Glorifying War In The Odyssey

War plays a large role in The Iliad by Homer, as Homer describes the battlefronts at Troy between the Trojans and the Akhaians, especially focusing on major leaders of the fights. With describing war, and the concept of war, overall Homer does not glorify war itself. However, Homer praises and honors some of the men involved in the war.

Based on the readings thus far, Homer does not glorify war. Specifically in regards to the war Homer writes of, Homer attempts to display both sides of the battles, rather than knowing simply one side. For example, in Book Four, “A Bowshot Bringing War” Homer writes, “The Trojan front gave way” displaying key victories for the Akhaians (4. 611). Then later, also includes key victories for the Trojans, describing

Overall, by displaying both sides of the war, and attempting to maintain a fair view of both sides, Homer does not glorify the war. Additionally, by providing an objective point of view, a point of view that attempts to see things from multiple sides, Homer is thus able to develop the poem without granting glory towards war. Another example of Homer not glorifying, but rather keeping a neutral stance on the war as much as he could at given time of writing the poem. Moreover, while Homer describes gory battle details, like heads rolling, he also alternatively early on also adresses early on the idea of loss that occurs in war. The concept of loss is especially noted in Book Six, as Hektor’s wife Andrómakhê tells Hektor “Oh, my wild one, your bravery will be your own undoing! No pity for our child, poor little one, or me in my sad lot-- soon to be deprived of you!”, and she expresses that due to his high involvement in the war, she in a sense is already grieving the loss of Hektor. Displaying this loss even before a loss suggests that times are not easy, war is not easy, nor is it something to be held in a perspective of high regards. Then, even while there is a sense of nobility in some deaths, there are often moments where people in retrospect doubt their