Oral Commentary on The Odyssey
by Lillian Bonar
Essay: Oral Commentary on The Odyssey
Pages: 11
Rating: 3 stars
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This passage is told as a flashback, as Odysseus sits in the palace of the Phaeacians telling the story of his
wanderings. Odysseus reluctantly tells his story after King Alcinou notices his weeping during a minstrel, which
was about the fall of Troy. So in answer to the King, Odysseus reveals his identity, background and adventures:
from Troy, the winds sweep him and his men to Ismarus, city of the Cicones. The men plunder the land and,
carried away by greed, refuses to leave until the Cicones turn on them and attack. Odysseus and his crew finally
escape, having lost six men per ship.
The point of view changes from third person to first person as Odysseus narrates Books 9–12. These books thus
give background not only to Odysseus’s audience but to Homer’s as well. Providing some of the richest and most
celebrated examples of Odysseus’s cunning and astute. Instead of the omniscient narrator offering insights into
the thoughts of every character, Homer uses Odysseus’s voice to render a more complete picture of the hero’s
wanderings. In addition to delivering the plot to the audience, the storying situates the epic in its proper cultural
context. Homer constantly evokes the history of The Odyssey through the stories that his characters tell. These
stories, however, don’t just provide colourful personal histories. They elevate The Odyssey by reminding its
audience of the epic’s rich and mythic tradition.
Homer uses various literary devices, diction and devices of sound, to effectively reflect the hardships during
Odysseus’ homecoming journey. Metaphor is used to describe the revenge-seeking Cicones: "'At dawn they were
on us, thick as leaves and flowers in spring'" (9. 51-52). The Cicones are being compared to leaves and flowers i...
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