Major Systems of Thematic Resonance in the Iliad

Abstract

It has been suggested (Heiden 1996) that in the Iliad thematically analogous "Achilles-decision" books (books 1, 9, and 16) and thematically analogous "Zeus-decision" books (books 8, 15, and 24) are arranged in analogous positions at the beginnings and ends of three "movements" (1-8, 9-15, 16-24 = A1-Z1, A2-Z2, A3-Z3). This observation provides the key to a comprehensive system that relates many distant segments of the Iliad. The parallel relationship of thematically resonant beginnings and ends extends to the interior segments of the "movements". Moreover, each movement displays an internal arrangement based on symmetrical ring composition. These two systems are coordinated. They might have served to cue audience recall and comparison of distant thematically resonant segments.