The identity of the Greek poet was a big question among nineteenth-century scholars. The notion that long and involved poems like the Iliad and the Odyssey might have been recited by pre-literate peoples before being committed to writing was too fantastical a notion to be believed. How could anybody remember so many lines of poetry? Enter Milman Parry, who burst on the scene in the late s and became a professor at Harvard University in Parry used textual analysis, anthropology, and field work to show that pre-literate or semi-literate peoples could, in fact, recite long poems.
Inspired by the Slavicist Matija Murko, who attended his thesis defense at the Sorbonne, Parry headed to the hills of what is now called Bosnia in the early s. There he used aluminum disks to record pre-literate bards, guslari, who performed epske pjesme , epic oral songs. This helped revolutionize the way we understand the oral origins of epic poetry. Parry died tragically in , cutting short a brilliant career at the age of thirty-three.
His work was carried on and expanded by his graduate student, Albert Lord, who could only get back to Yugoslavia after the end of World War II. Recording equipment had become portable enough. And the guslari still existed. You can read the page Iliad in its entirety, or you can follow a modified reading plan if you just want to understand the story on a more basic level. For example, you might read books 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 11, 16, 18, 19, 22, and 24 to get a basic understanding of what happens in the Iliad.
The plan skips books that are less integral to the overall plot, such as long battle scenes. However, make sure to read summaries of the chapters you skip. Method 2. Preview the content of each book by reading a summary. Read the title of a chapter and consider what this title indicates that the chapter will be about. You could also find a brief summary or synopsis of the chapter online and read it.
Indeed, in this chapter, Achilles has lost one of his comrades, Patroclus, to the battle and he also loses his lover, Briseis, to King Agamemnon. Repeat this process for each chapter in the Iliad.
Read the poem aloud whenever possible. Since the Iliad was written in verse and was likely read aloud to entertain people, this is the ideal way to read the entire story. However, when possible, read the Iliad out loud. Pay attention to the way that the words sound, such as the rhythm, rhyme, and alliteration.
Tip : Listening to an audiobook is another great way to enjoy the way the poem sounds. Break your reading sessions up to improve your comprehension. The Iliad is a long text—24 chapters over pages—so reading it within the space of a few days is not realistic.
Plan to break your reading into several sessions over a period of weeks or months. If you want to read more than one chapter in a single session, try reading for minutes at a time, and then take a minute break to get up walk around, stretch, or get a snack.
Write notes in the margins of your book to stay engaged. Underline interesting or important passages, comment on their significance, or ask questions about them. Always keep a pen or pencil in your hand while you read and think of reading the text as having a conversation with the author.
Method 3. Identify heroic qualities and look for them as you read. The Iliad tells the story of more than one hero, so taking time to think about what qualities you find heroic and looking for them as you read may help you to retain more information about the characters. Both characters value their loved ones, but they put the greater good ahead of their personal desires.
However, Hector is more accepting of his fate, while Achilles actively seeks revenge for the wrongs done to him. Create a running list of characters and their associations. Because there are so many characters in the Iliad , it can be hard to remember all of them and which side they are on. Try dividing a page in your notebook into 2 sections—Trojans and Greeks—and listing the characters you encounter on the camp they are associated with.
Add details about their relationships as you continue with the text. He was reportedly inspired by watching a televised hour dance marathon. By providing your email, you agree to the Quartz Privacy Policy.
Skip to navigation Skip to content. Discover Membership. Editions Quartz. More from Quartz About Quartz. Follow Quartz.
0コメント