Why is Greek poetry important?

In addition to the invention of the epic and lyric forms of poetry, though, the Greeks were also essentially responsible for the invention of drama, and they produced masterpieces of both tragedy and comedy that are still reckoned among the crowning achievements of drama to this day.

What is Greek epic poetry?

The term ‘epic’, when applied to ancient Greek literature, refers to a set of texts that may be loosely defined as narrative poetry about the deeds of gods and heroes. To a very large extent, this is a reflection of Homer’s authority as the most famous epic poet.

Is Homer blind poet?

If real, he is believed to have lived about the 9th or 8th century BCE and was a native of Ionia. A poet in the oral tradition, his works were likely transcribed by others. He is traditionally portrayed as blind, and some claim he was illiterate.

How were epic poems sung in ancient Greece?

Traveling bards would perform the poetry orally and the words were sung and often accompanied with music. As a result of this, many of the stories that we know of today were widely known and recognized by the people of Ancient Greece since hearing these performers was one of their top forms of entertainment.

What is the meaning of dramatic poem?

Dramatic poetry is written in verse and is meant to be spoken or acted out, usually to tell a story or portray a situation. Dramatic poetry differs from narrative poetry in that it is written and told by the perspective of the character, while narrative poetry is a story told by the narrator. …

Who was the most famous poet of ancient Greece?

Homer
Homer is the presumed author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, two hugely influential epic poems of ancient Greece. If Homer did in fact compose the works, he is one of the greatest literary artists in the world, and, through these poems, he affected Western standards and ideas.

What statement best describes the Iliad?

Which statement best describes the Iliad? D. The Iliad is an epic poem that celebrates the Greeks who waged war to win back Helen, and the Trojans who fought to fend off the Greek invaders. You just studied 7 terms!

Was Homer deaf?

What Was Homer Like? Homer is thought to have been blind, based solely on a character in The Odyssey, a blind poet/minstrel called Demodokos.

How realistic are the descriptions of ritual in Ancient Greek poetry?

Homeric poetry, as a medium that achieved its general appeal to the Greeks by virtue of avoiding the parochial concerns of specific locales or regions, tended to avoid realistic descriptions of any ritual, not just ritual sacrifice.

What is the main theme of the Iliad and Odyssey?

Mortality is the dominant theme in the stories of ancient Greek heroes, and the Iliad and Odyssey are no exception. Mortality is the burning question for the heroes of Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey, and for Achilles and Odysseus in particular. The human condition of mortality, with all its ordeals, defines heroic life itself.

What is the tone of Sappho’s poetry?

Sappho. Much earlier poetry had been liturgical, ceremonial, or courtly — in various ways emphatically public. But much of Sappho’s work is intimate and putatively private, addressed to specific women or to her friends; and her tone of colloquial familiarity anticipates medieval and modern practice.