Homer is a well-known name in Greek Mythology, his works The Odyssey and The Iliad being prime examples of his memorable reign in literature. He is noted as Ancient Greece’s most significant author due to his writings being the first of many to introduce themes such as an “epic quests” and “a hero’s journey”. However, despite being an acclaimed and grand poet, numerous mysteries shroud around Homer himself and the aspects of his life. It is unconfirmed whether or not Homer was even a real person, or a group of several different individuals. In brief, not much is known about him.
Homer’s writings reach back during the era of Ancient Greece; therefore, there is unfortunately no exact date known for when he was born. By estimate, it is considered his birth date could have been somewhere within the 8th century B.C, but it is still questionable. The inquisition of Homer’s birthplace is also unknown, but because of “frequent mentions of local phenomena such as strong winds blowing from the northwest from the direction of Thrace” (Biography.com) found in his writings, it is pinpointed that Ionia is the most logical guess. The specific date, cause, and whereabouts of Homer’s death remains an enigma; however, scholars believe he had died during the 7th century B.C. The Trojan War was a vast topic incorporated into Homer’s writings, so one can only
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The creation of his poems was a grand decision to make for he chose to write epic poetry in contrast to the more common lyrical poetry seen today. Due to this decision, many commented on the amount of repeated phrases utilized in his poetry, believing it was only a tactic to “fill out lines to their required number of stresses”(Bloom 10); however, a much more logical explanation for his writing is that it is to be recited orally and the repeated phrases are to assist the