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Homeric Simile

Device
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

An extended simile, often running to several lines, used to intensify the heroic stature of the subject.

Detailed Definition
Also known as an epic simile, this device typically compares something unfamiliar (a heroic action) to something familiar (a scene from nature or daily life) for dramatic scale.
Example
Example in poetry:
Homeric Simile|Extended comparison spanning multiple lines; Epic simile elaborating at length; "Like as when" formula with detailed analogy; Lengthy metaphorical digression
Additional Notes
Extended comparison using "like" or "as" in epic poetry. Elaborate, lengthy simile. Homer pioneered. Related: epic poetry, simile. Study: how digressions work in narrative—pace vs. ornamentation.
Also Known As
Extended comparison Homeric comparison Long simile Epic parallel Epic simile
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