The Iliad by Homer is perhaps one of the greatest literary works ever crafted. Having remained culturally relevant for thousands of years, the epic poem depicts life and death in the midst of war. However, Homer’s tale isn’t really about physical war. Instead, Homer expertly crafts a tale about the war each human fights when they determine his or her values. On one side of the war is Achilleus, self-centered and emotional, doing only what pleases him. Opposing him is Hektor, a man made of commitment to his community and rationality. Homer uses these two characters to depict these contrasting value systems and argues that it is only those who find balance between the two types of values lives a long, productive life.
From almost the very beginning,
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When Homer first introduces Hektor in book two, he is gathered in an assembly of “the elders and young men” at the “front doors of Priam” (2.788-789). Hektor is the one who breaks up the assembly and gathers the Trojan army together after receiving a message from Iris that the Achains are gathering their forces. Throughout the most of the epic, Hektor fights with the Trojan army. Even when he returns to the city from the fighting in book six, Hektor is still surrounded by other people. When he first enters the gates, he encounters “all the wives of the Trojans and their daughters” who asking “after their sons, after their brothers and neighbors,/their husbands” (6.238-240). From there he spends time with various members of his family. He spends time talking with his mother, sister, brother (Alexandros), sister in law (Helen), his wife, Andromache and his son, Skamandrios. This contrast is important because unlike Achilles, who focuses on himself, Hektor is constantly being reminded of the people to whom he has a responsibility to by their mere presence in his life. By placing Hektor in a community, Homer sets him up to concerned with his responsibilities to those around …show more content…
Achilles refuses to fight because king Agamemnon has dishonored him. Achilles states to Agamemnon that he came not to fight “for the sake of Trojan / spearmen to fight against them, since to me they have done nothing…but for your sake, / O great shamelessness…to do your favor” but now that he has taken away Briseis, Achilles war prize, he will not fight for him any longer (1.152-153, 1.157-158). It is apparent that Achilles is motivated to fight to gain personal honor, not out of concern for the cause and feels no sense of responsibility to anyone if he does not receive what he believes he deserves. In book nine, Agamemnon sends a delegation with multitudinous gifts to Achilles tent to beg him to return to the fight since the Achians are suffering. Odysseus begs Achilles to be “minded, late though it be, to rescue / the afflicted sons of the Achaians from the Trojan onslaught…for consideration is better” (9.247-248, 9.256). However, Achilles refuses, stating “without consideration for you I must make my answer…I will speak to you the way it seems best to me” (9.309, 9.314). Achilles response shows that he is still concerned only with his personal feelings, not for the others around
“My lady goddess, here is no cause for anger. My quiet Penelope—how well I know—would seem a shade before your majesty, death and old age being unknown to you, while she must die. Yet, it is true, each day I long for home…”, (Homer 56); (2) To expand, Odyssey always knew that he would get himself home, “She enchants him and wants him to stay and become her husband, but eventually Athena persuades Zeus to command her to let him return to Penelope.”
Achilles vs Hektor The Iliad, an epic poem by Homer, takes place in the tenth year of the Trojan War. Recalling important events that take place bringing the war to an end the poem uses figurative language and literary devices to enhance its characters, presenting similarities and differences between how the characters handle specific situations and how they deal with the concept of masculinity. For example Homer uses the method of literary foils. A foil is a character that depicts traits that differ with the traits of another character. In The Iliad, Achilles and Hektor are foil characters.
The passage selected lies in the concluding book of the Iliad and is dominated by a speech made by Apollo, in which he rebukes the gods’ complicity in allowing Achilles to brutalize Hektor’s body. The passage serves a pivotal role in the text, as it acts as an impetus for the conclusion of the Iliad, in which Hektor’s body is finally returned to the Trojans. Apollo opens his speech, on lines 33-34, reminding the gods’ of Hektor’s sacrifices, which brought them honor. He then critiques the gods’ passivity, in allowing Achilles to mistreat Hektor’s body and denying Hektor’s dependents the proper burial rites, on lines 35-40. Apollo’s critiques reveal some of the reciprocal nature of Homeric relationships between mortals and the divine, as well as honor’s transactional role in that relationship.
In Greek culture honor and shame is everything to them. With honor brings great joy, but with shame disgrace us brought upon the person and their family. The Iliad opens up with this line, “Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilleus and its devastation, which put pains thousandfold upon the Achaians” (75). This summarizes the whole story of the Iliad, that Achilleus will becomes greatly angered which will bring horrible atrocities upon the Achaians.
The Odyssey would be less memorable without Homer’s masterful use of figurative language. This poem can only stand the test of time when the figurative language is used to help readers relate to the text no matter what time period they come from. Figurative language in the text has made the story as a whole more interesting and has made countless readers engaged by this tale of, in Homer’s own words, “that man skilled in all ways of contending.” (p. 813,
In “Gender and the Homeric Epic”, an article by Nancy Felson and Laura M. Slatkin, the gender roles of various characters in The Odyssey, an epic poem by Homer, are examined in the constraining and progressive lens Homer takes. The characters of the epic most explicitly analyzed are Odysseus and his wife, Penelope; in this article the authors show the traditional gender roles both adhere to, but also exhibit the ways in which the characters are able to reach across the restraining gender roles, without making this story entirely about gender. Through this article one can see that the constraining nature of gender roles seen in society, is not inherent in the society presented in The Odyssey, which describes an intrinsic fluidity which is seen in a plethora of characters. “Gender and the Homeric Epic” discusses the gender roles conceived throughout Homer’s story through the characters Homer and Penelope. Homer represents the masculine war hero, returning home with what should be glory and happiness.
Patroclus tries to persuade Achilles by telling him to “at least send him out, let him lead a troop of Myrmidons” so that he can “light the way for their army” (Homer 16.43-44). Patroclus expresses that he loves the Greeks too much to just sit around at the camp. He feels very emotional for his friend, so he wants to take his place and fight this war for him. Patroclus still has a mindset that “If the Trojans think” he is Achilles then “they’ll back off and give the Greeks some breathing space” (Homer 16.44-46). Patroclus believes his cleverness can outdo the Trojans in battle.
Meanwhile, Penelope is in Ithaka busy dealing with the suitors who vie for her hand in marriage, tending to her loom, and directing her serving maids at work. In Homer’s epic poem, women, and goddesses are treated differently than men and gods when it comes to their freedom, expectations, and image. One common occurrence in this epic poem is unequal freedom for women,
From Odysseus’ time with Calypso in Ogygia up until the moment he takes back his home and wife from the suitors in Ithaca, the struggles he faces help answer what makes for a good life. Homer uses Odysseus’ journey throughout “The Odyssey” to identify four aspects of a good life: mortality, honor, hospitality, and experiences. Homer reveals that mortality is necessary for a good life when Odysseus denies the opportunity for immortality that Calypso offers, he shows the significance of honor in his description of Odysseus’ bravery in the Trojan war and the consequent respect that Odysseus’ crew has for him, Homer reinforces the importance of hospitality in each city Odysseus travels to, and he conveys that experiences, good or bad, define a good life. The Greeks held their gods in high esteem and therefore when Homer or other characters in the epic refer to Odysseus as being “godlike,” this is one of the highest compliments he could receive.
Although Homer shows that women are valued for their beauty, he also makes a point that they also must be
In The Odyssey Homer makes Odysseus’ journey to his beloved Ithaca excruciating. Odysseus encounters many friends and foes throughout his journey and has to be a leader throughout his experiences. As an example, he encounters Polyphemus and Poseidon, both of whom make his journey mentally and physically painful. Odysseus faces countless scenarios in which he has to save multiple people in those situations. He also encounters the suitors, who are a group of men that try to marry Penelope, when he returns to reclaim his home.
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The story raises questions for both the readers of The Odyssey and the characters it’s story contains. In Zimmerman’s work viewers experience a simplified interpretation of Homer’s grand and verbacious text. As viewers experience characters like Agamemnon, Telemachus and Calypso exhibit emotion through actors in Zimmerman’s stage direction.
In the epic poem, the Iliad written by Homer, several characters taking part in the warfare between the Achaeans and the Trojans are portrayed as embodying the heroic code of courage, physical strength, leadership, arete of value of honour, and the acceptance of fate. The heroic code is illustrated by the actions of the Trojan prince, Hector and the Achaeans strongest warrior, Achilles. Both of these characters display the Greek’s image of a hero, and can also let the reader discern what the society admires, looks up to and aspires to in its heroes. There are also characters who fail to be heroic, such as the Trojan “vivid and beautiful” prince, Paris. These characters in the Iliad illustrate the qualities that Ancient Greek society values.
The dramatically different ways in which Homer and Virgil depict defining moments within their epics, perfectly sheds light upon the different intentions of between their epics. Even in spite of Homer’s work serving as a clear influence to Vergil’s work, the varying intent of the two epics lead to a completely different story. In essence, the purpose for Homer’s epic is primarily to entertain the audience, while the other is to serve as a piece of political propaganda and affirm the greatness of Rome. Furthermore, the different depictions of the underworld, along with the imagery adorned on the shields also communicate another key difference,which is the author’s perspective on the purpose of life. Overall, regardless of Homer’s influence
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.