ipl-logo

Achilles And Oedipus: A Tragic Hero

1828 Words8 Pages

We all encounter some type of heroism throughout our lives. Whether it be on a personal or a professional level. What would our lives be without heroism? Heroism doesn 't necessarily mean death to a person before that person can be considered a hero. In today 's world heroes are celebrated daily. In history, we celebrate heroism after the person has died. There is a saying that "all heroes die", but in today 's world, we live among heroes. The smallest of action gets a heroic recognition whether it be great or small. Achilles and Oedipus were both heroes that were loyal to their people.
There are many definitions of what defines a hero. A hero is someone who is brave, strong and courageous. There are also different types of heroes that don …show more content…

Oedipus was blind to a lot of things around him and would not acknowledge anything without proof even with the information put before him. He wanted to know exactly the date place and time of what took place before he acknowledges anything. (Mack 333).Tiresias told Oedipus he was the killer of Laius yet he refused to believe what the high priest has said. The high priest was said to speak the truth at all times. The refusal of Oedipus to believe he was the killer made him a tragic hero.
Achilles was a brave, strong and fearless warrior. He was respected by all the soldiers in Achaians. There was no other soldier like Achilles. He did not fear anyone including king Agamemnon. He believed in loyalty as well as honesty and he fought for what was right in his eyes. Achilles mother was a Goddess, this is where he got his God-like fearlessness from. Achilles mother told him he would either have a long uneventful life or a short life which be bitter among all men. Achilles chose to be great as he wishes to be remembered throughout the ages. …show more content…

Achilles a soldier of the Achaians fought with Agamemnon at Thebe and won. Agamemnon took away Achilles prize which was Briseis his war prize. This angered Achilles which led to the conflict between Achilles and Agamemnon. Even though Achilles was strong and might and was never defeated by anyone he did not fight with Agamemnon on, instead he went to his mother and wept. Achilles loved his people and was loyal to them. The weeping of Achilles showed that he has a human side which is softness. This also showed that he respected Agamemnon to a certain

Show More
Related

  • Lane Frost Hero

    1127 Words  | 5 Pages

    Sure, I got time The Websters dictionary defines a hero as someone who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Heroes are ordinary people who find the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles. They are the real heroes, and so are the families and friends who have stood by them. Maya Angelou stated, “I think a hero is any person really intent on making this world a better place for all people.”

    Read More

  • A Wrinkle In Time Essay

    548 Words  | 3 Pages

    No matter who someone's hero is one thing stays the same. A hero is someone that has strived to help out of their own will. Anyone could be a hero. However not everyone is a hero. Being a hero takes courage.

    Read More

  • Jackie Robinson A Hero Essay

    1178 Words  | 5 Pages

    American actor Christopher Reeve once quoted, "A hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles" (Brainy Quote). Not only did he play a hero as Superman, he truly became one in his personal life. After becoming a quadriplegic Reeve became a spokesperson for people with spinal cord injuries. A hero is a person one admires because of the qualities and selfless actions they exemplify to overcome adversity and inspire others. Heroism is apparent in literature, history, and in our own life.

    Read More

  • The Odyssey By Odysseus: A True Hero

    500 Words  | 2 Pages

    Some people might argue that Odysseus is a hero because he won the Trojan War for the Greece and ended the ten-year long fight. But, yet he killed many of the innocent that lived in Troy without any thought about the children or women. It shows in the book that they slaughtered everyone in Troy and didn’t give any of them proper burial, which was mean that the people that died can’t move on. This shows that he is a cold-hearted killer that doesn’t care about any others

    Read More

  • Robert Bentz Heroes

    641 Words  | 3 Pages

    A hero is anyone who makes the right decision to sacrifice for a person in need. For example, without heroes like firemen, wildfires and house fires would spread across the nation, costing lives and loss of worldly possessions. Firemen stand strong, risk themselves, and protect all for the well-being, safety of others, and personal property. In addition,

    Read More

  • Essay On Achilles In The Iliad

    1051 Words  | 5 Pages

    Agamemnon’s taking of Briseis enrages Achilles and spurs him to remove himself from the war, leading to a massive death toll in the Achaean forces. In stealing Briseis from Achilles, he is not only robbing of him of a material prize, but also a symbol of honor, his geras, in Greek culture. In retaliation, Achilles removes himself from the war and prays to his mother, Thetis, that she will ask Zeus to damage the Achaean forces. Achilles’ only goal is that “even mighty Atrides can see how mad he was to disgrace Achilles” (1.488-490). Despite having no true grievance against the Achaean army as a whole, Achilles’ rage blinds him from the potential harm that may befall his troops.

    Read More

  • Odysseus: The Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

    1229 Words  | 5 Pages

    Usually nobody thinks about how these heroes in their everyday action, after a while they slowly become this heroic act. That is all people know about them and that’s all that they want to know. However, people who perform heroic acts aren’t always heros. In The Odyssey, Odysseus may have done a few honorable things here and there, but in this case he was not known for these. He

    Read More

  • Tristan Seger's Life After 9/11: What Makes A Hero?

    601 Words  | 3 Pages

    “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” (Joseph Campbell). Heroes dedicate their lives to contribute to the general welfare of society. Most of the time, the obstacle seems to big for them to handle, but they overcome it in the end. A hero can be anyone in the world.

    Read More

  • Odysseus: An Archetype Hero In Homer's Odyssey

    538 Words  | 3 Pages

    Odysseus is an archetype hero. All of these are examples of when Odysseus was a hero and saved his men. All throughout the story of The Odyssey, people have dissed Odysseus for some of his decisions that he made. In the end, he still gets back to his wife and son in Ithaca. "A cruel turn, this.

    Read More

  • Odysseus Hero Quotes

    682 Words  | 3 Pages

    A hero is traditionally thought of as a man with an admirable past or personality, or as a person brave enough to commit an act of heroism. But what does heroism really mean? Some say it has to do with courage, others say valor, and a few toss around words like worthiness, honor, and sacrifice. A hero is one who is bold enough to stand up against the odds. Heroes must prove their worth by being selfless, brave, and intelligent, not deceitful, unfaithful, or ignorant.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Heroic Code In The Iliad

    1785 Words  | 8 Pages

    (R 23-35). The Greeks hearing Achilles return, gain strength, will and perseverance to carry on the war. The responsibility that Achilles takes plays massive role, affecting the men 's actions throughout the

    Read More

  • Theme Of Honor In The Iliad

    1396 Words  | 6 Pages

    Achilles is seen to be full of wrath in the beginning of the book. This wrath is not caused only because Agamemnon takes his prize of war. He is angry at the system which allows Agamemnon to play around with other people’s honors and the system which allows him to decide who gets how much honor. In other words, Achilles does not like the idea that someone else can decide what happens to his honor, despite him deserving most of the honor in relation to how much he contributes in war. As the story proceeds, Achilles seems to contradict himself a lot, and the concept of honor helps us understand this better.

    Read More

  • The Characteristics Of Achilles: The Hero Of Iliad

    1512 Words  | 7 Pages

    Iliad is recognized as one of the most famous ancient monuments of literature. The full understanding of this epic poem is hardly possible without thorough analysis of its main characters. Among all the episodes of the Trojan War, Homer chooses the moment of Achilles’ wrath and thus creates a poem in which he becomes the central figure. From the Ancient Greeks’ point of view, Achilles represents the ideal of manliness and pure heroism, for he is brave and fights for heroics, not profits. Today, one can agree with this interpretation, yet Achilles is probably the most controversial character because he combines various personality traits and acts in accordance with his ambiguous nature.

    Read More

  • Oedipus The King Research Paper

    1224 Words  | 5 Pages

    The characters in Oedipus the King develop the plot and make it a complete tragedy. Oedipus, had some undesirable flaws as well as some good characteristics. Oedipus had a flaring temper that ruined his life. We all learned that having a bad attitude doesn’t get you anywhere in life. Oedipus was also arrogant, especially after defeating the Sphinx.

    Read More

  • Oedipus The King Essay

    1056 Words  | 5 Pages

    In ancient Greek society, the tragedy was a deeply spiritual and emotional art form integral to daily life. Perhaps one of the best examples of Greek tragedy is Sophocles’ Oedipus the King. The work is distinguished by the deep emotion and thought it elicits from the reader. This is in part due to Sophocles’ expert portrayal of Oedipus, who bears all the attributes of an Aristotelian tragic hero. A once powerful king turned blinded pariah, Oedipus is characterized by both his pride and his honorable character.

    Read More

More about Achilles And Oedipus: A Tragic Hero

Open Document