Historic Relevance of the Odyssey - Book Report/Review Example

Download file to see previous pages... They can also derive important values and virtues to govern their wellbeing from the documented evidence. It is against this background that this paper provides an in depth analysis of the historic relevance of Homer’s The Odyssey. This is done in light of Most’s article The Structure and Function of Odysseus’ Apologoi. To enhance a harmonic viewpoint, the paper begins by providing a review of the article. In detail, Most provides reasons as to why Odysseus underscores the celebrations pertaining to his individual adventures. He posits that relative readings regarding Odysseus have placed great emphasis on the triumphant celebrations of his adventures. This according to the author can be used to explain why Homer’s works have persisted through time. The inherent charm makes the works attractive to various audiences. The author also believes that the pleasurable incidences that Homer cites in The Odyssey are geared towards countering the sad mood that the persona experienced occasionally. A classic illustration of this is the period immediately before The Apologi. Thus according to Most, the pleasurable incidences and celebrations that are cited by Homer are important in creating the mood and developing the plot of the epic (Most 23). Most importantly, Most believes that the author simply gives a true historical account of the events that occurred at that particular time. To accredit his study, Most draws important evidence from both primary as well as secondary sources. This is apparent in a host of references used both in text as well as documented at the end of the text as end notes. Undoubtedly, the literary article is credible and can therefore be effectively employed within the academic sphere. The fact that the author’s approach to the issue under review is objective cannot be disputed. Seemingly, most of the evidence is drawn from the primary text, The Odyssey. This is relevant and greatly supports the reasons provided by the author. In other words, the article is based on Homer’s The Odyssey. In order to understand and acknowledge the historical importance of The Odyssey, it is important to review the background information of the text. This is an ancient poem that is believed to have been composed by Homer in Greek. It details the experience and accomplishments of Odysseus. Particularly, it revolves around the journey of this hero and his challenges in the Trojan War. This occurred after Troy fell and the journey reportedly took a significant ten years. Notably, this is an ancient poem that is believed to have been passed on orally and was first documented by Homer. This is attributable to the myths and other forms of oral stories that were traditionally passed on through generations. Emergent research ascertains that indeed, the poem is not a fabrication or imagination, but an actual reflection of the events that took place during this important historical period. At this point in time, it is worth appreciating that history derives its evidences from both documented and non documented evidence. Non documented evidence is available in form of artifacts and oral stories while documented evidence is available in form of text. Archaeology has made it possible for the historical archaeological evidence to benefit the modern populace. Compared to oral history, this is archaeological evidence is more credible. Oral evidence cannot be solely relied upon because of possible distortion by the ...Download file to see next pagesRead More