Similes in Homers Iliad Essay - 1866 Words

An Examination of Similes in the Iliad - and how Homers Use of Them Affected the Story In the Iliad, Homer finds a great tool in the simile. Just by opening the book in a random place the reader is undoubtedly faced with one, or within a few pages. Homer seems to use everyday activities, at least for the audience, his fellow Greeks, in these similes nearly exclusively. When one is confronted with a situation that is familiar, one is more likely to put aside contemplating the topic and simply inject those known feelings. This would definitely be an effective tactic when used upon the people of Homers day. From the heroic efforts in the Iliad itself it is clear that the populace of his time were highly emotional creatures, and higher†¦show more content†¦The Greek ranks are painted as a throng of weak-kneed wimps with their constitution sapped, obviously not the case as they go on to win the war, but it suffices to cast the Lycians in a negative light. A short, but emotionally appealing, simile is found after the Greek warriors have changed their mind about leaving and return to the Scamander: quot;They stood as thick upon the flower-bespangled field as leaves that bloom in summer.quot; This scene assumes quite a juxtaposition. A flower-bespangled battlefield? This is perhaps an attempt to show the absurdity of the Greek army, changing positions from fleeing to brazenness as flowers are to the field of death. Near the beginning of Book Three a group of elders of Troy, not fighting material, but skilled orators, are found resting on the tower quot;like cicadas that chirrup delicately from the boughs of some high tree in a wood.quot; The cicadas song and the quot;tree in a woodquot; cast memories of repose and relaxation, rest and peace, which are then injected into the quot;delicatequot; elders. Another attempt of Homer to cast the Trojans in a favorable light. Later in the same book Ptolemaeus is Homers vehicle for putting down the Greeks again. Upon seeing shirkers of the front line of battle he likens them to quot;frightened fawns who, when they can no longer scud over the plain huddleShow MoreRelatedAn Examination of Similes in the Iliad - and How Homers Use of Them a1908 Words   |  8 PagesAn Examination of Similes in the Iliad - and how Homers Use of Them Affected the Story In the Iliad, Homer finds a great tool in the simile. Just by opening the book in a random place the reader is undoubtedly faced with one, or within a few pages. Homer seems to use everyday activities, at least for the audience, his fellow Greeks, in these similes nearly exclusively. 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The author begins the story by describing Zeus’s plans to dismantle the Greek rampart. The author makes the god’s plan manifest when Hector chastises Polydamas for his foresight andRead MoreEssay On Simile In The Iliad790 Words   |  4 Pages The Homeric simile is a trademark of the epic poem. It describes an extended simile, which continues for lines on end, and the extended simile’s vehicle often describes multiple characteristics of its tenor (Cite Sharon Hamilton!). Homer uses the Homeric simile throughout The Iliad to describe the Trojan or Achaean people and/or army as a group. Yet, the Homeric simile also applies to an individual many t imes throughout the text, specifically, The Iliad’s protagonist: Achilles. Achilles is a complex