speeches

• admired by Aristotle
• praised Homer for understanding that it was better for the narrator to let the character talk for himself
• the bard performing the poetry would have had every opportunity to capitalise on the speeches and bring his importance alive
• speeches give info and insight into the speaker's character and perspective on events
• put responsibility on the listener
• uses short interchanges and longer dialogue to vary the pace
• display a character's rhetorical skills through clever use of language to persuade, manipulate and provoke
• emphasises irony
• convey character through the tone that the speaker uses
• create atmosphere by being, e.g. shouted or whispered
• reveal much about relationships
• convey emotion
• show O's ability to spin a convincing tale
• ability to twist language to his own advantage
• familiarity with the gods
• refusal to be patronised or insulted
• belief that the laws of Zeus must be obeyed
• desire of kleos
• desire for time
• love of Ithaca
• skills as a craftsman
• Homer often describes Penelope as standing by a pillar and crying, but never shows her inner thoughts