Three Levels Of History In The Odyssey
Arthur Marwick shows three levels of history in his work; first, it can imply the entire human past as it actually happened. Secondly, history connotes man’s effort to describe and interpret to the past. This is the sense, which comes nearer to the original Greek meaning ‘inquiry’. The third meaning shows the systematic study of history, history as a scientific order. D.B.Macaulay, however, treats history in a different way. He holds that:
History falls alternately under the sole an absolute dominion of both, reason and
Imagination. It is sometimes fiction and sometimes theory.15 (D.B.Macaulay:1970, 72)
The earliest historical materials or inspirations were devoted chiefly to adoration of the kings, military, victories and monarchical …show more content…
Interestingly, some of the scholars have argued that the Iliad and the Odyssey are products of a non- literate culture which were transcribed when the Greeks modified a writing system. Moreover, many scholars contented that Homer was, in fact, to poets, may be more, who compose the epics over a space of time. Putting aside the controversy regarding Homer, it is relevant to note that the two epics offer an impressive account of the events, which are important from the historic point of view of their time, and are useful sources of history as any of their counterparts. The earliest and the simplest form of a more genuine kind of historical account consist of dynastic list, which are found at ancient Sumer and Egypt. After that, the very first objective account of history is of the Persian war, in the 5th century B.C. by Herodotus. Then onwards history was discovered from folk tales and myths as the later were considered to be reverse to the truth and fact. The changed concept of history proposed that history is based on the fact, is liner an objective and deals with materials very different from fiction. However, the idea of historical progress is one of the contributions of the Bible. The Bible is not only the basis of western
History falls alternately under the sole an absolute dominion of both, reason and
Imagination. It is sometimes fiction and sometimes theory.15 (D.B.Macaulay:1970, 72)
The earliest historical materials or inspirations were devoted chiefly to adoration of the kings, military, victories and monarchical …show more content…
Interestingly, some of the scholars have argued that the Iliad and the Odyssey are products of a non- literate culture which were transcribed when the Greeks modified a writing system. Moreover, many scholars contented that Homer was, in fact, to poets, may be more, who compose the epics over a space of time. Putting aside the controversy regarding Homer, it is relevant to note that the two epics offer an impressive account of the events, which are important from the historic point of view of their time, and are useful sources of history as any of their counterparts. The earliest and the simplest form of a more genuine kind of historical account consist of dynastic list, which are found at ancient Sumer and Egypt. After that, the very first objective account of history is of the Persian war, in the 5th century B.C. by Herodotus. Then onwards history was discovered from folk tales and myths as the later were considered to be reverse to the truth and fact. The changed concept of history proposed that history is based on the fact, is liner an objective and deals with materials very different from fiction. However, the idea of historical progress is one of the contributions of the Bible. The Bible is not only the basis of western