Homeric simile (dante's inferno) essay examples

Introduction

One of the significant stylistic elements of epic poetry is evidently the simile. Apparently, it is of great importance to note that similes are frequently used in the diverse and varied genres of both prose and poetry. In the ancient literature, the simile is sturdily associated with epic. Predominantly, similes in ancient literature are extended in their formations and essentially contain extensive details and differing comparison details. Homeric similes in particular have in most instances been used at the dramatic points of a given narrative with the main intent of comparing things to create a clear mental picture of the situation to the reader. Most of these similes compare human characters with natural phenomena. Additionally, the Homeric simile (Dante’s Inferno), are perceived powerful ensuing their evocation of situations that are apparently out of the world of the epic action being implied.
In relation to the notion put forward by Aristotle regarding the intellect incorporated in creating metaphors and similes. This paper will focus on one of the Homeric simile. Explain what is being compared in the given context and subsequently, establish the significance of the simile to the meaning of the work and afterwards prove the same. In this case, the Homeric simile below will be focussed on throughout the paper.
As when a little boy piles sand by the sea-shore when in his innocent play he makes sand towers to amuse him and then, still playing, with hands and feet ruins them and wrecks them. So you, Lord Apollo, piled in confusion much hard work and painful done by the Argives and drove terror among them (67).

Analysis of the Simile

In essence, the passage mentioned herein defining the simile does not seek to establish the powerlessness nature of the mortals in front of the potent gods, whose works have been compared to an idle play of a child building sand castles, because the child himself destroys the sand castles and not the massive waves. Instead, the passage accentuates that, Apollo and other gods are similar to a child building a sand castle in the sense that, they create men and intentionally destroy them by stirring wars and crushing them in scuffle the same way a child builds and destroys a sand castle. The fact that the Zeus and other gods like Apollo are responsible for wars is a persistent theme that have been given a lot of attention through subtle implications incorporated in similes similar to the above.

Conclusion

As accentuated by Aristotle, creating a simile and being able to create comparisons entail a lot of brilliance and intellectual skills. From the passage incorporated in this essay, it is apparent that the narrator or rather the author compares two differing contexts in an effort to draw a clear mental picture of the situation in question. Additionally, the simile mentioned herein is significant to the work subsequent to the fact that the author relates to contexts that have similar connotations.

Works Cited

Dante, Alighieri, and Stanley Lombardo. Inferno. Indianapolis: Hackett Pub. Co, 2009. Print.