The Essential Homer translated and edited by Stanley Lombardo, depicts the story of the famous Trojan war. Helen even though not being a central character in the story her role throughout the epic is important. She is created as a suffering figure who is constantly striving for independence and a sense of belongingness among the many different restraints that she faces. Even with the limited amounts of appearances in the epic each encounter with her character the reader is able to learn more about her personality and the way her character evolves in obtaining autonomy and being part of the society she feels excluded from. Helen is time after time blamed as the women for who the famous Trojan war was fought for. In book 3, Helen is the central …show more content…
Through the confrontation with the goddess, Helen accepts all blame for the cause of the war and and even loudly declares her protest against continuing her affair with Paris which omits her from wanting any part in the war. “Go sit by Paris yourself! Descend from the gods’ high roads, allow your precious feet not to tread on Olympus, go fret over him constantly, protect him. Maybe someday he’ll make you his wife- or even his slave. I’m not going back there. It would be treason to share his bed. The Trojan women, would hold me at fault. I have enough pain it is” (III, 430-440). Helen tells Aphrodite that she regrets leaving her marriage with Menelaus for Paris and no longer wants to share a bed with him. By Helen protesting her marriage bed who she shares with Paris she is refusing to enter into the submissive female stereotypes and beginning to use her voice. The bed she shares with Paris to Helen is clear symbolism of what started the Trojan war to begin with. Helen’s character from the beginning of the epic to the end begins to destroy the female domains and challenge what is considered to be traditional gender roles in order to obtain indecency. Objects such as the loom and the bed represent certain female domestic obligations that in society were seen as the norm. Helen protests these object as a way to raise a voice within a society that seems to be oppressing the female
Helen was able to run away from Menelaus and go back to Troy with Paris. After a few years of her being said that she was kidnapped, she came back and had to suffer however Menelaus treated her. Helen found her own strength and told the truth of where she had been and how it was her choice to leave Sparta. Helen and Penelope are powerful greek women, but only Penelope is viewed as perfect for staying loyal to her husband. While Penelope was viewed as perfect for her loyalty to Odysseus, Aphrodite was able to sleep with whatever men she wanted to
To begin with, in the Iliad, a woman 's role depends on her beauty and position in the society, making them look more like a “prop”. For instance, Briseis used to be a respected princess and the wife of Mynes. However, her great beauty made herself became a reward between Achilles and other warriors in the Trojan War—she is no longer a dignified queen but a belonging whose role being manipulated by men. Another example is Helen. She was taken away from
Athena uses her role as the puppeteer to allow the entire epic to slowly unfold. Without Athena there would be no epic about Odysseus returning home from the brutal Trojan War for the reader to enjoy and the term “odyssey” would not be used to describe a long journey. Athena is the key to the entire story; consequently The Odyssey is her story. The Odyssey is Athena’s story because she plays the role of the puppeteer that causes the events to take place.
Women have always been portrayed as the weaker sex compared to men. It has been demonstrated in history itself and throughout literary works. Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Homer’s The Odyssey, however, portray women to be more powerful than men, even when their society thought otherwise and underestimated them because of their gender. Lady Macbeth, The Three Witches, Queen Arête and Penelope demonstrate the astute, charming, and ambitious side of women that was overlooked by men when it came to having power and making decisions.
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 epic poem, The Iliad written by Homer shows the conflicts and events that occurred between the Greeks and Trojans during the Trojan War. Among both sides there are warriors who follow a distinct code, known as the heroic code. This Heroic code helps portray the characteristics of the warriors and their perspective on war. This distinct code is composed of many elements such as arete, acceptance of fate, honour, excellence in war, leadership, courage and power. These traits are shown within the main warriors, Hector and Achilles throughout the epic war poem and helps to guide their decisions.
Countless of these tearful songs have been written, describing the image of the woman behind a hero’s victory. In The “Odyssey”, Homer transforms the audience’s perspective about women significantly. All of them, whether beautiful woman or powerful goddesses, are occupied by sorrows. Especially, Penelope and Calypso--the two most influential women in both appearance and the complicated relationship with the guile hero. Although they have very different personalities and backgrounds--one is the queen of Ithaca, and the other is a magnificent goddess.
Revenge is an emotion that has not only consumed many, it has been simplified that in all fairness one turn deserves another. Within the Iliad and its ever-present themes, the theme of revenge is against the Trojans due to Paris taking Meleanus ' wife Helen who was claimed to be the most beautiful woman in the land. Also, Achilles goes against Agamemnon who to take revenge on Achilles takes away his prize that he rightful deserved and
The fourth and final paragraph compares Helen to Penelope to show how the patriarchy is so quick to put cruel diminishing labels on woman. Finally I have a work cited page containing the Odyssey, where I found all the supporting quotes for my paper. Penelope is one of several woman characters in
Nicole Tschida ENG 210 Paper 1 2-26-18 The Iliad and The Consequences of War The plot of the Iliad takes place in the middle of the war between the Greeks and the Trojans that lasted for ten years. This conflict according to Homer and ancient Greek mythology occurred because the Trojan prince Paris abducted Helen, the wife of Menelaus, brother to king Agamemnon. In this paper, I will be examining the consequences of war, as outlined by Homer.
The Ancient Greeks value specific qualities in a person, however they did not value other. Ancient Greeks valued these qualities based on certain achievements or on a performances in war or even inside the city walls making substantial decisions. The Iliad is an epic novel by the Greek poet Homer. The Iliad is based off of the Trojan war between the Achaeans led by King Agamemnon and the Trojans led by King Priam of Troy. This novel focuses on the actions of several characters and how the disparate gods interfered with the war to help one or the other side have a chance to win.
Known as an epic war poem, The Iliad delves into topics concerning masculinity, heroism, and bravery. Women play a modest but important role that forms the structure of the plot. Helen’s character aids in expanding Menelaus and Paris’ characters. Homer does not delve into the lives of women like he does with the men, speaking to the notion of inferiority between the sexes. Homer displays women as tangible items through male interactions with one another.
Helen portrays herself as more masculine, concerned with her own glory in the brief conversation she has with the hero in Paris’ bedroom. In her first appearance, the elderly men on the wall discuss her beauty as she walks past them (3.153–160). In Book 3 Hector uses taunts to persuade his brother Paris to remember his honor and fight Menelaus in a duel. Picking up on this theme, Helen in Book 6 speaks to Paris more as a fellow soldier than a wife. In his discussion with Paris, Hector encourages him to return to the battlefield, and this is precisely what Helen tells him to do (337–338).
On the other side, the only hope was in Alexander and Heitor, sons of the king Priamo. In the film we can fell the tension of the war na we also can see how much Helen and Alexander were in Love. However, Greece won de war, with a brilliant strateegy and killed every Trojan people and they also captured back de princess. This epic, historical
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.