...sacrifice. The Iliad, an Epic by Homer, describes an ancient Greek war between the Achaean army and the Trojan army ten years before the fall of Troy. A brave Achaean warrior, Achilles, is known for being well-respected and feared by his enemies. He leads his men into action with much ferocity and bravery. Outside of literature, Malala Yousafzai, a young Pakistani, received the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts on promoting education for women in the Middle East. She became a target by the Taliban because she was a role model for women controlled by the Taliban which they did not like. In Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, the protagonist Achilles most closely fits the canon of “a hero”, as portrayed by Malala in her speech as a person who puts others before themselves, because they both risked their lives for the sake of another and they both were compassionate even towards their enemies....
Words: 569 - Pages: 3
...matter of life and death, which can be observed in numerous noticeable works such as the Iliad. In the Iliad, when the characters try to make the one who acts against the society or needs to be motivated, feel ashamed by talking and insulting. This can be observed with dialogues of many characters like between Achilles and Agamemnon or Odysseus, and between Paris and Hector. There are numerous instances; some are acceptable and standard while some are really abnormal and extraordinary, in the Iliad Books 1, 3 and 9. There is an emphasized standard effect of shame In Book 1. Because Agamemnon feels himself superior, he gets Briseis, Achilles’ prize as a symbol of honor. Achilles becomes extremely angry and humiliates Agamemnon. In front of the army, he calls Agamemnon ‘shameless’. Then, Agamemnon shoots back, questions if he is a good warrior and says: “Desert! You are nothing to me.” Because of this statement, Achilles attempts to kill Agamemnon; however, gives up with the intervention of goddess. Upon this, Achilles leaves the battle. In fact, this is understandable because of shame concept in Greece, which is an important matter. Having had no prize anymore, Achilles’ status is lowered in the eyes of community. He is convinced that...
Words: 892 - Pages: 4
...goddess”. Aurora's hair of sunburst and sun rays were probably not a good enough way to describe Capitu's hair. Bento crossed out Thetis and nymph and instead wrote “a beloved creature, which is a word which embraces all the powers.” Thetis was one of the 50 Nereids and their leader. She had her son Achilles with King Peleus, who she didn’t really like. Bento described Capitu's undertow eyes like Thetis' because she was the goddess of the sea. The sea has an undertow current that drags people in just like Capitu's eyes dragged in Bento and made him love her even more. Homer's cow is about the sun god's Helios' immortal cows. Odysseus' crew kills the cows and Helios gets mad. He kills the crew except Odysseus because he escaped to Calypsos' island. Homer's cow was used to describe Jose Dias' eyes and how they “dragged themselves away from the wall and began to wander around the whole patio.” This happens when Jose Dias is trying to find a way to get Bento out of the seminary sooner, since he couldn’t get Bento out of it completely. Priam, king of Troy, watches his son, Hector, get killed by Achilles. Priam goes to Achilles' camp to get Hector's body. He kisses Achilles' hand and Achilles feels sympathy for the...
Words: 444 - Pages: 2
...The Iliad is primarily about how Achilles’ anger is affecting the war’s outcome. Throughout the book, the readers can observe how his character matures. A consistent characteristic of Achilles is that he let's his emotions cloud his judgment, and thinking rationally. The developmental characteristics are his sense of consequence (book 15-390 18). Throughout the book and even towards the ending of the book, Achilles has yet to learn how to keep his emotions from clouding his judgment. At the beginning of the book when Achilles loses his war prize Briseis to Agamemnon, his menace drives him to make an oath: “that all the sons of the Achaians be pinned on their grounded vessels by the reason of [Achilles’] loss, and suffer things that are shameful” to the point where it would be clear that Agamemnon has given “no honor to the best of the Achaians” (18.76-7) (1.242-4). Achilles being a man of his word, stood fast on his ground as he sat on the sidelines while Hektor kept on “slaughtering the Argives” (9.633). At that moment, Achilles had little care for the Argives seeing as his companion, Patroclus, as well as his soldiers, the Myrmidons, were safely...
Words: 544 - Pages: 3
...muse to aid him in telling the story of the rage of Achilles, the greatest Greek hero to fight in the Trojan War. The narrative begins nine years after the start of the war, as the Achaeans sack a Trojan-allied town and capture two beautiful maidens, Chryseis and Briseis. Agamemnon, commander-in-chief of the Achaean army, takes Chryseis as his prize. Achilles, one of the Achaeans’ most valuable warriors, claims Briseis. Chryseis’s father, a man named Chryses who serves as a priest of the god Apollo, begs Agamemnon to return his daughter and offers to pay an enormous ransom. When Agamemnon refuses, Chryses prays to Apollo for help. Apollo sends a plague upon the Greek camp, causing the death of many soldiers. After ten days of suffering, Achilles calls an assembly of the Achaean army and asks for a soothsayer to reveal the cause of the plague. Calchas, a powerful seer, stands up and offers his services. Though he fears retribution from Agamemnon, Calchas reveals the plague as a vengeful and strategic move by Chryses and Apollo. Agamemnon flies into a rage and says that he will return Chryseis only if Achilles gives him Briseis as compensation. Agamemnon’s demand humiliates and infuriates the proud Achilles. The men argue, and Achilles threatens to withdraw from battle and take his people, the Myrmidons, back home to Phthia. Agamemnon threatens to go to Achilles’ tent in the army’s camp and take Briseis himself. Achilles stands poised to draw his sword and kill the Achaean...
Words: 518 - Pages: 3
...In a revisit to Homer’s eighth century epic poem "Illiad", David Malouf’s "Ransom" explores the worlds of royalty, war and the common man. Although Malouf explores the original themes of revenge, redemption and fate, he predominately focuses on the human connections, relationships and inner thoughts of his characters. Malouf contends that Somax is the true hero of the novel, "Ransom", through the events he participates in, his disposition and the characteristics he displays. Somax, a mere commoner that Malouf has added into his novel, gives Priam an insight into the world he was missing out on. His chatter, whether about ‘[the] little cakes’or his ‘pretty daughter-in-law’, is always intriguing to Priam. After Somax successfully persuades Priam to do a number of things, such as getting him to waddle in the stream and nibble on some griddlecakes, he describes Priam as 'like a child’. Throughout their journey, Somax attempts to ‘…fill out the picture’of the ordinary life Priam has overlooked ‘reveal[ing] these things to him' which help Priam learn more about the “interesting” world around him, the “prattling world” full of “interest”, suggesting that Priam’s world of royal customs and kingship is dull and boring. He rarely makes decisions for himself as he believes ‘I’ve played my part.’ While Somax can be funny at times, that is not his sole purpose in the novel; Somax is more of a teacher to Priam, he teaches Priam many more things, for example...
Words: 929 - Pages: 4
...Song of Roland and examines how historical events and cultural circumstances shaped the portrayal of the heroes in these works. Sabiduria, vol.1,1 Hero as a Reflection of Culture 1 Every culture has heroes. In works of literature, is an individual to be admired and emulated, and because of this he is the embodiment of the greatest virtues of the culture that created him. The ideals of every culture were shaped by the social conditions of the time and therefore different attributes became valued. To different degrees, the hero in a work is a result of not only the culture from which the hero comes, but also the culture of the author. Cultural values are reflected in both the actions of a hero and his motivations. As heroes, Achilles, Aeneas, Beowulf, and Roland reflect the values of the societies that created them. One of the oldest works of ancient literature is Homer‟s Iliad. Homer‟s works are dated to between 900 and 750 B.C. (Krieger, Jantzen and Neill 106). Although the events of the Iliad take place during the Greek Bronze Age, the culture portrayed in Homer‟s works is that of Greek Dark Age (Redfield 99). The Dark Age was a result of the struggles that took place after the fall of the Mycenaean civilization (between 1200 and 1100 B.C.). The exact cause of the sudden decline of the Mycenaean civilization is unknown....
Words: 3619 - Pages: 15
...Emmett Oh Lyke 4:00 ESSAY 1 FATE IN THE ILIAD Fate is unavoidable, regardless of the effort one puts into changing or avoiding it. Fate in Homer’s ILIAD is depicted as a one way freeway with no exit ramps. No matter what the characters do, once they set foot on their path there is no going back. Dr. Harvey has brought forward the idea in lecture that any speech, simile, or any other small part in the epic can be a microcosm to a greater theme in the text. One of the greater themes that continued to appear throughout the text was fate’s inevitability superseded all other forces in the ILIAD. Fate is the most powerful force in the ILIAD because it shapes the events and decisions that occur throughout the epic. Fate shapes events and decisions by overpowering the will of gods and great warriors, as well as overwhelming characters to the point where they concede to their own fate. Fate`s power is also preserved by the very characters it acts upon. Throughout the Epic, the gods seem to be unable to change fate. For example, the gods are unable to save Hector and Achilles, despite loving them both, as fate has to run it`s course. The Homeric simile described below is a microcosm to these examples. In Book 11 of Homer’s epic, the Acheans are able to drive Trojan forces into a retreat caused by a strong charge put on by Agamemnon. During the Trojan retreat, Agamemnon knocks Isus and Antiphus off their fleeting chariot, killing them, and stripping them of their armor...
Words: 1457 - Pages: 6
...giving everything they have to defend his or her people, heroes will rise when needed. The stories of Beowulf, Achilles, and Aeneas provide the reader with an example of what society of that time viewed a hero as and how they can compare with one another. Homer’s Iliad shows the reader whom ancient society believed a hero to be. It was written in a time when society relied on those strong enough and brave enough to rule the people. This was perfect for the character, Achilles, because in the Iliad he is described to be “godlike” (Iliad, 131) and “swift-footed” (Iliad, 121) suggesting he had superhuman traits such as strength and speed. These qualities worked to his benefit in battle and give him the “Hero” title he deserved. His story tells of his success on the battlefield and his defeat over Hector. Even though Achilles was seen as a hero to his people, he was not always emotionally sound. Achilles once gave up his wife, Breseis, to stop the god Apollo from sending a plague upon the Greek army. When the plague stopped, the battle roared on but Achilles did not participate. He was angered that his wife and prized possession was taken from him. It was not until his best friend, Patrocius, was killed that Achilles, out of complete fury, joined back in the battle to kill any Trojan standing in his way of revenge. His acts of solitude and revenge show where Achilles lack of devotion was to his people. He fought to protect them but his pride and reputation clouded his judgment...
Words: 1036 - Pages: 5
...Hector and Achilles There are many comparisons between King Agamemnon, Achilles, and Prince Hector. All three of these men set out for a common goal of gaining respect of others, glory, honor, and they all show some type of leadership to acquire these personal goals. Each is willing to fight for what they desire, but go about gaining their desires in different ways. During the battle of Troy, the different character flaws set one another apart. Agamemnon, King of Mycenae and commander-in-chief of the Achaean army, shows much more of a resemblance to Achilles than he does of Hector. Even though Agamemnon is not as strong as Achilles, he shows the same hot temper and prideful streak as Achilles. Due to the demand of Agamemnon for Achilles to give up his war prize, Briseis, Achilles decided to sit out the war to repay the anger Agamemnon makes Achilles feel. Both these decisions result in many Greek losses that is owed to each mans stubbornness. Agamemnon’s pride makes him more arrogant than Achilles. Agamemnon makes others feel the effects of his pride at every opportunity possible, whereas Achilles’ prideful nature flourishes when something is done to anger or frustrate him. So normally when Achilles is in the presence of the King, things result that hurt the armies moral and make it difficult for the Greeks, who were more numerous than the Trojans, to defeat the opposing Trojan army and obtain the city of Troy. Due to these personalities, Achilles and Agamemnon also differ...
Words: 733 - Pages: 3
...muse to aid him in telling the story of the rage of Achilles, the greatest Greek hero to fight in the Trojan War. The narrative begins nine years after the start of the war, as the Achaeans sack a Trojan-allied town and capture two beautiful maidens, Chryseis and Briseis. Agamemnon, commander-in-chief of the Achaean army, takes Chryseis as his prize. Achilles, one of the Achaeans’ most valuable warriors, claims Briseis. Chryseis’s father, a man named Chryses who serves as a priest of the god Apollo, begs Agamemnon to return his daughter and offers to pay an enormous ransom. When Agamemnon refuses, Chryses prays to Apollo for help. Apollo sends a plague upon the Greek camp, causing the death of many soldiers. After ten days of suffering, Achilles calls an assembly of the Achaean army and asks for a soothsayer to reveal the cause of the plague. Calchas, a powerful seer, stands up and offers his services. Though he fears retribution from Agamemnon, Calchas reveals the plague as a vengeful and strategic move by Chryses and Apollo. Agamemnon flies into a rage and says that he will return Chryseis only if Achilles gives him Briseis as compensation. Agamemnon’s demand humiliates and infuriates the proud Achilles. The men argue, and Achilles threatens to withdraw from battle and take his people, the Myrmidons, back home to Phthia. Agamemnon threatens to go to Achilles’ tent in the army’s camp and take Briseis himself. Achilles stands poised to draw his sword and kill the Achaean...
Words: 2418 - Pages: 10
...Odysseus, the man of winning words, uses multiple tactics to persuade Achilles to join the Argive cause. Odysseus uses Hector in his speech to persuade Achilles to aid them in battle. “And headlong Hector, delirious with his strength, rages uncontrollably, trusting to Zeus—no fear of man or god, nothing—a powerful rabid frenzy has him in its grip!”(9.286-289) Achilles prior to this war was seen as Hector’s equal. Both are the best fighters in their nation. Odysseus brings up Hector as a man who is unstoppable, unless someone who is his equal steps up. He hints at Achilles that his honor is greatly increased because of the threat Hector imposes currently. This is very persuasive because it portrays the need for Achilles, and it describes how...
Words: 424 - Pages: 2
...proud leader Agamemnon finally admits that his ways are wrong. Midday on a harsh spring afternoon in war, Agamemnon proclaims that the war has been lost and advises the army to sail home. Diomedes disagrees with Agamemnon's speech and declares he must keep fighting to fulfill his duty as a soldier. During the bloody war, Agamemnon sends Achaean warriors: Aias, Odysseus, and Phoinix and the heralds to Achilles tent to ask him to come back to war and fight if he gets twelve gift in return. On this very night, Achilles refuses and shows no pity for the unsuccessful Achaean army. Achilleus reveals that his mother, Thetis advised him that if he stays in Troy, he will have a short but glorious life, but if he goes home, he will have a long life without glory....
Words: 504 - Pages: 3
...This was just another driving factor in the minds of these Greek heroes as not only were they driven to find more honor through battle, so were the soldiers beneath them. This led to the cooperation we see in the subordinate soldiers, specifically those following Odysseus. The mutual desire for said honor also allows for the hero Achilles to feud with Agamemnon when his war prize is stripped from him. Additionally, when Agamemnon suggests to his council they take “clear our with [their] ships and head for home (Iliad, 9.30)”, Diomedes speaks up and continues on to say that if Agamemnon would rather leave, that he can do so, for him along with “many a long-haired Achaen will stay (Iliad, 9.49)” , demonstrating just how quickly the social status of the men can change when the need to defend your honor and strive for more is present, and how quickly someone can be usurped or...
Words: 526 - Pages: 3
...The Iliad is an epic poem which mainly focuses on the character of its two central characters; Achilles and Hector. Both these warriors are highly respected by their people. These warriors, at some point in the poem, know that they are fated to die in the war. However, they approach this fate of theirs differently. They both differ with each other in many ways beside the way in which they approach their fate. Achilles is a Greek warrior fighting for his immortal glory on a foreign land of Troy whereas Hector is fighting on his own soil in order to save his country from being destroyed by the Greeks. The main contrasting differences between these two warriors is the reason for their participation in the war, the ethic which drives them towards it and the decisions they make in their moment of isolation from their comrades....
Words: 507 - Pages: 3
