The 'Iliad' and the 'Odyssey' are the foundational works of Ancient Greek literature and are attributed to the legendary poet Homer. These epic poems were originally composed in the 8th century BC and were part of an oral tradition, performed by traveling bards known as 'rhapsodes' before being written down. The 'Iliad' focuses on the final weeks of the Trojan War, specifically the wrath of Achilles, while the 'Odyssey' tells the ten-year journey of Odysseus back to his home in Ithaca. Homer's works established the 'epic' genre, characterized by a vast setting, superhuman heroes, and the involvement of gods in human affairs. The 'Homeric Question' refers to the ongoing debate among scholars about whether Homer was a single individual or a collective name for generations of oral poets. Regardless of their origin, these poems have influenced nearly every aspect of Western storytelling, from Virgil's 'Aeneid' to modern films.