Lesson Overview

Students will learn the particular characteristics of a Homeric simile, also called an epic simile. They will identify and deconstruct these similes in Homer’s The Odyssey, and analyze how these similes deepen the meaning of the text.

Materials

Lesson Objectives

1. Students will learn the characteristics of Homeric similes and how to identify similes in texts. 

2. Students will analyze Homeric similes by deconstructing the literal meaning of a simile and applying that to its figurative meaning. 

3. Students will understand how Homeric similes enhance the reader’s understanding of the text.

Instructional Sequence

1. Convey the language of Homer.

Homer’s epics were originally presented in oral form—Greek audiences heard The Odyssey as a live performance. To keep the audience’s attention and interest, Homer employed numerous literary devices. Figurative language, of which Homeric similes are just one example, abounds in The Odyssey. With Homeric similes, Homer roots his descriptions of often outlandish, fantastical events in familiar, everyday terms. By doing so, Homer ensured that the audience would be able to relate to his poem. 

2. Define simile and Homeric simile. Provide an example of a Homeric simile from the text.

Have students define simile. 

A simile is a figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared, using the words like or as. 

Ask students to share simple similes, for example, brave as a lion and quiet as a mouse. Have students explain how these phrases work as figurative language. 

Tell students that a Homeric simile, also called an epic simile, is a special type of figurative language. 

A Homeric simile is a long simile, generally extending over several lines of text, often used in epic poetry. 

Pass out the Homeric Similes Worksheet. Have students fill in and compare the definitions on their worksheets (items 1-2). 

Copy the following Homeric simile on the board, and have a volunteer read it aloud. 

Just as an angler poised on a jutting rock
flings his treacherous bait in the offshore swell,
whips his long rod—hook sheathed in an oxhorn lure—
and whisks up little fish he flips on the beach-break,
writhing, gasping out their lives . . . so now they writhed,
gasping as Scylla swung them up her cliff, and there
at her cavern’s mouth she bolted them down raw—
screaming out, flinging their arms toward me,
lost in that mortal struggle . . .
(Book 12, lines 271–279)

Conduct a brief discussion with students about their readings of this Homeric simile. Invite students to share their ideas about what is being compared and how this figurative language is used to add texture to the poem.

3. Identify the Homeric simile.

Explain that the first step in understanding Homeric similes is finding them in the text. Students should recall three main steps:

Look for telltale words: as, like, and so. 

Look for two objects. One is the literal object—what is actually being described—and one is the figurative object—what the literal object is being compared to. 

Look for vivid, dramatic, over-the-top language or descriptions. 

The text below has been annotated to show these three elements. The telltale words are bold, the literal and figurative objects are italicized, and the vivid language is underlined.

Just as an angler poised on a jutting rock
flings his treacherous bait in the offshore swell,
whips his long rod—hook sheathed in an oxhorn lure—
and whisks up little fish he flips on the beach-break,
writhing, gasping out their lives . . . so now they writhed,
gasping as Scylla swung them up her cliff, and there
at her cavern’s mouth she bolted them down raw—
screaming out, flinging their arms toward me,
lost in that mortal struggle . . .
(Book 12, lines 271–279)

More Homeric similes can be found in: 

Book 5, lines 436–442
Book 8, lines 585–597
Book 9, lines 438–441
Book 10, lines 452–461
Book 13, lines 34–40
Book 16, lines 19–26
Book 21, lines 451–456
Book 22, lines 311–315, lines 408–414, lines 426–431, lines 494–499
Book 23, lines 262–269 

You can provide this list to students, or have them search the text on their own to complete item 3 on the worksheet. 

4. Deconstruct the Homeric simile.

Once readers have identified a Homeric simile, the next challenge is to understand its meaning. There are several steps to follow: 

-Clarify the textual context in which the simile appears. 

-Restate the entire simile to ensure comprehension. 

-Create a simple statement focusing on the comparison being made. 

Readers need to understand what happens in the text before the simile. Invite students to review the text beginning at Book 12, line 238. Have students jot down a sentence or two describing this textual context. Have students share their ideas and write a contextual sentence on the board. 

This Homeric simile takes place when the ships are sailing by Scylla, and the monster is attacking the men. 

The purpose of restating a simile is to make sure that the reader understands the function of each component of it. Students need to understand both the literal and figurative objects to paraphrase the simile. Have them paraphrase the example simile, and invite students to share their paraphrases. Then create one as a class on the board. 

Like a fisherman who catches and pulls fish onto the beach where they flop around, Scylla grabs the men and reels them up to her cave where they flop around before she eats them. 

The statement of comparison is the Homeric simile without all the fancy words. It boils down the comparison to the essential elements. It basically says: “X is being compared to Y because of Z.” Ask students to create and share their own statements. Draw from them to construct a statement on the board. 

Odysseus’s men are being compared to fish because both are caught and devoured by someone else—the fish are caught by a fisherman and the men are caught by Scylla. 

Now have students complete items 4–6 on the worksheet for the simile they chose. 

5. Enhance text meaning through Homeric similes.

Homer’s verse is often intricate and complex, and Homeric similes allow readers to more easily access the richness of his imagery. The similes often compare familiar concepts with unfamiliar concepts, which allows readers to make sense of the action. As many fantastical events happen in The Odyssey, Homeric similes can help the reader have a clearer idea of what is happening. Further, Homeric similes function on a deeper, textual level. They are not employed simply to provide a captivating description of an event, but to enhance and enrich readers’ understanding of events, characters, and themes. Have students discuss how these concepts apply to the simile they just read.  

Readers will not be familiar with seeing men grabbed and eaten by a monster, but they can easily picture a person catching fish on a fishing rod. The simile brings up themes of violence and the natural world: The men are food for Scylla, just as fish are food for the fisherman. 

Have students complete item 7 on the worksheet for the simile they are analyzing.

Differentiated Instruction

This activity can be modified to help all students access learning.
Decrease difficulty

Choose a simile from the text, and have the class work on the same one. 

Identify the clue words, the objects being compared, and the dramatic language together. 

Have students work in pairs or small groups to deconstruct the simile and understand how the two objects are being compared. 

Review students’ answers as a class and work together to extend the meaning of the simile. Look for deeper meanings, drawing inferences about the events, characters, and themes.

Increase difficulty

Have students create their own Homeric simile. Encourage students to use dramatic words, scenes, and situations in their simile. Ask students to share their similes within small groups.

Downloads