I remembered reading the Odyssey back in high school. From the somewhat elusive poetry regarding Odysseus’s wife to the fact that the protagonist kept stopping each time he got closer to his home, despite being completely and utterly heartbroken for not being able to go back, in my teenage brain, it was hard to understand. It wasn’t until the end did I finally realize the emotional impact Odysseus’s absence had on his family. His house was in shambles, his wife was being sexually harassed by the men who forced their way in, and his dog was dead. Even now, I still find myself thinking of those gruesome scenes. But more than that, while the Odyssey certainly is a celebrated work, and has been for thousands of years, it managed to push its author, Homer, into an immortal spotlight.

Not much is known about Homer, other than him being a writer who lived between the 8th to 12th century BC. Some scholars claimed that he was blind, while others said he was a bard. He also apparently died of a variety of illnesses. Even so, Homer was studied by many, so much so that he became one of the world’s first internationally acclaimed authors.

Many of Homer’s poems are used to teach students who studied classical Greek. And as Homer’s works continue to be studied, many scholars have started shaping him to be a philosopher of sorts. In fact, during the Renaissance, many humanists complimented Homer on his wisdom and poetry, with one of his most prominent fans being Virgil. Despite some critics saying Homer’s work was immoral, others have defended him. Many works have been attributed to Homer, some of which include Homeric Hymns and Contest of Homer and Hesiod. However, two of his works, the Odyssey and the Illiad have come under greater scrutiny.

According to contemporary scholars, both works were written by various authors, not necessarily Homer himself. This was because there were differences in important literary devices such as theology, vocabulary, and geography. In actuality, many have agreed that they are a collection of poems, each poem relying on many cherished traditions. On one hand, some scholars believed Homer was a witness to the Trojan War, while on the other hand, others thought Homer lived approximately 500 years after the event. Many have even interpreted the Illiad as evidence to Homer being a witness to the Trojan War, and even the existence of the war is being debated.

Much of Homer’s epics take place near the Mediterranean, and depict the changing culture in Greece during the time, from the Bronze Age all the way to Aegean times. However, despite this, there are a lot of inaccuracies involving these descriptions, many for which archaeologists have found no evidence. Even so, it doesn’t change the fact that Homer still contributed an important part of history. Despite the confusion as to who Homer was, and whether or not any of the writers mentioning Homer had any validity, the writer revealed an important part of ancient Greece.

Homer is still one of the world’s most celebrated writers. He was regarded as an extremely important philosopher, as well as teacher, and has continued to influence the world with his works. He offers a unique perspective to the daily humdrum of life, assisting students throughout the years even after death.