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bncarlozzi's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
The Iliad is a tragedy. The main themes of this tragic tale are honour, loyalty, glory, and revenge. It was not the pleasantest read. Too much importance is given to the descriptions of gruesome details of war. The dramatic quality with which Homer has knitted his poem made so vivid a portrayal of battle scenes and horrific deaths that I found many passages hard to stomach. At the same time, I couldn't help admiring the ability of Homer to draw such realistic pictures through his finesse writing. And even more, I could sense the fury of men of both camps as they lunged at each other with their weapons drawn; I could hear their war cries. I could also hear the sound of the wheels of the chariots taking the warriors to the battle, the clanging of the weapons, and the groans and moans of the dead. It was truly more than a reading experience.
The narrator of the tale, while taking us through the present events, also fills in the gaps of the past and makes predictions for the future. This method of recounting the story gives a complete picture of the tale, although in the strictest sense the poem only describes a few weeks of the final year of the Trojan War. The writing is quite descriptive. Whether it is a battle scene, weapons, the general setting, or characters (both men and God), nothing has escaped Homer's minutest scrutiny. Even the pedigree of each of the characters is described! Although these details are quite overwhelming at times, they nevertheless are helpful to understand the story better.
It is amazing that how this epic poem, which is said to have written in the 7th or 8th centuries BC (or BCE), has fascinated and keeps on fascinating generations of readers. That in itself is proof of the true mastery of its author. When all things are considered, it is a little wonder that Homer is regarded as the pioneer of the Western Classic.
The narrator of the tale, while taking us through the present events, also fills in the gaps of the past and makes predictions for the future. This method of recounting the story gives a complete picture of the tale, although in the strictest sense the poem only describes a few weeks of the final year of the Trojan War. The writing is quite descriptive. Whether it is a battle scene, weapons, the general setting, or characters (both men and God), nothing has escaped Homer's minutest scrutiny. Even the pedigree of each of the characters is described! Although these details are quite overwhelming at times, they nevertheless are helpful to understand the story better.
It is amazing that how this epic poem, which is said to have written in the 7th or 8th centuries BC (or BCE), has fascinated and keeps on fascinating generations of readers. That in itself is proof of the true mastery of its author. When all things are considered, it is a little wonder that Homer is regarded as the pioneer of the Western Classic.
A word must be said about the translation. Personally, I think it is one of the best. As the translator himself has said, the essence of a translation is to capture the true spirit of the work which he translates without being too much burdened with the strict accuracy of the meaning. When compared with the first translation I've read and my respective response with my present perception, I quite see the wisdom of Pope. It is the spirit that matters.
amimafotak's review against another edition
tohle zatím nebudu hodnotit hvězdičkami, ale po dvou měsících... dočteno ✨
franklyfrank's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
jeslis's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Notes:
- Loved this so much! Lost my mind over Achilles and Patroclus but who's surprised.
- Themes of grief, anger and love were so interesting to me. In general I enjoyed how these universal emotions/experiences were explored in a way that is so applicable even now 3000 years later, and how they were addressed through specifics of the characters but also on a level that felt larger than the characters themselves.
- Taking off 0.5 just because it was a bit of a slog getting through the list of ships and some of the battle combat descriptions, but they were important in building up context for the heavy emotional points at the end.
- Loved this so much! Lost my mind over Achilles and Patroclus but who's surprised.
- Themes of grief, anger and love were so interesting to me. In general I enjoyed how these universal emotions/experiences were explored in a way that is so applicable even now 3000 years later, and how they were addressed through specifics of the characters but also on a level that felt larger than the characters themselves.
- Taking off 0.5 just because it was a bit of a slog getting through the list of ships and some of the battle combat descriptions, but they were important in building up context for the heavy emotional points at the end.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence
Minor: Slavery
fantasma13's review against another edition
2.0
Se alguma vez tive de ler algo por obrigação, nunca foi tão mau como este livro.
Apesar de estar muito bem escrito para um livro com mais de 2000 anos, as personagens são detestáveis, totalmente desprovidas de personalidade na sua maioria, os valores são dos mais anti democráticos e reaccionários que encontrei e o machismo e chauvinismo tornam os discursos longos um dos piores fretes da literatura.
Interessante para quem gostar de ver a evolução da literatura, ou apanhar pequenos detalhes sobre a civilização grega, a quem quer que o tenha de estudar em qualquer situação, boa sorte com as super analises que o tornam ainda mais impossível de ler
Apesar de estar muito bem escrito para um livro com mais de 2000 anos, as personagens são detestáveis, totalmente desprovidas de personalidade na sua maioria, os valores são dos mais anti democráticos e reaccionários que encontrei e o machismo e chauvinismo tornam os discursos longos um dos piores fretes da literatura.
Interessante para quem gostar de ver a evolução da literatura, ou apanhar pequenos detalhes sobre a civilização grega, a quem quer que o tenha de estudar em qualquer situação, boa sorte com as super analises que o tornam ainda mais impossível de ler
mariaili's review against another edition
Why did I decide to read this? Great translation but gives me flashbacks to 8th grade english where we were forced to read it
mrsbrewerislit's review
5.0
I actually read the Iliad translated by W.H.D Rouse . . . from Signet Classic. It’s my first time reading it for fun—the first was for a literature course. I liked it even more this time, and it was a five beforehand. It’s a classic and written by Homer, who we truly know little of. Most stories of him are a myth. But, we do know he wrote this and the Odyssey. I was please that this version kept the original ending, instead of including the battle and the infamous Trojan horse that people remember from this story. Most people do not realize that was not written by Homer, but it was added by other writers, as well as any other ending that was not Hector’s funeral.
I prefer this over epic poem the Odyssey, honestly. The Iliad is the best war story in history.
P.S. Don’t read this without an understanding of Greek gods, or you’ll be lost before book II.
I prefer this over epic poem the Odyssey, honestly. The Iliad is the best war story in history.
P.S. Don’t read this without an understanding of Greek gods, or you’ll be lost before book II.