It is the earliest outstanding literary masterpiece in the history of European literature, which reflects the life of ancient Greece in prehistoric times and is an important document for studying early Greek society. Its unique and exquisite artistic features have had a far-reaching impact on the development of European literature and world literature in later generations.
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The background of Homer's epic:
Like other nationalities in the world, the history of ancient Greece is preserved in the memory of ancient ancestors in the form of legends, and later passed down from mouth to mouth in the form of epics. Although these legends and epics are not true historical works, they retain many historical facts of ancient society and have important historical value, which can be said to have some functions and attributes of historiography. They directly gave birth to ancient Greek historiography.
Homer's Epic is not a one-off work, but a history preserved in the memory of all Greeks. After the Trojan War, some folk singers and artists from the Greek city-states composed the heroic deeds and victories of the Greeks in the war into lyrics and sang them at public gatherings. These stories were handed down by folk singers.