Formulaic Language in The Odyssey

          When the Odyssey was first written and performed, it was all oral. It was mostly sung or spoken. There are a ton of characters in this story, and people back then did not have the handy "Glossary of Names" like we do when we read it in modern times. That is why the formulaic language in the Odyssey is super important when it comes to remembering which character is which, because when the important characters have an easy to remember phrase directly in front of or behind their name every time it is spoken, it makes it much easier to remember who is who. Plus the formulaic language often describes the character, for example Menelaus, the red-haired king is used whenever he is spoken about, and serves as a description as well as a helpful reminder of who he is. Other examples of formulaic language in this book include: godlike Odysseus, golden Aphrodite, and Pallas Athena or the Grey-eyed One. Formulaic language is very helpful for describing characters in the Odyssey, but it sometimes describes things too. One example of this is the wine-dark sea.