Introduction to Homer's Iliad

The Iliad is considered to be one of the earliest masterworks of world literature, and it was enormously influential in Greek and Roman thought and in all the later societies influenced by the Classical Mediterranean world. Many college courses incorporate the Iliad for these reasons. 

Many of the overriding themes of the Iliad —self-confidence, death, mortality, loss, fate— are also found in the Epic of Gilgamesh, probably dating from about the time of the Trojan war, some hundreds of years before Homer, and it seems probable that the widespread Gilgamesh story influenced the traditions that became the Iliad. (American world-civ and world-lit students can expect an exam question asking for a comparison of the two works.) 

It is also an important historical source for our understanding of the age of Homer (about 800 BCE) and of the events he seems to describe (about 1200 BCE). This introduction is designed to help you interpret Homer’s Iliad as a cultural and historical document, but generally ignores its literary significance, although that is the focus of most college courses in which it is introduced. Because of the immense influence of these stories in Western art, the overview presentations are heavily illustrated with examples from European and American museums. 

Class will consist of an overview presentation, followed by several projection questions (e.g., "What do you think will happen?"), then student and teacher will follow along reading a transcript of an adaptation of Homer's Iliad and Odyssey whilst listening to professional actors dramatically reading, this will be followed by some thinking questions and a general discussion. Both Homer's stories will be set in the historical context of the Collapse of the Bronze Age. 

Class handouts and questions will accompany this class. 

CLASS I: 
Introduction
Episode 1: An Apple for a Goddess
Episode 2: Choices
Episode 3: Stolen Love
CLASS II: 
Episode 4: First Blood
Episode 5: The Duel
Episode 6: Greek on Greek: Wounded Pride
CLASS III:
Episode 7: Triumph for the Trojans?
Episode 8: New Armor for Achilles
Episode 9: The Anger of Achilles
CLASS IV
Episode 10: The Pity of Achilles
Episode 11: Love and Death
Episode 12: Odysseus Takes Charge
Conclusion