Greek Literature :: Greece Literature Poetry Myths Essays

chaste publicationsThe great British philosopher-mathematician Alfred northwesterly Whitehead erstcommented that altogether philosophy is scarcely a annotate to Plato . A interchangeable point canbe made regarding Hellenic publications as a whole.Over a percentage point of more(prenominal) than tenner centuries, the antediluvian classics created aliterature of such brilliance that it has seldom been equaled and neversurpassed. In poetry, tragedy, comedy, and invoice, Greek writers createdmasterpieces that prolong inspired, influenced, and ch eitherenged readers to thepresent day.To suggest that all Western literature is no more than a footnote to the literary works of classical Greece is an exaggeration, just now it is nevertheless truethat the Greek world of estimation was so cold-ranging that there is scarcely anidea discussed today that was not debated by the antediluvian patriarch writers. The altogether bodyof literature of comparable influence is the B ible.The phraseology in which the ancient authors wrote was Greek. Like English,Greek is an Indo-European language but it is far older. Its hi paper can befollowed from the 14th century BC to the present. Its literature, therefore,covers a time-consuming period of time than that of any other Indo-European language .Scholars have determined that the Greek alphabet was derived from thePhoenician alphabet. During the period from the 8th to the fifth century BC, localdifferences caused the forms of letters to vary from 1 city-state to another inwardly Greece. From the 4th century BC on, however, the alphabet became alikethroughout the Greek world.CLASSICAL PERIODThere are foursome major periods of Greek literature preclassical, classical,Hellenistic-Roman, and Byzantine. Of these the most significant plant life wereproduced during the preclassical and classical eras.Epic customs dutyAt the beginning of Greek literature yield the two massive works of Homer,the Iliad and the Odys sey. The figure of Homer is shrouded in mystery.Although the works as they straight stand are credited to him, it is certain thattheir grow reach far back before his time (see Homeric Legend). The Iliad isthe famed story just about the Trojan War. It centers on the person of Achilles, whoembodied the Greek heroic ideal. sequence the Iliad is pure tragedy, the Odyssey is a mixture of tragedy andcomedy. It is the story of Odysseus, one of the warriors at Troy. After tenyears fighting the war, he spends another ten years sailing back home to hismarried woman and family. During his ten-year voyage, he loses all of his comrades andships and makes his way home to Ithaca disguised as a beggar.Both of these works were based on ancient legends. The stories are told inGreek Literature Greece Literature Poetry Myths Essays Greek LiteratureThe great British philosopher-mathematician Alfred North Whitehead oncecommented that all philosophy is but a footnote to Plato . A similar point canb e made regarding Greek literature as a whole.Over a period of more than ten centuries, the ancient Greeks created aliterature of such brilliance that it has rarely been equaled and neversurpassed. In poetry, tragedy, comedy, and history, Greek writers createdmasterpieces that have inspired, influenced, and challenged readers to thepresent day.To suggest that all Western literature is no more than a footnote to thewritings of classical Greece is an exaggeration, but it is nevertheless truethat the Greek world of thought was so far-ranging that there is scarcely anidea discussed today that was not debated by the ancient writers. The only bodyof literature of comparable influence is the Bible.The language in which the ancient authors wrote was Greek. Like English,Greek is an Indo-European language but it is far older. Its history can befollowed from the 14th century BC to the present. Its literature, therefore,covers a longer period of time than that of any other Indo-European language .Scholars have determined that the Greek alphabet was derived from thePhoenician alphabet. During the period from the 8th to the 5th century BC, localdifferences caused the forms of letters to vary from one city-state to anotherwithin Greece. From the 4th century BC on, however, the alphabet became uniformthroughout the Greek world.CLASSICAL PERIODThere are four major periods of Greek literature preclassical, classical,Hellenistic-Roman, and Byzantine. Of these the most significant works wereproduced during the preclassical and classical eras.Epic TraditionAt the beginning of Greek literature stand the two monumental works of Homer,the Iliad and the Odyssey. The figure of Homer is shrouded in mystery.Although the works as they now stand are credited to him, it is certain thattheir roots reach far back before his time (see Homeric Legend). The Iliad isthe famous story about the Trojan War. It centers on the person of Achilles, whoembodied the Greek heroic ideal.While the Iliad is pu re tragedy, the Odyssey is a mixture of tragedy andcomedy. It is the story of Odysseus, one of the warriors at Troy. After tenyears fighting the war, he spends another ten years sailing back home to hiswife and family. During his ten-year voyage, he loses all of his comrades andships and makes his way home to Ithaca disguised as a beggar.Both of these works were based on ancient legends. The stories are told in