Changes

Of the two, it is thought the Iliad was written first. Apart from the too obvious and simplistic view that the events at Troy occurred before Odysseus’ travels; the Odyssey feels like it was written by an older man – at least to the experts. Controversy has occurred because they are both seemingly the works of an extremely mature person. This question has been argued since the 17th century and is ongoing.

Of the two, it is thought the Iliad was written first. Apart from the too obvious and simplistic view that the events at Troy occurred before Odysseus’ travels; the Odyssey feels like it was written by an older man – at least to the experts. Controversy has occurred because they are both seemingly the works of an extremely mature person. This question has been argued since the 17th century and is ongoing.

The beauty of the Iliad – the genius and craft of it – is that whilst the action is concentrated in only one episode of the conflict - two months of action during the legendary 10 years - Homer is able to supply all the whys and wherefores and what went before by alluding to them without interrupting the tightening of tension in the main narrative.

The beauty of the Iliad – the genius and craft of it – is that whilst the action is concentrated in only one episode of the conflict - two months of action during the legendary 10 years - Homer is able to supply all the whys and wherefores and what went before by alluding to them without interrupting the tightening of tension in the main [[narrative]].

He does the same thing in the Odyssey but by different means. The time from the fall of Troy to his homecoming and the recognition of him by his wife, Penelope (the point where many believe Homer's original work ends) is ten years; yet the immediate narrative describes events during a time span of only about forty days. The seeming irrelevance to the main narrative of his son Telemachus’  fruitless search for his father is a way of connecting the return to the overall legend of Troy and its story.

He does the same thing in the Odyssey but by different means. The time from the fall of Troy to his homecoming and the recognition of him by his wife, Penelope (the point where many believe Homer's original work ends) is ten years; yet the immediate narrative describes events during a time span of only about forty days. The seeming irrelevance to the main narrative of his son Telemachus’  fruitless search for his father is a way of connecting the return to the overall legend of Troy and its story.