Assignment: Rhetoric in Homer

Homer's story of the Trojan War
illustrates Greek appreciation of rhetoric

You have probably heard of the Trojan War and the great battle fought by the Greeks in their ancient epic tale. Did you know that Homer's famous story is as much about speaking and persuading as it is about fighting?

Assignment Purpose:

• To familiarize you with a core text from ancient Greece, Homer's epic story, The Iliad.
• To begin doing rhetorical analysis, starting with identifying acts of persuasion within specific contexts; and with identifying artful uses of language.

We will begin with a very brief introduction to a couple of rhetorical concepts, and then with a quick introduction to Homer's famous story. Once you've done that, you'll write a blog post.

• Learn a little rhetoric at Silva Rhetoricae: The Forest of Rhetoric. You'll use this site a lot during the semester!

• On the left column, click on "What is Rhetoric?" and read (1 page)
• On the left column, click on "Encompassing Terms" and then read each of the entries listed: kairos, audience, and decorum. (4 pages) Pay attention to the brief sample rhetorical analysis following the entries for kairos and for audience.

• Get (re-)acquainted with Homer's Iliad
• Read/view this 11-slide PowerPoint overview, "The Story of the Iliad" by Debbie Alcorn. This should take only 10 minutes or so. (If you can't read the slide fonts, scroll down and see the text of each slide typed out below). 
• Read the summaries for Book 1 and Book 2 of the Iliad in this outline (a couple paragraphs).
• Read Book 2 of the Iliad (in the prose translation found here [or download the PDF from this alternate site, 17mb). In this edition Book 2 is found on pp. 17-39 of the scan. You may need to use the slider to get to the right pages. Your goal is not to remember details of the story, or even to keep straight who is who. Your goal is to identify acts of persuasion and artful uses of language (interesting comparisons or metaphors, figures of speech, etc.).  In other words, how are people trying to accomplish things with speech?
• Write a blog post. (Do not just comment on this assignment post)
• First, read from among the posts that are already up on the blog. If you are among the first, return later and read a few. This is not optional. I expect your blog posts to be informed by (and make reference to) other students' posts.
• Respond to at least three posts by other students. A good response is not "Nice post!" -- a good response refers to something specific and may add an insight or additional support. A good response may even politely disagree.
• Create your own post. Follow these blogging guidelines on how to make a blog post. If this proves difficult for you to figure out, then email your post to me this time. But you are expected to respond to at least three other students' posts on the blog.
• Get read! Your blog post is not complete until others have commented on it. You will not receive credit for doing any blog post that is not commented upon by others. Usually, those who make interesting comments on others' posts have no problem getting comments on their own posts. Feel free to solicit those from outside of the class to read and comment on your posts. Of course, if it appears that comments make no real effort to respond meaningfully to the content, they will not be considered to count.