University Assignment: Social Relations Depicted in Homer's Epics

This paper presents an annotated bibliography that examines social relations as depicted in Homer's epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey. The bibliography includes summaries and critiques of key sources, such as Finley's "The World of Odysseus", Fowler and Fowler's "The Cambridge Companion to Homer", Hall's "A history of the archaic Greek world", Morris and Powell's "A new companion to Homer", Murray's "Early Greece", Osborne's "Greece in the Making", Silk's "Homer: The Iliad", and Ulf's "The world of Homer and Hesiod". These sources offer insights into the social practices, cultural factors, and historical context of ancient Greece. The paper highlights the significance of gifts in maintaining social relations, the portrayal of heroic figures, and the evolution of Greek society. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the social dynamics and cultural aspects presented in Homer's epics and the research surrounding them.

Running head: SOCIAL RELATIONS IN HOMER'S EPICS
SOCIAL RELATIONS IN HOMER'S EPICS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1SOCIAL RELATIONS IN HOMER'S EPICS
Homer (c. 750 BCE) is considered to be one of the legendary authors who lived in the
ancient Greece. He is known to be one of the greatest poets in the history of the world literature.
The epic poet is well-known for the composition of the two major epics in the Greek literature
which are considered to be the major sources of information on the various factors like the social
relations and the habits of the people of the age. The epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey are
known to be the major sources of information for gaining knowledge on the then society and
social practices that were followed in Greece. The following paper attempts to put forth an
annotated bibliography on the interpretation of the social relations that are evident from the epics
that were composed by the Greek poet Homer. The following paper majorly attempts to shed
light on the information that is gathered from the various books on the epics by Homer and the
researches on the then Greek society.
Finley, M.I., 1965. The World of Odysseus, rev. ed. New York: Viking.
Finley (1965) in the book entitled The World of Odysseus discusses the various factors
that are related to the social and the cultural factors that were presented in the then Greek society
during the composition of the epic poems by Homer. The author tends to deal with the social
practices that were demonstrated within the epics that were composed by Homer. The author
states that the compositions of the era do not demonstrate the political state of affairs that were
present within the era in a proper manner. The author further argues the presence of the Greek in
the trading relationships that existed in the era. The authors tend to point out the significance of
the gifts in the maintenance of the social relations within the trading countries.
Fowler, R. and Fowler, R.L. eds., 2004. The Cambridge Companion to Homer. Cambridge
University Press.

2SOCIAL RELATIONS IN HOMER'S EPICS
Fowler and Fowler (2004) in the book entitled The Cambridge Companion to Homer
attempts a discussion on the detailing of the then society as has been represented within the epics
that were composed by Homer. The authors tend to throw light on the various issues that were
prevalent in the Homeric society. The book further discusses the fact that the epics as composed
by the bard, Homer does not help in tracking him down to a single place in the country which
thereby had led to the conditions of seven different cities to be claiming him as a citizen of the
area.
Hall, J.M., 2013. A history of the archaic Greek world, ca. 1200-479 BCE. John Wiley &
Sons.
Hall (2013) in the book entitled A history of the archaic Greek world, ca. 1200-479
BCE attempts a definitive reconstruction of the history of Greece through engrossing the reader
into the various interesting features of the construction of history. The author in this book tends
to put forth certain historical facts that have been helpful in the development of the ancient cities
and the social structure that they have been following in the then society. The author focusses on
the heroic treatment that were accredited to the people who fought as well as sacrificed their
lives for the cities.
Morris, I. and Powell, B.B. eds., 1997. A new companion to Homer (Vol. 163). Brill.
Morris and Powell (1997) in the book entitled A new companion to Homer attempted a
discussion on the composition of the epics that were put forth by one of the most important and
celebrated poets of Ancient Greece, Homer. The authors opine that the epics were composed to
be long poems that were composed and distributed in the oral form and were presented in the
written format later on. The major basis of this opinion lay in the fact that the alphabet was

3SOCIAL RELATIONS IN HOMER'S EPICS
coined around the 800 BC much after the demise of Homer. The authors tend to shed light on the
linguistic and the graphical representation of the oral speech that was used for the composition of
the concerned epics, The Iliad and The Odyssey.
Murray, O., 1993. Early Greece. Harvard University Press.
Murray (1993) in the book entitled Early Greece attempts a discussion on the role that is
played by the historical knowledge. The author opines that the literature that was composed at a
certain age tends to reflect the various practices that are generally prevalent in the then society
which is being represented by the concerned piece of literature. The author attempts to portray
the various social issues and practices that are presented within the concerned epics of Homer,
The Iliad and The Odyssey.
Osborne, R., 2009. Greece in the Making 1200–479 BC. Routledge.
Osborne (2009) in the book entitled Greece in the Making 1200–479 BC discusses the
history of Greece from the 1200 BC to the 479 BC. The author tends to put forth the various
change that were prevalent in the making of the country. The author traces the various changes
that have been taking place within the country during the evolution of the country form the
ancient times. The author throws further light on the evolution and the changes that were faced
by the Greek society.
Silk, M.S., 2004. Homer: The Iliad. Cambridge University Press.
Silk (2004) in the book entitled Homer: The Iliad attempts a discussion on the storyline
of the epic that was composed by Homer. The story of the epic depicts the heroes and the
warriors to have been living a larger life. The epics states that the then society had been used to
having the warrior leaders to be present in the various countries and the war among countries

4SOCIAL RELATIONS IN HOMER'S EPICS
were a normal feature. The age that is discussed within the epic story of The Iliad had been
superior to the present societal norms and is often referred to as the heroic age.
Ulf, C., 2009. The world of Homer and Hesiod. In A Companion to Archaic Greece.
Ulf (2009) in The world of Homer and Hesiod attempts a discussion on the society and
the surroundings that were present during the ancient times in the ancient city of Athens. The
author opines that the epics tend to provide the proper discussion on the societal norms and the
customs that are followed within the given organization. The author discusses the various ways
in which the concerned epics helped in gaining knowledge regarding the practices and the
customs that were followed by the Ancient Greek society and the ways in which the social
relations were maintained among the states and nations.
Thus, form the above discussion, it might safely be pointed out that the various sources
that have been annotated above would help in the development of the assignment in the future.
The sources tend to help in discussion on the social relations of the then society that is
demonstrated in the epics of Homer.

5SOCIAL RELATIONS IN HOMER'S EPICS
References
Finley, M.I., 1965. The World of Odysseus, rev. ed. New York: Viking.
Fowler, R. and Fowler, R.L. eds., 2004. The Cambridge Companion to Homer. Cambridge
University Press.
Hall, J.M., 2013. A history of the archaic Greek world, ca. 1200-479 BCE. John Wiley & Sons.
Morris, I. and Powell, B.B. eds., 1997. A new companion to Homer (Vol. 163). Brill.
Murray, O., 1993. Early Greece. Harvard University Press.
Osborne, R., 2009. Greece in the Making 1200–479 BC. Routledge.
Silk, M.S., 2004. Homer: The Iliad. Cambridge University Press.
Ulf, C., 2009. The world of Homer and Hesiod. In A Companion to Archaic Greece.