hauser on orality

1. Traditional View of the Iliad

• The Iliad is commonly seen as a poem about war.

• Critics often describe it as focused on violence and battle scenes.

• Simone Weil famously called the Iliad a “poem of force.”

• Because of this, readers often view the epic as:

  • A continuous sequence of battle scenes

  • A poem that glorifies warfare

  • A narrative focused almost entirely on combat and violence.

2. The Iliad’s More Complex View of War

• The poem’s treatment of war is much more nuanced and complex.

• Although war is central, the epic also explores:

  • Death

  • Grief

  • Human suffering

  • Peace

War in the Iliad

The poem clearly foregrounds war through:

• Graphic and gory descriptions of death

• Aestheticised deaths through poetic similes

• Focus on heroic warriors

• Detailed descriptions of:

  • Battlefields

  • Military movements

  • Combat strategy

Central Hero

• The epic follows the heroic journey of Achilles.

These elements make the poem appear to be primarily a war epic.

3. The Alternative Vision of Peace

• Alongside war, the poem presents a vision of peace.

• This contrast strengthens the emotional power of the epic.

The poem emphasises:

• Grief

• Mourning

• The human cost of war

Example

• Shield of Achilles

  • A weapon made for battle.

  • Yet it depicts peaceful scenes of life.

Juxtaposition

The poem frequently places:

• Domestic scenes
  next to

• Scenes of combat

This contrast increases the tragedy and emotional depth of war.

4. Beauty of Warriors

The poem sometimes presents warriors as beautiful and heroic.

Armour scenes emphasise:

• The beauty of greaves

• The strength and beauty of the warrior’s body

• The grandeur of helmets

These descriptions combine:

• Beautiful body

• Beautiful armour

to create the image of the perfect warrior.

5. Aestheticised Death (Similes)

Death is sometimes made beautiful through similes.

Example (Book 8)

• A dying warrior’s head droops like:

  • a poppy bending under the weight of rain in spring

Purpose:

• Softens the violence

• Makes death appear poetic and aestheticised.

6. Symbolic Death

Deaths often represent larger themes.

Achilles’ Symbolic Death and Rebirth (Book 18)

• Achilles hears of Patroclus’ death.

• He:

  • Falls in the dust

  • Tears his hair

• This moment represents a symbolic death.

• He then rises as a renewed warrior.

Hector’s Death

• The death of Hector symbolises:

  • The fall of Troy itself.

Thus, individual deaths represent larger themes and events.

7. The Human Cost of War

The poem constantly reminds the audience of war’s consequences.

Example: Diomedes

• Diomedes boasts about his success in battle.

• Yet he acknowledges that:

  • The dead warrior’s wife mourns

  • His children become fatherless

This reveals the tragic impact of war on families.

8. Families Left Behind

The epic often focuses on those who suffer because of war, especially women.

Example: Hector’s Family (Book 6)

• Hector returns to Troy and meets:

  • Hecuba (his mother)

  • Helen (his sister-in-law)

  • Andromache (his wife) and their child

Importance:

• Shows the peaceful domestic life inside Troy

• Highlights what is at stake when Hector fights.

This contrast makes Hector’s death even more tragic.

9. Similes Involving Family

Similes often introduce family relationships.

Example (Book 23)

• Achilles mourning Patroclus is compared to:

  • a father mourning his dead son

Purpose:

• Shows the depth of Achilles’ grief

• Highlights the human emotion behind heroic warfare.

10. Funeral Scenes

Funerals show the full emotional cost of war.

Important examples:

• Patroclus’ funeral – Book 23

• Hector’s funeral – Book 24

These scenes:

• Emphasise mourning and grief

• Show the consequences of heroic combat.

11. Memories of Peace

The poem sometimes recalls life before the war.

Example (Book 22)

During the chase between:

• Achilles

• Hector

They pass:

• Washing places where Trojan women once washed clothes during peacetime.

Meaning:

• Reminds readers of the peaceful world that war destroyed.

12. The Shield of Achilles

The Shield of Achilles is the strongest symbol of the war–peace contrast.

Although it is a weapon, it depicts:

Peaceful Scenes

• Farming

• Harvesting grapes

• Dancing

• Music

• Young men and women celebrating together

War Scenes

• Combat

• Conflict

This mixture highlights:

• Beauty of peace

• Destruction of war

13. The Shield as a Microcosm

The shield represents the entire epic.

It reflects key themes:

• War vs peace

• Heroism

• Human suffering

• Cost of conflict

Thus, the Iliad is far more complex than simply a “poem of force.”

14. Transition to the Odyssey

The next module focuses on the Odyssey.

Key theme:

• Nostos

Meaning:

• Homecoming

• Acts as a counterpoint to war.