Homer’s Iliad: The First Stone in the Foundation of Great Literature
This was an expected discovery that helped me better understand and appreciate the importance of this work.
Before I begin, I want to make a small disclaimer. I do not claim the title of a book critic and I’m not trying to catch the hype. I am just an ordinary person who decided to undertake a difficult task — to read all the great books, in order. Why? Because I believe it is important for understanding what our civilization represents, its ideas, and what ultimately the thoughts of other people are based on.
My goal is to go through the great works of literature, starting from the most ancient, sometimes interspersed with modern books and fiction. This is a journey I begin not to give final judgments or critical reviews, but to share my thoughts, impressions and how these books influence my view of the world.
Today I want to share my thoughts on Homer’s Iliad…
In practically all lists of must-read books, Homer’s “Iliad” holds the chronologically first place (excluding the Bible, but that’s a different story). Before starting to read the “Iliad”, I realized that I didn’t know much about this work (from references from contemporary culture), unlike the “Odyssey”, but that’s a topic for another article.
Sing, O goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans. Many a brave soul did it send hurrying down to Hades, and many a hero did it yield a prey to dogs and vultures, for so were the counsels of Jove fulfilled from the day on which the son of Atreus, king of men, and great Achilles, first fell out with one another.
Theme
One of the key themes of the “Iliad” is the glory of war. Characters are presented as worthy or contemptible based on their military competence and bravery in battle. One of the main characters, for example, does not like to fight, and accordingly receives contempt from both his family and his beloved. A hero on the other side earns eternal glory, clearly rejecting the possibility of a long, comfortable, peaceful life at home. The text supports this way of evaluating character and extends it even to the gods. The epic promotes some warlike gods for the reader’s admiration, while making fun of other gods who flee from aggression. To fight is to prove your honor and integrity, while avoiding war is to demonstrate laziness, unworthy fear, or improperly set priorities.
My doom has come upon me; let me not then die
ingloriously and without a struggle, but let me first do some great thing that shall be told among men hereafter.
Structure
Homer’s “Iliad”, although it covers a very short period in a very long war, remains sharply informed about the specific ends awaiting each of the participants. Troy is doomed to fall (as you may have noticed, up to this point I have avoided spoilers to the plot of the book, but I think you will forgive me). The text declares that Priam and all his children will die — Hector dies before the end of the poem. Achilles will meet an early end too, although not in the pages of the “Iliad”. Homer constantly hints at this event, especially towards the end of the epic, clearly showing that even the greatest people cannot avoid death.
Language and Style
The language of Homer’s “Iliad” is characterized by a high style and epic tone, reflecting its theme and content. Homer uses long and complex sentences, which often begin with a character’s direct speech and then transition into a descriptive passage with an abundance of epithets and metaphors. This style emphasizes the importance of the actions and words of the characters and adds weight to their decisions and actions. Moreover, the “Iliad” is written in hexameter, a form of verse often used in ancient Greek and Latin poetry. This rhythmic pattern gives the text a song-like and rhythm, making it ideal for vocal performance.
Context
The “Iliad”, written by Homer, is often considered the first tragedy in literary history. It describes events that took place during the Bronze Age collapse, when many ancient civilizations suddenly crumbled. This was a time of great changes that left a deep mark on human history. Many people are familiar with the Dark Ages, a period that followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire and was marked by social and economic regression. However, few know that a similar period had already occurred almost 1,500 years earlier, during the Bronze Age collapse.
The period depicted in the “Iliad” was a time of great upheavals when many ancient civilizations, including Mycenaean Greece, the Hittite kingdom, and the New Kingdom of Egypt, suddenly collapsed. It was a time when the world as people knew it collapsed and in its place a new world emerged, which eventually led to the rise of classical Greece and other Iron Age civilizations.
My Impressions
After reading the “Iliad”, I think I understood why it is considered to have laid the foundations for many subsequent literary traditions and patterns. I saw how many of the ideas and themes that Homer first introduced in the “Iliad” continued to influence literature for millennia. This was an expected discovery that helped me better understand and appreciate the importance of this work.
All things pall after a while- sleep, love, sweet song, and stately dance- still these are things of which a man would surely have his fill rather than of battle, whereas it is of battle that the Trojans are insatiate.
My reading of Homer’s “Iliad” was more of an educational experience than an inspiring one. I did not derive deep emotional impressions or inspiration from this work, but I gained valuable understanding of how great literature can shape and influence our culture and society. And despite all the difficulties, I am glad that I took up this challenge and read this important book.
In conclusion, I want to invite you to join me in my journey through the great books of world literature:
