Give Peace a Chance: The Homeric Simile and Nature vs. Chaos in The Iliad Anonymous College

Homer’s The Iliad is an epic poem written in Ancient Greek times about the conquest of Troy by the Achaeans. It details the heroic tales of many famous Greek warriors and figures such as: Achilles, Hector, Odysseus, Agamemnon, and Ajax. The poem also tells of the Greek heroine Helen, for whom “a thousand ships were launched”, and her flight with Paris that caused the ten-year war, which ultimately destroys the ancient city of Troy. Homer’s use of an epic simile as a literary device is unique and essential to The Iliad’s importance throughout the centuries. Homer’s similes represent the fruitfulness of nature and its unrelenting fertility to the uncompromising element of death in war and the destruction of fertility, and therefore nature. By shedding light on this juxtaposition, a culture can grow through the appreciation of the death of the Greek hero culture and the calm, pastoral life that prevailed.

Most readers know from the beginning that Troy is doomed for destruction and that Helen returns to her homeland to live a long life, and yet it is still an enthralling tale that endures the test of time. Homer’s use of powerful similes as a literary device allows the tale to transcend cultural and historical barriers; he relates...