Creators: Homer

Creators

A growing list of inspirational artists, writers, poets, filmmakers, and creatives.

Homer

In my comeback update week, I thought I would use my creators slot to pay respects to one of the most influential personalities of the ancient world, Homer.  Though history can't make up its mind about whether or not the blind poet existed as some suggest, or that he was a fabrication that was added onto previously existing work by another poet(s).  But regardless of whether or not Homer was singular and blind, he, she, or they have heavily influenced storytelling,

The two ancient epics attributed to Homer are of course the Iliad and the Odyssey, which we all had to read some chunk of at some point in school.  m sure there were many who didn't care for it, but I am one of those who loved it.  Just like the poet, the story's authenticity is up for debate as well.  Did the Trojan war happen really?

Really?

I don't really care if it's historically accurate or not, because for me, the value in the stories is allegorical and literary.  The play of characters upon one another and the depictions of the vanity of the gods and stupidity of mankind are of interest here.  Out of the two of them, the Odyssey is my favorite.  Being one of the first written examples of the hero's journey in the west, it has become the basis for how to tell an adventure.  The influence of a husband and father's journey to rejoin his family can be seen in plenty of other stories written and filmed since.

I'd recommend reading  the poems, but if you'd rather watch the movie, you'll still get it from some of these. 

A good version of the Iliad.  TNT does some pretty good ones.

A good Version of the Odyssey.  Apparently this is the whole thing on Youtube.

An awesome version of the Odyssey.

And of course...

Later.