Question: Write a short note on Homeric simile. Or, Discuss the epic simile.
Introduction
The Homeric simile is also called an epic simile. This is a detailed comparison in the form of a simile through many lines of length. To put it differently, Homeric simile is a broad comparison between two different objects in which ‘like’ or ‘as’ are usually used. The term “Homeric simile” is based on the Greek writer Homer, who wrote two famous epics entitled “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”. Many writers continue to use this kind of simile in their writing even though it is usually found in classics. The aspects of Homeric simile are given below:
Gigantic comparison
The typical Homeric simile compares to any kind of event in the form of “like a ____ when it ______”. The object of comparison is something strange or unfamiliar in general. For example, there are many examples in the “Iliad” that compare warriors to lions attacking wild boar or other prey.
Producing pathos and humor
These similes help the reader to take pre-war peace and abundance from the battlefield for a short time. Often, these occur in moments of high action or emotion, especially during a battle. In the words of Peter Jones, Homeric similes “miraculously, redirects the reader’s attention in the most unexpected way and cuts the poem with spontaneity, pathos, and humor. They are also important because the narrator speaks directly to the audience through these illustrations.
Introduction and glorification of characters
G.P. Shipp, however, argues that Homer’s simile texts seem irregular as if they had been added later. On the other hand, William Clyde Scott, in his book “The Oral Nature of the Homeric Simile” suggests that Homer’s similes are based on the similarities of the simile and the descriptive text around them. Scott has argued that Homer initially uses similes to introduce his characters, “sometimes to glorify them and sometimes simply to focus on them.”
A great poetic device
Scott also notes that Homer’s similes have served as a poetic instrument to predetermine and keep the reader interested – just as the fateful, climactic confrontation of Achilles and Hector.
Focusing on the physical motion and mental turmoil
In her article on Homer’s Simile, Eleanor Rambo agrees with Scott. According to her, Homer uses similes in two different ways: one that puts pressure on physical motion and one that puts pressure on mental turmoil.
“Her mind in torment, wheeling like some lion at bay, dreading the gangs of hunters closing their cunning ring around him for the finish.”
Conclusion
Homer was a master storyteller. His profession was entertainment. The choice of comparisons used in his similes adds distinct images in the fashion of prominent details, thus dramatically increasing the impact on the audience.
