An Analysis Of Homer s Iliad Achilles - 948 Words

To be Honored or Dishonored? During the Trojan War, dying with honor, glory, and power at a young age was worth more than staying alive. Being honored as the central figure in songs that are passed from generation to generation is the goal of warriors during the Trojan War era, but what or who determines who is honored and dishonored? Does mental characteristics matter, or is it just by the number of men murdered and women captured? In Homer’s Iliad, Achilles is one of the most despised characters in the book, however, he and his infamous wrath is still discussed thousands of years later. Americans even uses the phrase â€Å"Achilles Heel† to describe a weakness in spite of overall strength. Achilles’ arrogance, attention seeking, and sociopathic behavior has earned him all the honor, glory, and power. So I ask, does the great warrior of Achaean, Achilles, deserve to be honored or dishonored? In the beginning of Homer’s Iliad to the end, we were introduced to many of Achilles behavioral traits. One of the first characteristics we encounter is Achilles’ whiner trait. In Book One he and Agamemnon are in a quarrel because Agamemnon has dishonored him and has taking away his prize, Briseis. Achilles than confides in his mother, Thetis, about how he has been dishonored. Introducing to us another character trait, selfishness, he then begs his mother to persuade Zeus to let the Achaeans fail without him, which she does. In the midst of the Trojan War, Achilles refuses to participateShow MoreRelatedThe Epic Of The Iliad1562 Words   |  7 PagesHomer is the author of the Iliad and is known as the greatest Greek epic poet. He has had an enormous influence on the history of literature. The poem, Iliad, has been translated into different languages, one of which will be used in this paper, translated by Robert Fagles. The poem itself is about one simple word: rage. Thi s anger that infuriates everyone is transformed into a war that will not stop until one side, either Greeks or Trojans, wins. With the majority of the Gods taking sides, the readerRead MoreNotes On Ajax Life And Participation On The Trojan War 3814 Words   |  16 Pagessources: †¢ Buxton: p. 135-137 (â€Å"The Iliad† and â€Å"To the fall of Troy† –see also images on the bottom of p. 137) †¢ Greek Mythology Link: http://www.maicar.com/GML/Ajax1.html Type your answers under each question (It is important that you include the questions. Do not omit them!) Ajax is Achilles’ first cousin, a handsome man and formidable warrior, is called the â€Å"wall† of Achaeans for his strength and his huge stature towering all other Greeks. †¢ Read Iliad book 7 : 180-312 (The duel between AjaxRead MoreThe Trojan Horse1296 Words   |  6 Pagesthe spot where Troy was. She believed that there were multiple earthquakes that lead to a new tower inside Troy being built. After reviewing the archology site he found that same tower described in the Iliad. Though a lot of the interior was different from how the Iliad described he knew that Homer was on the right track and was someone he could believe. Edith Hall theory of the Trojan War defense coming down was the idea of a real Trojan Horse. She goes on to explain how the wars in those times wereRead MoreHelen Of Troy1455 Words   |  6 Pages a province within Homeric Greece, the wife of King Menelaus. Her abduction by Paris, Prince of Troy, brought about the Trojan War. Elements of her putative biography come from classical authors such as Aristophanes, Cicero, Euripides and Homer (both The Iliad and The Odyssey). In her youth she was abducted by, or eloped with, Theseus, and in some accounts bore him a child. A competition between her suitors for her hand in marriage sees Menelaus emerge victorious. An oath sworn beforehand by allRead More Troy, Truth in the Myth? Essay example1962 Words   |  8 PagesHollywood films alike, has been an attraction to visit for at least twenty-five centuries. Visitors such as Alexander the Great, who stopped at Troy in 334 BC while on route east to conquer Asia, came to Troy looking for the city immortalized in Homers Iliad. Presently, archaeologists visit Hisarlik, a site in northwest Turkey, as it is believed to be the location of the ancient city. Alexander must have been puzzled when he had arrived in Ilion, the name of the city at the time of his visit. IlionRead MoreComparing Achilles And King Of Troy2072 Words   |  9 Pagesfocusing on today are that of Achilles of Greece and King Priam of Troy, and their relationship through a film medium, in th e adaptation of Troy directed by Wolfgang Petersen. In this essay I will be discussing the significance of Achilles and King Priam’s relationship throughout the film of Troy, and will be doing this through evaluating the contrast of values within their relationship, discussing their significance to the story of Troy and furthermore explaining the director s purpose through theirRead MoreHow and to what purpose does Virgil use ekphrasis in the Aeneid3194 Words   |  13 Pagesdiscontinuing the narrative and describing scenes on artwork Virgil possesses the reader of a ‘strong need to interpret’.3 It is towards this interpretation the essay shall now turn. There are six ekphraseis in the Aeneid.4 A particularly close analysis of the murals in the temple to Juno, and of the shield of Aeneas will be given. It became clear during the research for this essay that the main three ekphraseis – the aforementioned ones, and the panels on the door to Apollo’s temple at Cumae -Read MoreHistorical And Cultural Context Of The Movie The Odyssey 2026 Words   |  9 Pagesheroes fighting against a normally insurmountable amount of enemies and triumphing against all odds seem like a modern day movie concept. In actuality, the first â€Å"western-style† action story was written by an eighth-century B.C. poet named Homer. It was titled the Iliad and it told of many great stories involving Greek gods and horrid monsters. The second of these epic poems was named The Odyssey. The Odyssey had to have been an intensely popular story to have survived for centuries and recognized asRead MoreAlexander Pope Essay6204 Words   |  25 Pages revised. In this later version he added the quot;machinery,quot; the retinue of supernaturals who influence the action as well as the moral of the tale. After the publication of The Rape of the Lock, Pope spent many years translating the works of Homer. During the ten years he devoted to this arduous project, he produced very few new poems of his own but refined his taste in literature (and his moral, social, and political opinions) to an incredible degree. When he later recommenced to write original