What is the genre of The Odyssey? Is it simply an epic poem? The first novel? A collection of myths? A fable or allegory? Or a composite genre, some combination of these?
Does everything we read have to have a genre? Can this piece of artwork just be a genre of its own. Brilliant content and here we are trying to categorize it. Can this book just have a genre of its own; can we just create a new genre only for this book? Maybe I’m going to extreme but there really is not one fit genre for this book.
I’d like to start off by saying this book has full of myths but to just say they are only a collection of myths is very basic. I’d even describe it as a rap without rhymes; think about it, The Odyssey contains a variety of themes in which everything is read with a specific tone in your mind. In my opinion I believe The Odyssey can just be thought of as an epic poem. Poems can tell stories right? How about fables/myths? Sure! Poems can be written as long as one wants it to be.
I believe that the Odyssey is based on more than one genre as opposed to it just being considered an epic poem. It is a story being told by Odysseus on post-war and what occurred after the war. All poems have meanings behind them and tell a story within the poem that a reader must identify. Being that it does include fables/myths/legend/quests, I still believe that the Odyssey is considered a composite genre. Sure, it is primarily based in a poem format but reading between the lines, there is much more to it in which you still see that it involves different types of genres.
However, I do see your point!