Homeric Simile and Imagery in the Odyssey

A mosaic of Hades, the Greek god of the Underworld

Now that you have read a bit of Homer’s the Odyssey, it is time to take a closer look at some more of the literary devices employed throughout the epic. In this topic, you will learn how Homer used imagery to make the Odyssey come alive. In addition, you will learn about a device specific to Homer - the Homeric simile. There is more adventure still to come.

Essential Question

• What is a Homeric simile, and how did Homer use imagery in the Odyssey?