Title
The Devious Narrator of the Odyssey
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
4-2006
Disciplines
Arts and Humanities | Classical Literature and Philology | Classics
Abstract
The narrator of the Odyssey, who appears objective and perfectly reliable, frequently misleads his listeners/readers by raising false expectations, making surprising shifts, concealing facts, leading them to believe inaccurate representations and leaving them in ambiguity. In this respect the narrator resembles his underhanded hero and puts his relationship with the audience on a footing similar to that between Odysseus and the other characters. This narrative strategy gives the audience the sense of uneasiness and insecurity that characterizes the world of the Odyssey.
Recommended Citation
Richardson, Scott. "The Devious Narrator of the Odyssey." The Classical Journal 101, no. 4 (April-May 2006): 337-359.