Theme: Oral Composition

Question 1

What might you include in your introduction as to wether it was orally composed?

Answer 1

• Much debate about composition of Homer’s epic and whether in fact there was a ‘Homer or many authors.’
• Most agree that Iliad and Odyssey are the culmination of hundreds of years of tales being sung by bards

Question 2

Point 1: Repetition- episodes and epithets point towards oral composition

Answer 2

Evidence:
Epithets:

• Adding colour – “pitiless bronze, long-shadowed spears, bronze-tipped spears.
• Heroes’ epithets – reflect prowess on the battlefield where as Women’s – physical appearance Ei: ‘white armed’: ‘swift footed Achilles; quick thinking, godlike Odysseus.

Formulaic phrases:

• death – ‘darkness covered his eyes’

Repeated / formulaic scenes:

• Arming scenes: Paris book 3; Patroclus book 16; Achilles book 19.

Explanation:

Peter Jones: “Nouns come ready-packaged with epithets to fill certain metrical gaps in the line.”

“The poet was able to compose because he had at his disposal a range of traditional ways for saying things.”

Fomulaic phrases – less to remember (verbal templates) – help to move from one scene to the next.

Although the repetitive nature of these scenes might be considered less interesting, the small differences can give real insight into the characters (details: difference between 3, 16 & 19 arming scenes).

Question 3

Point 2: It was orally composed given the plot inconsistencies

Answer 3

Evidence:

Book 1 – Apollo and Athene

Book 9 – Phoenix

Book 3 – Why only discussing single combat in 10th Year – why not earlier. If Trojans hate Paris so much why didn’t they just hand him over?

Bk.16 Patroclus armour was removed by Apollo yet looted from his body by Hector in Bk.17

Explanation:
Some scholars such as Fredrich Wolf think that these inconsistencies are evidence of multiple authors but many other modern scholars such as Sally Knights – inconsistencies which are inevitable part of oral poetry.

Question 4

Point 3: It was orally composed given the use of ring composition

Answer 4

Evidence:
Overall text: Bk.1 and Bk.24 parallel

Speeches such as Nestors speech in Bk.1 to Agg and Ach during the Greek assembly

Explanation:
A: Nestor entreats Achilles to accept advice
B: Advice listened to in the past.
C: Story
B: Others listened
A: Nestor entreats Achilles to accept advice

Question 5

Point 4: It was orally composed given the pattern of similies, explain

Answer 5

Evidence:
Quite a few follow a similar pattern e.g. – duals
Book 17: Menelaus a mother cow protecting the body of Patroclus

Book 4: Athene is a mother protecting Menelaus from Pandarus’ arrow.

Explanation:
Lots of repeated patterns in Similes – contrasting animals in duals etc.

Question 6

Point 5: It was orally composed given other stories are adapated from the epic cycle, explain

Answer 6

Evidence:
Book 6: Diomedes & Glaucos – enjoyable but not necessary for the plot so could be taken as evidence of oral poet inserting other familiar stories from the cycle.

Book 9: Meleager – adapted to make clear point.

Explanation:

Easier to remember for the poet whilst adding subtle meaning or impact at points

Question 7

What are your points for oral composition (5)?

Answer 7

1. Repeititon
2. plot inconsitencies
3. ring composition
4. patterns of similies
5. adaption of other myths