Greek Epic

The Epic tradition is familiar with Homer and the grandiose Gods of Greek heritage. Archilochus and Sappho bring the God's closer to the heart in their lyrical poetry of emotion and human nature. Each contributed stylistic creations to their deeply personal lyrics. The value placed on the shield in epic poems is cast away by Archilochus in preference for preserving his life. Thus we see how Archilochus has transcended the image of the Greek epic to a much more human level, just as Sappho has. It is also to be noted in greek epic research papers that strong women can be found in northern sagas, in Greek tragedy (e.g. Oedipus' daughter Antigone), and in Greek epic poetry (Athena is an enormous help to Telemachus and Odysseus in The Odyssey).

The Greek epics lead one to believe that women were viewed as the property of men. For example, although Helen was the daughter of Zeus, she was a wife to several men in the Iliad, including Menelaos, King of Sparta, before she married Paris and Deiphobos and returned to Menelaos. Penelope, on the other hand, was the patient and faithful wife of Odysseus who demonstrated her unwavering love for him. The human element of the scapegoat is important in realizing the conflict of the Greek epic tradition. The philosophical tryst on the matter lies in discovering what a man has control over in his life and what he is merely born with and must accept.