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An Introduction to Homer
This is a book for all readers of Homer, whether in translation or in the original. It attempts to characterize the poetic art of the Iliad and the Odyssey and to analyse in a simple way the reasons for its effectiveness.
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First published January 1, 1980
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 13, 2007
W.A. Camps' 1980 book AN INTRODUCTION TO HOMER is a brief (64-page) essay introducing the Iliad and Odyssey to students of literature. No knowledge of Greek is required, and any Greek language examples are accompanied by English translation.
Camps covers most of the necessary themes in reaching an appreciation of Homer's works. An overview of the plot of each poem and a description of its characters is provided. An admirable section on the society of Homer's Bronze Age Greece lets the reader better understand the world in which the action occurs. Camps gives a list of selected passages in translation to illustrate points he has made on the literary qualities of the novel. The second half of the essay is entirely concerned with the poetic medium. Metre and the use of metaphor are presented and compared to modern poetry. Sadly, Camps gives no explanation of irregular lines through digamma nor does he talk about the history of the field and the current adoration of Milman Parry's study of oral literature. I find it quite odd that Camps chose to transliterate the Greek examples for the sake of "accessibility", for readers with no knowledge of Greek will get little from them regardless of what alphabet they are written in.
While the content of Camps essay is unobjectionable, but its size is a problem. Not terribly detailed, it suggests lecture notes simply drawn up into a continuous text. One could find more detailed introductions to Homer for this same price. Furthermore, students of Greek will be able to find primers that deal simultaneously with the content and language of the Homeric epics. AN INTRODUCTION TO HOMER is an okay book, but there is nothing to especially recommend it.
Camps covers most of the necessary themes in reaching an appreciation of Homer's works. An overview of the plot of each poem and a description of its characters is provided. An admirable section on the society of Homer's Bronze Age Greece lets the reader better understand the world in which the action occurs. Camps gives a list of selected passages in translation to illustrate points he has made on the literary qualities of the novel. The second half of the essay is entirely concerned with the poetic medium. Metre and the use of metaphor are presented and compared to modern poetry. Sadly, Camps gives no explanation of irregular lines through digamma nor does he talk about the history of the field and the current adoration of Milman Parry's study of oral literature. I find it quite odd that Camps chose to transliterate the Greek examples for the sake of "accessibility", for readers with no knowledge of Greek will get little from them regardless of what alphabet they are written in.
While the content of Camps essay is unobjectionable, but its size is a problem. Not terribly detailed, it suggests lecture notes simply drawn up into a continuous text. One could find more detailed introductions to Homer for this same price. Furthermore, students of Greek will be able to find primers that deal simultaneously with the content and language of the Homeric epics. AN INTRODUCTION TO HOMER is an okay book, but there is nothing to especially recommend it.
July 9, 2010
Fabulous for understanding the nuances of Homer. It contains lots of background information and details of both The Iliad and The Odyssey.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews