Research on Character References in Homer’s Epics

DOI

10.2991/978-2-38476-277-4_20How to use a DOI?

Keywords

Character references; Hexameter; Hero characteristics

Abstract

This paper delves into the diversity of character references and their cultural connotations in Homer’s epics. Renowned for its rich and intricate character references, Homer’s epics encompass not only ethical relationships, physical features, attire characteristics, dwelling attributes, and positions but also reflect cultural characteristics of ancient Greek society, such as heroic features and cultural connotations. Through a detailed analysis of character references in Homer’s epics, the article unveils the Greek society’s perspectives on warfare, idealized character images, the understanding of honor, and perceptions of destiny. The discussion delves into the contradiction between the semantic requirements and rhythmic specifications in immediate composition, drawing upon the theories of Milman Parry and Albert Lord. It elucidates the relationship between linguistic programs and improvisation in Homer’s epics, emphasizing the utilization of an “artificial language” tailored for the specific needs of epic creation. The author contends that in the oral tradition, creators must navigate a balance between tradition and freedom, employing devices such as modifiers and substitutes to adhere to the prosodic requirements of the epic. Overall, this paper provides a thorough examination of the complexity of character references in Homer’s epics, supported by pertinent theoretical frameworks and statistical data.

Copyright

© 2024 The Author(s)

Open Access

Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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TY  - CONF
AU  - Zhipeng Zhou
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/09/02
TI  - Research on Character References in Homer’s Epics
BT  - Proceedings of the 2024 10th International Conference on Humanities and Social Science Research (ICHSSR 2024)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 158
EP  - 165
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-277-4_20
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-277-4_20
ID  - Zhou2024
ER  -