Similes are used by Homer within the Iliad to induce pathos by contrasting the unnatural bestiality of battle with vivid imagery from the natural world. The innocence of nature within the smilies not only allows for a break from the endless grim of war, but also increases the connectability of the epic. Not everyone, even during the historical time period the Iliad was composed in, experienced war. Therefore, the comparison of war to something common, like nature, allows the audience to connect with the work and experience the pathos it induces.
“The Trojans penned in the walls of Troy like sheep” (8.150) explains not only the state of the army during that particular day of battle, but also the circumstances surrounding their involvement
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“And quick as a youngster ducking under his mother’s skirts he’d duck under Ajax’ shield” (8.310-311) plays into the imagery of the previous simile due to its continuation of innocence in war. The domestic reference of care for the young would be easily relatable to the listeners and gives substance to an unimaginable event. It compares the way a farmer would care for a young goat or a mother would care for a young child. This simile also breaks up action of intense fighting and gives a paternal quality to an inhuman warrior, Ajax. All this combined extends the feeling of pathos throughout the poem and aids the audience in understanding the comradery among all the soldiers which in turn creates extra depth when key members of the Achaeans are killed in …show more content…
“Hector far in the lead, bristling in all his force like a hound that harris a wild boar or lion- hot pursuit, snapping quick at his heels, hindquarters and flanks but still on alert” (8.384-387) gives a sense of alarm and urgency to the scene. The ferociousness of Hector is compared to that of a predator and symbolizes the fact that, like a predator, nothing can stop it from destroying its prey. Pathos is invoked towards Hector’s victims and towards the overall carnage of the Trojan
Homer’s Iliad has been a European myth for many millennia , the long poetic narrative written in the 8th century B.C. recounts a fearsome war fought over a beautiful woman. The reliability of Homers Iliad as a true historical document has been challenged for hundreds of years and only through archaeological studies can the truth be deciphered. The Iliad was written five centuries after the war, where the stories had been passed down through the oral tradition, therefore the type of society reflected within the poems resemble much more the time of Homer . The fact and fiction of the Iliad has been uncovered through archaeology. Archaeologist found a site in which they thought to have been ‘Troy’ destroyed by the powerful country of Mycenae in the late Bronze Age. They found large amount of material culture from where they could reconstruct the society, this included pottery, engravings, murals and clay tablets. A reason for the Trojan War has always inspired great controversy. The Trojan War according to Homer was fought over the abduction of a beautiful women but this theory appears improbable. Other causes which could have sparked a war is Troy’s geographical positioning. This made it extremely opulent, where other countries of the Aegean would trade there goods and use its harbour. The Mycenaean’s being an extremely imperial, violent and militaristic country would have seen Troy as a great opportunity to gain territory and wealth, on this motive the war took place.
Goldwyn, Adam J. "A Literary History of the Trojan War from Antiquity to the Middle Ages." Order No. 3426747 City University of New York, 2010. Ann Arbor: ProQuest. Web. 13 ‘May 2014.
The German businessman-turned-archaeologist claimed to have discovered the city of Troy on the hill now called Hisarlik – about three miles from the Dardanelles. However, his claims are still disputed. Before tackling the question of whether the Trojan War actually occurred, we must ask in what form. What exactly do we mean by “the Trojan War”? There is no definitive version of the events in the war, as our knowledge of it comes from a myriad of different sources.
The Iliad by Homer is an epic poem separated in different books or chapters that shows a fictionalized account of the Trojan War. Book 6: Hector Returns to Troy is the specific portion of the poem that is being covered in this essay. Hector from the Iliad shows a very clear aspect of his personality, a strong sense of loyalty and tenderness for his loved ones and also his people by being on the front lines during the war and showing his people he is willing to fight with them and essentially sacrificing himself for his family. Hector even knows his forgiveness towards his brother, Paris even though Paris is the main reason the Trojan War is in existence.
To those who already knew the stories of the Trojan War heroes (which all of the original Greek audience of the epic would),
Throughout the Iliad the warriors' dream of peace is projected over and over again in elaborate similes developed against a background of violence and death. Homer is able to balance the celebration of war's tragic, heroic values with scenes of battle and those creative values of civilized life that war destroys. The shield of Achilles symbolically represents the two poles of human condition, war and peace, with their corresponding aspects of human nature, the destructive and creative, which are implicit in every situation and statement of the poem and are put before us in something approaching abstract form; its emblem is an image of human life as a whole.
Even before this story begins, irony is brewing and continues throughout the pages. The creative author is using this enticing technique as a backbone for his play, and also as a key component in foreshadowing the tragic plot. Oedipus Rex by Sophocles is filled with many different ironies, so much so, that this reoccurring element tremendously affects the outcome of the story.
Book Six of The Iliad depicts one of the most interesting conflicts depicted by Homer in this poem, one that occurs between both Hector and Paris in a passage approximately between 380 through 410. Through the context and language Homer uses to illustrate this conflict also explores certain characteristics of these two Trojans. This characterization of Hector and Paris is important as it scrutinizes the brotherly relationship that exists between these characters, offering insight into their personalities and characteristics. The language that Homer uses to describe the conflict in this particular passage establishes the relationship and characteristics of Hector and Paris through the conflict, highlighting the fundamental aspects and values
This epic poem by the ancient Greek poet Homer, recounts some of the significant events of the final weeks of the Trojan War and the Greek siege of the city of Troy. All of the places where Homer’s stories took place were in areas that had been significant in the Bronze Age of Ancient Greece. Excavations at Troy and Mycenae have revealed that affluent kingdoms did indeed exist there. The Iliad provides examples of the culture and traditions that took place in Ancient Greece. The warrior culture that is presented in The Iliad is based on honor and bravery, a good example of this is when Diomedes is trying to rally his fellow warriors in says, “I know only cowards depart from battle. A real warrior stands his ground. Whether he is hit or hits another.” This society was strongly against cowardice; bravery was the only option in these times. The Iliad preserves the Ancient Greek’s views on masculinity and what it meant to be a “real warrior” in their times. The evolution of what people consider honorable and brave is evident, for The Iliad has conserved past views that can be juxtaposed with more modern
Trojans fought this war; by the very fabric of their lives they would do what they deemed
The literature in this use provides a metaphorical mirror for the history, as the stories will either mirror what people experienced in real life, or use clever metaphors and analogies. Sometimes the stories would mimic wars and conflicts as fights against monsters or other major obstacles. Like in the Epic of Gilgamesh, the hero, Gilgamesh, as to fight the giant Humbaba, as he guards a cedar forest. This a perfect metaphor for a conflict over resources, specifically in this story, for timber. Stories can also simplify conflicts, such as the Trojan War in the Iliad, which is suspected to be fought over resources and trade routes, but in the book it is a fight over a woman, a much more simple reason, and easier to tell. In the Egyptian Hymms,
treachery among the Gods that is so prevalent in the Iliad, is nowhere to be
Throughout the world, writers have shown their concern over a particular cause through the characters of their works. On the whole, Sophocles’ has beautifully shown Antigone as an inspiration. I quote,
In book VIII of The Iliad, the death of a Trojan prince is juxtaposed to “a garden poppy, burst into red bloom, bends, / drooping its head to one side, weighed down / by its full seeds and a sudden spring shower” (VIII. 349-351). Just as the prince loses his glory, as well as his life, the poppy loses its beauty and life as it is weakened by a spring shower. Throughout the battle scenes in The Iliad, Homer compares great warriors to plants and natural forces using similes. The conventional way scholars interpret the use of these similes is to show that violence exists everywhere in the world (Stanley). However, I will argue that these similes of nature show glory’s existence in nature. While many warriors do achieve glory during war, their
In Homer’s epic, the Iliad, the legendary, has no two characters that are so similar yet so different as Greek warrior, Achilles, and the Prince of Troy, Hector. Achilles is the strongest fighter in the Greek side, and Hector is the strongest Trojan. They are both put into the mold of a hero that their respective societies have put them into; however; it is evident that they are both extremely complex characters with different roles within their society and with their families, and with the gods.