Homer. What is meant by the term 'Oral Composition'?

first composed. This meant that the poet had to remember a lot to be able to successfully relate each story. The poet would not memorize the entire tale, but would rather compose as he went along, adding in certain memorized phrases, including epithets such as ‘Swift-footed Achilles’, which could be repeated whenever a similar event came up, such as the preparation of a meal or the description of a person. The phrases were in dactylic hexameter which helped the poem to run smoothly. This would also give the poet time to think about how he would construct the next part of the tale, as these phrases would run mindlessly off the tongue. This means that although the story would essentially be the same, the poet would relate it slightly differently each time; it is thought that Homer used his performances to perfect his version of the Iliad and the Odyssey. To keep the listener interested the poets would employ the use of ‘epic similes’ and extended comparisons. These would help the audience to visualize the scene and feelings of the characters involved; they could also be incredibly moving and, when being told with enough emotion and inflection, would aid the audience in empathizing. It was commonly thought that the poets were inspired by the nine Muses (Goddesses of poetry, art and science) and therefore their words were thought to be the ‘wisdom of the Gods’. Homer refers to them as one Muse and as many Muses, living on Olympus. Homeric Hymn to the Muses: (ll. 1-5) I will begin with the Muses and Apollo and Zeus. For it is through the Muses and Apollo that there are singers upon the earth and players upon the lyre; but kings are from Zeus. Happy is he whom the Muses love: sweet flows speech from his lips. This refers to the poets on earth and how they are only able to compose through the Muses (and Apollo). Jessica Ellis 12Dg