Headshot source: Edith Hall
The story of the Trojan War was made famous by Homer’s two epic poems, the
Iliad
and
the Odyssey.
Can you give a summary of the poems for our readers?
The Iliad narrates the events that took place in both the Greek camp and the Trojan citadel during the Trojan War over about 40 days, culminating in the funeral of the Trojans’ best warrior, Hector, and the laments led by his sister Cassandra, wife Andromache, mother Hecuba and sister-in-law Helen. Its structure is provided by the rage which consumes the greatest Greek fighter, Achilles, and the effect that it has on both communities. First, he quarrels with his overlord, Agamemnon, who insults him by expropriating his favourite concubine Briseis. And secondly, he becomes obsessed with avenging himself on Hector, who’s killed his closest friend, Patroclus. His wrath is not assuaged until he has slaughtered Hector and mutilated his corpse.