"Who is Homer?" - The Homeric Question concerns the doubts and consequent debate over the identity of Homer.
Analyzes the debate surrounding the historicity and authorship of the epic poems attributed to Homer, and the implications of these questions for understanding ancient Greek literature.
Oral tradition: The theory that the Iliad and the Odyssey were first composed orally and then written down.
Writing in ancient Greece: Understanding the context of writing in ancient Greece, how writing was used and who could write.
The Homeric poems: Summaries and analysis of the Iliad and the Odyssey as well as their influence on Greek culture.
The authorship of the Homeric poems: Examining the debate about whether the Iliad and the Odyssey were written by one or many authors.
The language of Homeric poetry: The unique style of Homeric poetry including the use of epithets, metaphors, and formulae.
The history of ancient Greece: Understanding the cultural, political, and societal context of the time in which the Homeric poems were written.
The transmission of the Homeric poems: Studying how the Homeric poems were copied, circulated, and preserved over time.
Literary theory and analysis: Understanding various approaches to the study of literature such as reader-response theory, structuralism, and post-structuralism.
Archaeological evidence: Examining archaeological evidence of ancient Greek culture to better understand the world in which the Homeric poems were composed.
The epic tradition: Understanding the broader tradition of epic poetry, its conventions and structures, and how the Homeric poems fit into this tradition.
The role of the bard: Understanding the role of the bard or poet in ancient Greece and the importance of storytelling in society.
Authorship: This type of the Homeric Question focuses on the identity of the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey. Some scholars argue that Homer was an individual poet who composed these poems, while others argue that Homer was a collective name for a group of poets who contributed to the creation of these poems.
Composition: This type of the Homeric Question examines the process of how the poems were composed. Some scholars argue that the poems were composed orally over a long period of time, while others argue that they were composed by a single author, either orally or in writing.
Transmission: This type of the Homeric Question deals with the transmission of the poems from the time they were composed to the present day. Some scholars argue that the poems were transmitted orally for centuries before they were finally written down, while others argue that they were written down shortly after they were composed.
Historicity: This type of the Homeric Question examines the historical accuracy of the events and characters depicted in the poems. Scholars debate whether the poems are entirely fictional, based on some historical events, or entirely historical.
Literary influence: This type of the Homeric Question explores the influence that the poems have had on later literature and culture. Scholars examine the ways in which the poems have been adapted, translated, and retold in different contexts throughout history.
"The Homeric Question concerns the doubts and consequent debate over the identity of Homer, the authorship of the Iliad and Odyssey, and their historicity (especially concerning the Iliad)."
"The subject has its roots in classical antiquity and the scholarship of the Hellenistic period but has flourished among Homeric scholars of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries."
"The main subtopics of the Homeric Question are: a) "Who is Homer?" b) "Are the Iliad and the Odyssey of multiple or single authorship?" c) "By whom, when, where, and under what circumstances were the poems composed?""
"To these questions the possibilities of modern textual criticism and archaeological answers have added a few more: a) "How reliable is the tradition embodied in the Homeric poems?" b) "How old are the oldest elements in Homeric poetry which can be dated with certainty?""
"The Homeric Question concerns the doubts and consequent debate over the identity of Homer."
"Are the Iliad and the Odyssey of multiple or single authorship?"
"By whom, when, where, and under what circumstances were the poems composed?"
"How reliable is the tradition embodied in the Homeric poems?"
"How old are the oldest elements in Homeric poetry which can be dated with certainty?"
"The possibilities of modern textual criticism and archaeological answers have added a few more."
"The subject has its roots in classical antiquity and the scholarship of the Hellenistic period."
"The subject... has flourished among Homeric scholars of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries."
"The Homeric Question concerns... the authorship of the Iliad and Odyssey, and their historicity (especially concerning the Iliad)."
"The possibilities of... archaeological answers have added a few more."
"How reliable is the tradition embodied in the Homeric poems?"
"How old are the oldest elements in Homeric poetry which can be dated with certainty?"
"By whom, when, where, and under what circumstances were the poems composed?"
"Are the Iliad and the Odyssey of multiple or single authorship?"
"The subject has... flourished among Homeric scholars of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries."