Philology
in medias res, meaning “in the middle of things,” was a common storytelling technique in epic poems. Instead of the plot of the story gradually unfolding and introducing us to characters slowly, works in medias res essentially drop the reader right into the middle of the narrative; description and exposition often come later, or are eliminated altogether.
In Book 5 of The Odyssey, the reader is finally introduced to Odysseus; the first four Books only have other characters speak about Odysseus, and the ways in which the goddess Athena attempts to convince the other gods and goddess to finally allow Odysseus to return home from the Trojan War. By the time we meet Odysseus, he is a broken man, and there is little context provided about Odysseus, his character, and why and and how he is in the situation he’s in.
It is not until Book 9 , and continuing through Books 10, 11, and 12 that Odysseus begins to tell his own story–in other words, it is no longer our rhapsode/narrator who explains what has happened, or is happening, to Odysseus, but Odysseus himself speaking of his adventures. It is at that moment Odysseus brings us back to a time long before he arrives on Calypso’s island, and we finally learn more about him and his story.
In a writing of 350-500 words, provide a reason why this method of storytelling (in medias res, or “in the middle of things”) can cause 21st century readers some difficulty as they read The Odyssey, whereas an ancient Greek audience would have little to no problem in hearing (or reading) the story in this fashion. Please use at least two (2) quotes from the text to help defend your answer. Texts MUST be cited in MLA format (please use in-text citation instead of a works cited page).
