Context: Structure and Plot

Question 1

What are the three interesting aspects of the Iliad’s time frame ?

Answer 1

1. It embraces the ten year story of Troy but all the narrative occurs in roughly 50 (total days 52)
2. Those days are not equally distributed throughout the 24 books:
   Bk.1 covers a period of roughly twenty three days
   Bk.2-23 cover four days
   Bk.23 end and Bk.24 cover twenty five days
3. Within those divisions some long periods are dismissed in the matter of a line whilst others are related in fine detail

Question 2

What are examples of information from the past myth being revealed in the epic?

Answer 2

Bk.3 Helen reveals she was abducted by Paris

Bk.9 Phoenix tells us about Achilles as a baby

Bk.23 Patroclus’ ghost provides background to the relationship of Achilles and him

Bk.24 Achilles tells Priam the story of his parents marriage

Question 3

What are examples of reminders of the future?

Answer 3

Bk.6 Hector tells Andromache Priam and his people will soon be destroyed and she will be taken as a slave to Argos

Bk.22 Hector’s death signals Troys destruction

Bk.24 Andromache forsees the death of Astyanax and Thetis for Achilles

Question 4

What is the strongest evidence to suggest the Iliad was a work of collection of stories added to at various times?

Answer 4

The structure of the epic

Examples include
- Ring composition
- Parallel episodes and characters
- Formulae
- the unifying effect of the similes

Question 5

What is ring composition and what are a few examples?

Answer 5

Ring Composition: content is arranged in symmetrical patterns

An old man supplicates to ask for his child
- Bk.1 Chryses is sent away, Bk.24 Priam is granted his request- both examples are of the work of Apollo

Bk.1

• Chryses’ supplication to Agg+ his rejection is followed by nine days of plague
• one day of prayers to Apollo
• twelve days of the gods in Ethiopia

Bk.24

• Achilles mistreats Hectors body for twelve days
• Priam visits him for one
• then 9 days of Hectors funeral

Pattern: 12,1,9 and 9,1,12

Likewise in speech i.e Nestors speech in Bk.1 to Achilles and Agg
A Nestor’s tells Achilles to listen to his advie
B Tells his advice has been listened to before
C tells his story
B others listened
A Achilles accept advice

Question 6

What are parallel episodes as a characteristics of the Iliad and what are some examples?

Answer 6

Parallel episodes- parallel descriptions, speeches, actions or characters

Parallel books
Bk.1 assembly as in Bk.19
Bk.1 Agg in wrong Ach in right, Bk. 9 the positions are reveresed

Groups of three
- Hec, Sarp and Pat all die
- Bk.6 Hect meets three women: Hec, Hel,
- Bk.9 Three diff speeches: Odysseus, Phoenix and Ajax
- Bk.24 Three laments for Hector

Characters (Hec contrast with/ mirrors)
- Paris who would rather linger than fight
- Hecotr kills Pat and Ach kills Hect

Question 7

What are some examples of repeated scenes?

Answer 7

Warrrior arming himself

Fighting scene
- A throws spear at B, miss and kill C; A to miss B and B kill A; A miss B, B to hit but not pierce armour and A to kill B ect

Death
- Formulaic way
- Entry and exit points do vary for example it could be through the neck, belly or should ect