• Modern films have 3 parts separated by a plot
  point (an incident that changes the direction of
  the story). Primary plot points of a 120 minute
  film appear at minutes 30 and 90, with a
  subordinate plot point at minute 60, the midpoint
  of the film.

5
Homeric epics tripartite structure

• The Iliad
• Plot point 1 the quarrel between Achilles and
  Agamemnon, who takes away his concubine (Books
  1-16).
• Secondary plot point the embassy to Achilles
• Plot point 2 the death of Patroklus (Achilles
  avenges him and abandons his anger).

6
Time frame of the Iliad

• The entire span of the epic is 51 days, but
  almost the entire poem is devoted to 4 days
  (Books 3-22).

7
Narrative Units

• Invocation The Anger of Achilles (1.1-7)
• Homer places the theme before us, in fact, in the
  first word.
• He begins not such much in medias res but at the
  beginning of his story (the anger).

8
Ransom of Chryseis (1.8-611)

• Key concepts to know
• geras (prize visible representation of personal
  honor).
• time (honor, value, worth)
• kleos (immortal glory)
• menis (superhuman rage)

9
What sets off the quarrel?

• Book 1.1-300 one of the greatest action
  sequences in literature. Homer defines the story
  of the double-bind, or Catch-22 no matter which
  way a character turns, he is ruined.

10
Motif the helpful mother

• No common goal can overcome individual conflict.
• To whom does Achilles turn for help?

11
The False Dream (2.1-210)

• Direction of action changes completely.
• The sequence that follows Achilles withdrawal
  must show how Zeus brought the Achaians defeat
  (his promise to Thetis).
• Homer now gives us the story of the Trojan War
  - the sequence of scenes gives us the sense that
  time is passing things are happening as
  Achilles sits out the fighting.

12
Agamemnons Foolish Plan

• Why does Agamemnon tell his troops that they will
  never conquer Troy?
• What happens then?
• Anti-war themes in Greek warrior culture
• Who retrieves the situation?
• What does the Thersites scene do for the
  narrative?

13
Catalogue of Ships (2.441-887)

• To magnify the battles greatness, Homer lists
  the combatants here.
• One of most famous similes - comparison of troops
  with birds and flies.
• First geography of the western world.

14
Catalogue of Ships

• The information given here doesnt always agree
  with that in the rest of the poem. The catalogue
  was probably a traditional song from Boiotia.
• Homer starts his description with the Boiotians,
  then spirals first counter-clockwise, then
  clockwise.

15
The Trojan Catalogue

• Shorter than the Greek.
• Organized first from N to S, from Troy to Caria,
  then follows the southern coast of Asia Minor to
  Lycia.
• The sheer mass of names in the catalogues gives
  us a feeling for the immensity of the war about
  to unfold.

16
Helen on the Wall (3.121-244)

• Before the armies clash, we now meet Hektor, the
  major Trojan hero, who proposes a duel between
  Menelaos and Paris (belongs to first year of war)
• Helen goes out to watch from the walls.

17
The Teikhoskopia

• Helen joins the gathered Trojan elders on the
  walls.
• Kindly Priam reassures her, then asks her to
  identify the Greek heroes below. This action
  belongs to the first year of the war, also.
• Menelaos is beating Paris when Aphrodite spirits
  him away, forces Helen to go to him.

18
Treachery of Pandarus (4.1-219) Marshalling
of the Host (4.220-363)

• At the end of narrative units, Homer tends to get
  the action going again via type scenes divine
  assemblies, arming, feasting, and sacrifice
  scenes.
• How do the gods get the fighting going?
• Homer delays the outbreak of fighting with a
  second catalogue of Achaians. What do we learn
  from this?

19
Glory of Diomedes (4.364-5.909)

• First major fighting sequence features Diomedes.
• Homeric fighting - between individual heroes. The
  hero kills and gets the time.
• aristeia a sequence of scenes glorifying a hero
  (moment of excellence).

20
Narrative Pattern

• The story is supposed to be telling us how the
  Trojans defeated the Achaians by the will of Zeus
  and request of Achilles, but in fact the Greek
  heroes are driving back the Trojans. Probably
  shows influence of rich tradition of tales
  telling of Achaian victories, and a poor
  tradition of telling of Trojan.

21
Dying enemies

• Homer tells us, as each man dies, enough about
  him to make us feel the pathos of his death.
• This engages readers and makes them appreciate
  the human cost of war.

22
Glaucus Diomedes (6.1-236)

• The meeting of Glaucus from Lycia and Diomedes
  from Argos gives us a respite from the gore of
  war and a quiet end to Diomedes aristeia.
• Features one of Homers great similes
  (generations of leaves ephemeral nature of human
  life)
• Brings the bond of xenia back to forefront.

23
Hektor and Andromache (6.237-529)

• Shows us life in the Trojan city
• Shows us Hektor as brother, son, brother-in-law
  and husband (not just warrior).
• Reminds us what is at stake.
• Gender roles I have learned to fight in the
  forefront of battle
• Hektor must fight, no matter the consequences.

24
Women as Delayers

• Women seek to delay Hektor
• Hecuba - wine
• Helen - seat in womens quarters
• Andromache - for my sake, dont go
• out and fight again.
• The scene of Hektor and Andromache at the Skaian
  Gate is one of most famous in literature.

25

• The family scene of Hektor, Andromache and
  Astyanax is contrasted with the fruitless union
  of Paris and Helen - built on lust, it leads
  nowhere but to death. Their selfishness and
  enslavement to personal pleasure will bring the
  doom of city and Trojans.

26
The Duel Between Hektor and Ajax (Book 7)

• The first day of fighting hasnt yet finished
  when Hektor returns to the plain with Paris.
• At Apollos instigation, Hektor suddenly issues a
  challenge to duel (belongs in first year of war).
• Ajax wins the lot.
• Duel is stylized verbal insults, javelins,
  stones duel is stopped before swordfight.

27
End of the Day

• Nestor asks for truce for collection of dead
  recommends the Achaians built a wall before the
  ships (1st year of war).
• Trojan council recommends Paris return Helen and
  treasure he refuses to give back Helen (1st year
  of war).

28
Trojans Triumphant (Book 8)

• Homer needs to prepare for the midpoint of the
  plot, the embassy to Achilles, so we need to see
  the Greeks in deep trouble to motivate it.
• Zeus sends bolts to frighten Achaians, even so,
  they rally.
• Zeus forbids other gods to interfere makes
  prophecy which keeps our minds on the master plan.