ABSTRACT
It is necessary, before I launch into thematic analysis, to describe the term “theme,” which is the subject of this chapter. The singer “plans” the arrangement of the events of his story from scene to scene or from theme to theme. 1 Here by theme Lord means a repeated incident or description in an oral narrative (tradition). The “themes” could amount to components of a larger theme or each theme itself could break into still smaller units.(Lord, 1951: 77) The perception of theme involves what Lord calls essential and ornamental themes: a technique in building a story within the framework of the essential themes, the fullness of which is further achieved by using varying degrees of ornamentation. 2 I have used the word theme to indicate a repeated narrative element, usually an incident or group of incidents, in the tales. The theme may be composed without any attempts at ornamentation on the formulaic level; on the other hand, the theme may be embellished and appear as an ornamental theme. The themes are arranged in a series, and for 20such a series I have used the term “pattern.” Lord sometimes uses the term theme in this same way, although he prefers to use it to indicate specifically “compositional” themes. An example of a compositional theme may be found in the passages from the Books VI, XXIII, and XXIV of the Odyssey as follows: But when great Odysseus had bathed in the river and washed from his body 225 the salt brine, which clung to his back and broad shoulders, he scraped from his head the scurf of brine from the barren salt sea. But when he had bathed all, and anointed himself with olive oil, and put on the clothing this unwedded girl had given him, then Athene, daughter of Zeus, made him seem taller 230 for the eye to behold, and thicker, and on his head she arranged the curling locks that hung down like hyacinthine petals. And as when a master craftsman overlays gold on silver, and he is one who was taught by Hephaistos and Pallas Athene in art complete, and grace is in every work he finishes, 235 so Athene gilded with grace his head and his shoulders, and he went a little aside and sat by himself on the seashore, radiant in grace and good looks; and the girl admired him. It was to her attendants with well ordered hair that she now spoke: ‘Hear me, my white-armed serving women; let me say something. 240 It is not against the will of all the gods on Olympos that this man is here to be made known to the godlike Phaiakians. A while ago he seemed an unpromising man to me. Now he even resembles one of the gods, who hold high heaven. If only the man to be called my husband could be like this one, 245 a man living here, if only this one were pleased to stay here. But come, my attendants, give some food and drink to the stranger.’ So she spoke, and they listened well to her and obeyed her, and they set food and drink down beside Odysseus. He then, noble and long-suffering Odysseus, eagerly 250 ate and drank, since he had not tasted food for a long time. (VI, 224-250) Now the housekeeper Eurynome bathed great-hearted Odysseus in his own house and anointed him with olive oil, 155 and threw a beautiful mantle and tunic about him; 21and over his head Athene suffused great beauty, to make him taller to behold and thicker, and on his head she arranged the curling locks that hung down like hyacinthine petals. And as when a master craftsman overlays gold on silver, 160 and he is one who was taught by Hephaistos and Pallas Athene in art complete, and grace is on every work she finishes; so Athene gilded with grace his head and his shoulders. Then, looking like an immortal, he strode forth from the bath, and came back then and sat on the chair from which he had risen, 165 opposite his wife, and now he spoke to her, saying: ‘You are so strange. . . .’ (XXIII, 153-165) there they found Telemachos, and the oxherd and the swineherd, cutting up a great deal of meat, and mixing the bright wine. 365 Meanwhile the Sicilian serving maid bathed great-hearted Laertes in his house, and anointed him with olive oil, then threw a handsome mantle about him. Also, Athene, standing by the shepherd of the people, filled his limbs out, and made him taller and thicker to behold than he had been. 370 He stepped forth from the bath, and his son looked on in amazement as he saw him looking like one of the immortal gods to encounter. So he spoke to him and addressed him in winged words, saying: ‘Father, surely some one of the gods who are everlasting has made you better to look upon for beauty and stature.’ (XXIV, 363-374. Lattimore, tr. 1968: 108; 339; 354)
