Part of what makes “The Iliad” a classic is the language Homer uses to express his ideas, so you could write about the symbols or the other literary elements and their effects of the story. For instance, Homer’s similes, comparisons such as how a crowd of people “swarmed like bees,” affect the tone of the story, clarify the situations and add depth. Homeric epithets — phrases used for further description — add the same clarity, such as “swift-footed Achilles” and “noble Achilles” in Book I. Your paper could discuss the reasons and benefits of such language in the work.
