Unit FourUnit FourAge of Heroes (1)Age of Heroes (1)

Readings:Readings:

Homer: Homer: IliadIliadAll if possible but at leastAll if possible but at least

Lombardo, pp. vi-xlix, 1-165Lombardo, pp. vi-xlix, 1-165

To Understand any text you must To Understand any text you must consider the following 4 items.consider the following 4 items.

Who is the author?Who is the author? What is his audience?What is his audience? What is the environment of the What is the environment of the

author and text?author and text? What is the author’s purpose? What is the author’s purpose?

IliadIliad The Written Record of an Oral The Written Record of an Oral

TraditionTradition

The story of the The story of the IliadIliad, like the story , like the story of the of the OdysseyOdyssey, , had been passed had been passed on through the on through the Dark Ages (1200-Dark Ages (1200-800 BCE) by 800 BCE) by Rhapsodes.Rhapsodes.

RhapsodesRhapsodes

Traveling minstrels who entertained at the courts of feudal, warrior barons.

They sang of a time that we know as the Bronze Age.

The ancient Greeks knew of the period as an “Age of Heroes”.

Greeks remembered the “Age of Greeks remembered the “Age of Heroes” as a prosperous age.Heroes” as a prosperous age.

But it passed away quickly as a result of But it passed away quickly as a result of the pulsating Dorian migrations that the pulsating Dorian migrations that took place between 1200 and 1100 BCE. took place between 1200 and 1100 BCE.

As a result theAs a result the Major cultural and leadership centers Major cultural and leadership centers

disappeared. disappeared. Large populations were displacedLarge populations were displaced Culture was set back and skills were forgottenCulture was set back and skills were forgotten Greece was cut off from the outside worldGreece was cut off from the outside world

“ “Age of Heroes” Age of Heroes”

Throughout Greek history the age Throughout Greek history the age was revered and idealized as the was revered and idealized as the setting for most Greek mythology, setting for most Greek mythology, poetry and drama. It was the period poetry and drama. It was the period when the best of Greek Culture when the best of Greek Culture flourished.flourished.

In Greek culture the hero was idealized as a larger than life character engaged in a monumental struggle with the forces of life, most often removed in space and time such as in an “Age of Heroes”.

The Classical HeroThe Classical Hero

Remember this definition and apply it throughout the course when discus-sing heroes and heroic ideals.

A monumental struggle is:A monumental struggle is:

Personal Personal Universal in its appeal to members of Universal in its appeal to members of

its originating culture. its originating culture. Characteristic of its society. Characteristic of its society.

In the character of a hero’s struggle rests In the character of a hero’s struggle rests the core of a society’s values.the core of a society’s values.

Different societies identify with different Different societies identify with different struggles. struggles.

How Homer’s Context Affected the How Homer’s Context Affected the Message of the Message of the IliadIliad

Homer composed his work at least Homer composed his work at least 400 years after the period he 400 years after the period he described.described.

Herodotus says he worked c. 825Herodotus says he worked c. 825Richmond Lattimore says c. 700Richmond Lattimore says c. 700But there was no written language until after But there was no written language until after 750.750.Homer’s work composition was done orally. Homer’s work composition was done orally.

Homer’s text was reworked in Athens during the age of Peisistratus c. 590-527 B.C.

Clearly the version we have is a very well developed and reworked piece of literary myth.

It is a piece of art that has been consciously thought out and carefully reworked.

The Oral Composition The Oral Composition Evolved Over TimeEvolved Over Time

Homer’s Age: The Archaic AgeHomer’s Age: The Archaic Age

Archaic AgeArchaic Age: the more : the more settled, prosperous times settled, prosperous times of the 8of the 8thth through the 6 through the 6thth centuries BCE when the centuries BCE when the romanticized ideals of the romanticized ideals of the “Age of Heroes” appealed “Age of Heroes” appealed to the leadership of the to the leadership of the developing but still developing but still feudalistic Greek societyfeudalistic Greek society

Greek society coming out of its Dark Age was a society used to difficult transitional times.

Iliad is about a group under stress—being tested in war.

A society at war, when individual behavior was paramount and the future was uncertain.

The Public Appeal of the The Public Appeal of the IliadIliad

IliadIliad was Entertainment in a was Entertainment in a Baronial SocietyBaronial Society

Where Great Lords were the heads of Where Great Lords were the heads of prominent familiesprominent families

The extended family (OIKOS) was the The extended family (OIKOS) was the basic social unit.basic social unit. So villages, cities and local associations So villages, cities and local associations

were simply run by gatherings were simply run by gatherings (assemblies) of OIKOI(assemblies) of OIKOI

The leaders of the great families The leaders of the great families (Barons) dominated the assemblies.(Barons) dominated the assemblies.

Social Pressures of The Archaic AgeSocial Pressures of The Archaic Age Over populationOver population

relieved by colonizationrelieved by colonization a lot of lower class displacementa lot of lower class displacement

i.e. Hesiod’s loss of his landi.e. Hesiod’s loss of his land Larger urban centersLarger urban centers Government for a community not just Government for a community not just

an oikos (law codes)an oikos (law codes) Mass warfare (hoplite phalanx)Mass warfare (hoplite phalanx) All of these things threatened the All of these things threatened the

position and power and values of the position and power and values of the barons.barons.

Homer Helped Define the Archaic Homer Helped Define the Archaic AgeAge

In the Archaic Age Greeks lived in a In the Archaic Age Greeks lived in a secular society.secular society.

Its values were concerned with the Its values were concerned with the present life, not some universal or present life, not some universal or heavenly goal. heavenly goal.

This provided the basics of a national, This provided the basics of a national, patriotic cult. Herodotus said that patriotic cult. Herodotus said that Homer and Hesiod gave shape and Homer and Hesiod gave shape and substance to these Greek beliefs.substance to these Greek beliefs.

THE STORIES THAT MEN TELL TO GIVE THE STORIES THAT MEN TELL TO GIVE THEMSELVES AN IDENTITY.THEMSELVES AN IDENTITY.

More than anything else the More than anything else the IliadIliad and the and the OdysseyOdyssey defined Ancient defined Ancient Greek identity by defining Greek Greek identity by defining Greek history. They defined history as: history. They defined history as:

For the Greeks it was an intellectual axiom

and an essential, given principal of knowledge

that history began at Troy. Ergo: Greekidentity was initiated at Troy.

Factual accuracy is not what Factual accuracy is not what makes the makes the IliadIliad an index of Greek an index of Greek identity. The identity. The IliadIliad captures Greek captures Greek identity because it depicts the identity because it depicts the social and cultural and psycholo-social and cultural and psycholo-gical character of Greek lifegical character of Greek life

Greek Humanistic CausalityGreek Humanistic CausalityEssential DefinitionsEssential Definitions

FATE:FATE: The result of the accumulation of ALL past The result of the accumulation of ALL past actions and events. actions and events.

HUBRIS:HUBRIS: The arrogance that leads one to The arrogance that leads one to attempt to change his/her fate, which leads to attempt to change his/her fate, which leads to personal destruction. personal destruction.

TRAGIC FLAW: TRAGIC FLAW: Human weakness that gives way Human weakness that gives way to acts of hubris. to acts of hubris.

ReviewReview

1.1. Mythopoeic thoughtMythopoeic thought

2.2. Classical HeroClassical Hero

3.3. HistoryHistory

4.4. HubrisHubris

5.5. Tragic FlawTragic Flaw

6.6. Fate Fate

Give examples of how each of the aboveGive examples of how each of the above

concepts as defined in this outline areconcepts as defined in this outline are

demonstrated in the demonstrated in the IliadIliad? ?