Chapter Style of The Iliad - Study Guide by Homer

anywhere that glory can be attained by those not 'of heroic character'?

- If you agree with the quote, is it a fair description of the Iliad, or is it too one-dimensional?

2. "Homer's similes are an irritating distraction that get in the way of the real concerns of the poem". Discuss.

- What is the function of the similes in the Iliad? Do they all have the same function?

- Are the similes important to Homer's narration of his story, or are they simply digressions?

- Would the poem, shorn of the ornament of the similes, be more interesting and direct?

- What are the 'real concerns of the poem'?

- Are the similes in agreement with or at odds with these concerns? Do they add anything to them?