E. T. Owen

Superb analysis of the Iliad's emotional power. Profound and incredibly insightful as to the esthetics of poetry. Owen's prose style is a joy to read, and his ability to detect how Homer achieves his stunning psychological effects is miraculous. Every literary critic should study this book in order to learn how to read masterpieces.

E. T. Owen discusses what makes the Iliad such an enduring work of art - including narrative technique, imagery, and characterization - and shows how each incident contributes to the overall emotional effect of the poem.