Reading Space · Bilingual Themed Reading Homer and Troy

Author: U.S. Kailas Publishing Company
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Whenever Homer is mentioned, the image of ancient Greeks and Trojans clashing on the vast Trojan plains immediately comes to mind. Even today, the vivid battle scenes depicted by Homer still radiate a unique charm, transporting readers to the battlefield filled with the clatter of weapons and the cries of the fallen. Centuries have passed, and people have continuously questioned the authenticity of Homer's epics, with some even doubting whether the figure of Homer himself truly existed. Yet, almost no one has doubted the influence and status of his two epic masterpieces, the Iliad and the Odyssey, in the Western world. His themes, character portrayals, style, and the emotions he expressed have been drawn upon by countless artists, sculptors, writers, and musicians. The personal qualities and actions of his characters have long inspired many great generals and leaders of our world. In fact, when people mention the Trojan War and the legendary beauty—Helen, the Queen of Sparta—who is said to have triggered this decade-long catastrophe, they often quote a line from Christopher Marlowe's play Doctor Faustus, written in 1604: "Is this the face that drew a thousand ships across the sea? Is this the face that leveled Ilium to the ground?" Let us trace the course of history backward and return to Homer's world, to the time of the Greek playwright Euripides, who focused on the tragic fate of Trojan women, and feel the impact that history has brought us!