Episode 1165
Join us as we explore the life and legacy of Homer, the ancient Greek poet widely credited with authoring the Iliad and the Odyssey, two foundational works of Western literature. In this episode, we examine the "Homeric Question," an enduring academic debate concerning whether a single author composed these epics or if they were the product of a long oral tradition,. We discuss ancient biographies that depicted Homer as a blind bard from Ionia, contrasting these legends with modern scholarly views that often regard his single authorship as a fictional narrative,.
We also dive into the texts themselves, analyzing how the Iliad centers on the quarrel between Agamemnon and Achilles during the Trojan War, while the Odyssey chronicles Odysseus’s ten-year struggle to return home. You will learn about the "Oral-Formulaic Theory" developed by Milman Parry and Albert Lord, which suggests these poems were originally composed through improvised oral performances using traditional epithets and formulas. Finally, we investigate the historicity of the Homeric world, looking at how the poems blend Bronze Age weapons with Iron Age practices, and discuss Heinrich Schliemann’s famous 19th-century discovery of the ruins of Troy,.
Published on 2 days, 22 hours ago
If you like Podbriefly.com, please consider donating to support the ongoing development.
Donate