How to Enjoy Homer by Caitlyn

How to Enjoy Homer by Caitlyn - July 2017 Scholarship Essay

It is big, fat, old, and dusty. Most of us are forced to read it in high school, and most of us never read it again: Homer. Even the name can strike fear into the hearts of the toughest high schoolers.
Both The Iliad and The Odyssey are difficult to read and understand, but there is hope. There is a way to successfully read an epic poem without being lost in an endless maze of extended metaphors, catalogs, horrific deaths, and unbelievable acts of strength.

The first thing you have to realize, in order to properly read Homer, is that epic poems are epic. They are hundreds of pages long but packed with action. They have thousands of lines to delve into and decipher, but they also include elements of nearly every genre to interest every reader: romance, horror, historical fiction, mythology, adventure, and fiction. Epic poems are not meant to be short either in length or in complexity; you have to slowly read it line by line, page by page until you grasp some semblance of sense.

In order to fathom the reason why you are reading this gigantic poem, you have to discern Homer’s relevance and importance to both us and the people it describes. The Odyssey, just like many other plays, poetry, and books in Greek History, plays a vital role in the culture of Greece. This poem is a story handed down the generations, spoken in different languages, and retold to reflect the person or area from which it was being read. The Odyssey illustrates the harrowing journey a man takes to return to his wife and son, and, despite monsters, men, and gods constantly throwing him off course, he finally returns home. The Iliad is not just a violent poem spattered with blood and gore, but it is also a depiction of the sometimes frivolous reasons human beings go to war and the terrible effects it has on women, children, and whole cities. After the Trojan War, children were left fatherless, women were raped and taken by Greek victors, and the once glorious temples and palaces of Troy were destroyed and violated. The survivors were left wondering: why did we go to war in the first place?

As you turn to the first page of The Iliad or The Odyssey, know that it may take weeks or even months to finish it, but that the impact it has upon you is worth every minute. Once you recognize its importance, you can read The Iliad and The Odyssey crying, laughing, and rejoicing just as they were meant to be enjoyed.