Wednesday, May 20, 2020

The World Set Up By Homer - 754 Words

The world set up by Homer is not easy; the war certainly has no purpose, certainly not for the greater good, but merely part of the blind workings of an unfathomable fate. When warriors die, there does not exist Valkyries singing them to their rest, merely the bleak prospect of an ashen, ghostly, absence of meaning. The Iliad, therefore, presents a collective cavalcade of loss, the endless parade of men, equal in all forms, summoned briefly to the wonders of life only to be consigned to death by the horrors of fate. â€Å"Nothing precious is scorned, whether or not death is its destiny; everyone’s happiness is laid bare without dissimulation or disdain; no man is set above or below the condition common to all men; whatever is destroyed is regretted† (Weil). (introduction sentence) The paradoxical tension at the heart of Homer’s ill-fated vision of war becomes apparent within the first clash of rival armies in Book IV. The preparations for combat by both sides draw attention towards the passionate individuality of the warriors, who by the very nature of the heroic complex, are defined by their participation, or rather success, in battle. As Agamemnon visits the front lines, he calls forth a series of great Achaean heroes: Idomeneus, Nestor, Odysseus, Diomedes, Stehnelus, and Ajax, each of whom is portrayed as the brave, proud, loyal archetypical Homeric hero caught up within this test of excellence. En masse, the Achaean army is seen gathering under the irresistible and alluringShow MoreRelatedSimilarities Between The Underworld Of Homer s Odyssey And That Of Virgil s Aeneid1485 Words   |  6 PagesThe remarkable resemblance between the Underworld of Homer s Odyssey and that of Virgil s Aeneid reveals, upon closer examination, s everal important differences; these adaptations and corrections by Virgil of the Homeric vision lend credence to the Bloomian concept of influence, and show the many-faceted reactions of Virgil to the burden of his eminent precursor. In addition, they provide the reader of the poems with a fascinating basis for comparison, not only between the two poets, but betweenRead MoreAnalysis of October Sky Essay802 Words   |  4 PagesLiving Above Ground The inspirational true story of Homer Hickam in October Sky reminds us all to strive for our goals and never give up, even in the face of adversity. 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We can find information about Greek culture by analyzing the different texts that characters show up in. I am going to argue that Odysseus is a smart, versatile, and cunning character that shows a different type of masculinity than is portrayed by other characters. The first text that gives Odysseus a major role is the Iliad. WhenRead MoreEssay on Winslow Homer: Masters of Paint611 Words   |  3 Pages(Hodge 126). Quoted by the master American realism artist, Winslow Homer was skilled in the art of realism. He painted only what he observed from nature and his surroundings. Homer’s styles, mediums and subjects helped him create the artwork that he was so famous for. Probably his most famous painting, The Snap of the Whip is painted by Homer with incredible realism and accomplishment. 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