Sep 6, 2008

The Odyssey | The Trojan War

No student of Homer’s poetry can ignore the central event of both the Iliad and the Odyssey: namely, the Trojan War. Odysseus’ journeys take place after his participation in the Greek campaign at Troy. The household troubles which he faces on his return result from his long absence during both the war and the wanderings which follow it. The enormous body of literature devoted to this singular event is a testament to the significance it held in the eyes of both Homer’s contemporaries and the generations that followed.

In his poetry, Homer depicts an era which is...