David Malouf explores each of the characters in his novel “Ransom,” and the unique impact that grief and loss effects them individually. The suffocating grief enables other emotions to arise, where anger and hatred, cloud judgment or where opportunity and change initiates action. Achilles and Neoptolemus are both engulfed in grief for their loved ones converting this pain into anger, seeking revenge in order for them to feel something, anything. The smothering of emotions consumes the characters in overwhelming grief and loss. However, Malouf accentuates the difference in reactions due to grief changing with the individuals. Depicted through Somax ability to convert consuming feelings to joy by seeking comfort in others. Consumption of grief leading to vicious cycles of anger and seeking revenge as a way to stop focusing on the pain from the loss, but rather blame. Achilles and his son, Neoptolemus, are driven to kill through and avenge …show more content…
“the spinner of tales” provides Priam with the insight of replacing the smothering feelings by grief and loss and replaces it with comfort. His mule, Beauty, contributed to the loss of his son and shares his initial feelings of anger for her part in his death and grief at the loss of his son. However, Somax seeks comfort in his mule as a was to handle the passing of his son. Somax feels beauty’s “warmth,” like human touch consoling himself, replacing the emptiness of his son, with her, something in which he “had only left” of his son. Somax momentarily experiences anger much like Achilles, but instead of the reactions of avenging his son, he doesn’t let the pain of grief consume him and converts it to love and compassion towards Beauty, the only thing left to
Through an intimate maternal bond, Michaels mother experiences the consequences of Michaels decisions, weakening her to a debilitating state of grief. “Once he belonged to me”; “He was ours,” the repetition of these inclusive statements indicates her fulfilment from protecting her son and inability to find value in life without him. Through the cyclical narrative structure, it is evident that the loss and grief felt by the mother is continual and indeterminable. Dawson reveals death can bring out weakness and anger in self and with others. The use of words with negative connotations towards the end of the story, “Lonely,” “cold,” “dead,” enforce the mother’s grief and regressing nature. Thus, people who find contentment through others, cannot find fulfilment without the presence of that individual.
There are many lessons that can be learned from reading Homer's The Iliad. One of which is understanding the stages of grief. One can literally watch Achilles go through all five stages when he morns the death of his comrade Patroclus. Achilles moves through Denial and Isolation, Depression, Anger, Bargaining and Acceptance in the short time after his close friends death.
There are times in my own life in which I realize that a goal that I have been pursuing rigorously is really not worth my time and effort, or that the way I have been pursuing that particular goal is not the most effective way. After I come to these realizations I find it helpful, if not necessary, to step back and analyze the situation. This is what happened to Achilles throughout the first sixteen books of the epic.
The subject of Homer’s epic poem, the Iliad, is very clearly stated--it is “the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles.” The reader remains continually aware of the extent of Achilles’ rage, yet is never told the reason why Achilles remains angry and unreconciled. There is no definitive answer to this question. Achilles is not a static character. He is constantly changing; thus the question of why he remains angry solicits different answers at various stages throughout the poem. To find an answer, the reader must carefully examine Achilles’ ever-changing dilemma involving the concepts of mortality and honor. At its simplest, Achilles’ dilemma is that if he goes to war, he will die. But he will die with glory.
It was of extreme importance to a man during this time period to die in war and leave a memorable name in society. In the Spartan society even a mother was accustomed to the idea that her son had to die to be a “hero” or perhaps be remembered as one. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, Achilles mother...
Overcoming the grief that is felt after losing a loved one is a physically and mentally agonizing task. According to Dr. Christina Hibbert, a clinical psychologist who graduated from the California School of Professional Psychology, three main stages of grief include anger, depression and acceptance. Each one of these emotions can be seen in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet and The Descendants (2011, Payne) as the artists explore the effects of grief and the different emotional responses that one can have due to the loss of a loved one. Additionally, in Ismail Kadare’s Broken April, the Berisha family feels the sufferance that is associated with unexpected death, as well as the various temperamental reactions that one will have after losing a loved one. Each of these works of art represent a powerful example of the stages that one will go through after feeling the intense sorrow that is connected with death, as well as the unavoidable effects of grief.
The realm of revenge often warps the mental state of characters, leading them to enact vengeance regardless of the repercussions which may permeate their world. In Shakespeare’s renowned play “Hamlet,” the main character, Prince Hamlet, is conflicted between his quest to adhere to his private passion, in regards to his eagerness to avenge his father’s death, and his need to avoid neglecting his responsibilities towards his loved ones. Further, the effects of vengeance are illustrated by Medea, the main character in Euripides’ play “Medea,” who allowed her passion for revenge to supersede her duties to her children. Despite the numerous forms of retaliation, this brutalized world is one that ceaselessly dilutes the minds of characters, leaving them ravenous for revenge and oblivious towards any repercussions.
In spite the basic requirements for human’s survival, personal relationships should be added because not many people are able to function well without intimate relationship with other people or valuable things. Due to this fact, grief occurs when there is a loss either through death, divorce, and theft or when something valuable to an individual can no longer be reached. Grief is that period of time when loss is felt acutely, and the feelings of loss are still very raw to the person. This paper is based on the book of Lament for a Son which was written by Nicholas Wolterstorff, a collection of narratives by this author who is going through grief due to the premature death of his 25 years old son, Eric, who died by an accident when climbing
“Revenge is an act of passion; vengeance of justice. Injuries are revenged; crimes are avenged.” Famed English writer, Samuel Johnson, attempts here to distinguish the acts of revenge and of vengeance. In Homer’s The Iliad, we see the vengeful death of the character Patroklos, whose death is an ironic one. While he is wounded due to a blow inflicted by Apollo, and a spear from a Trojan warrior, he is then finished off by Hektor. The course of these events are initiated by Zeus, king of the gods, because his son, Sarpedon, falls at the hands of Patroklos. Because of this divine intervention, it is clear that Zeus is responsible for Patroklos’ death, as he sought vengeance, not revenge, on Patroklos, as well as the fulfillment of a promise and set the events in motion that would
Achilles’ mourning for Patroclus foreshadows his own funeral.1 As he laments his friend’s death, Thetis grieves with him holding his head in her lap - similar to a gesture of mourning - while he lies prostate on the ground, covered in dirt, like a corpse. Although Achilles' death does not occur in the Iliad, Homer builds the death of Achilles gradually throughout the poem, becoming more and more explicit by the end. The poet has crafted this scene, which allows the audience to mourn for Patroclus while also mourning for Achilles as well. Through hyperbolic gestures – such as the mother cradling her son's head in her arms – and inflating Thetis' grief to seem as if Achilles has died, the audience is able to participate in the funeral that does
Revenge in The Iliad it the main theme and drives men to do things that they would not normally do. The main example of this is Achilles wanting revenge on Agamemnon. The first book of the Iliad explains that Achilles wants revenge because Agamemnon is forced to return Chryseis, his war bride, to her father, and he decides to take Achilles war bride from him. According to “Some Thoughts about the Origins of ‘Greek Ethics’”, by Nicholas D. Smith, “Agamemnon’s unjust affront to Achilles leads to and extraordinarily deadly retaliation, the ultimate outcome of which is that multitudes of these men’s innocent allies are killed unnecessarily”(smith 10). This is out of character for Achilles, who would normally be the first man into battle, not sitting one out. By “rejecting even the most earnest and impressive entreaties Agamemnon offers, and increasingly making decisions which are rationally indefensible”, he shows how much his wanting of revenge has turned him into a madman (smith 10). His only desire is to get revenge for his loss. It takes the death of Patroclus, his dear friend, to bring him back to the war, which he has left.
After the loss of Enkidu, Gilgamesh goes into a state of mourning as evidenced by the removal of his clothing and the act of putting on a loincloth. The symbolism of the removal of clothing and putting on a loincloth is that Gilgamesh is becoming one with nature thus completing the emotional side Enkudu filled. Afterwards, he roams the plains to live a simple life in honor of Enkidu. In the Iliad, Achilles mourning of Patroclus turns into rage after seeing the body of his dead comrade: “When Achilles learns of the death of Patroclus, he bursts into tears, tearing his hair and throwing himself on the ground. His sorrowful lament is heard by his mother, Thetis, and she comes to comfort him.” (Homer 179). The showing of tears shows the intensity of the mourning that Achilles had. Also the changing of emotions quickly shows he is quick to change feelings. This quick emotional change shows that he is very spontaneous. This quote shows the length that Achilles would go for Patroclus as he had great love for his comrade in
...les obtains the flaws of a Tragic Hero with his anger and pride issues. The fact that he won’t fight for Agamemnon because he stole his woman shows that his pride was hurt and when Achilles fights in a pure wrath upon hearing about Patroclus’s fate shows his flaw of anger. The transition from having to overcome his hurt pride after hearing about Patroclus’s death reveals his adaptability as a character with his change in behavior from being passive at the Achaean ships to violent in war. Lastly, Achilles solidifies his position as a Tragic Hero when he finds his moment of clarity with King Priam as he gives the body of the fallen Hector back in an act to finalize and end all conflicts Achilles and Troy. Achilles undoubtably symbolizes Aristotle’s definition of the Tragic Hero.
The death of Patroklos touched Achilles in many ways that changed and shaped his character. Many emotions were a result of his death such as love, loss, anger, and sadness. Patroklos was a dear friend to Achilles and when a mix of divine intervention and Hektor cut Patroklos down grief and the desire to avenge his dear friends death consumed Achilles. This switched his anger from King Agamemnon to Hektor, the man who slew his dear friend. This anger drew Achilles to avenge the death of his friend, to kill Hektor.
In the poem, Iliad, Achilles and Hector both show relative heroism in their own different ways. Achilles may have been the more popular hero, but Hector had great heroism as well. Each of these characters possess their own different strengths and weaknesses. These two characters both have pride as being one of their main weaknesses. Hector seems as if he would suit best in the modern world, but there are a few different reasons as to why the ancients may have chose Achilles. Hector and Achilles both lost a lot by letting their pride get in the way of their heroism. Both of these characters were their country’s best warrior. Achilles and Hector have very different personalities, and very different ways of approaching situations.