Shield Of Achilles Analysis

Thetis, Achilles' mother went to Hephaestus and requested that he build a new shield for her son after his armor what striped by Hector from Patroclus' dead body and taken as spoils. The shield was built in layers each depicting several scenes. The scenes selected and depicted on the shield are a wedding, legal conflict, the besieging of a city, a herd of cattle, a grape vineyard and youth dancing.

The scene of the wedding took place in one of the two cities depicted on Achilles' shield. During the wedding ceremony, "They were going about the city with brides whom they were escorting by torch lights from their chambers". The torchlights were used to grab the attention of the people in the city. The brides at that very moment were the center of attention. So much so, "women stood each at her door to see them". The women stood at their doorsteps not only to see the brides as they marched but also to pay their respect. "Loud rose cry of Hymen, and the youths danced to the music of flute and lyre". The festivities and celebrations

continued as Hymen, the Greek God of marriage gave a loud cry giving his blessings to the ceremony and the marriage. The children dancing represent life, joy and prosperity, which each person prays for in their marriages.

Another scene depicted by 'The Shield of Achilles' was a legal conflict that took place in the same city as the wedding. "People were gathered in assembly, for there was a quarrel, and two men were wrangling about the blood money for a man who has been killed". One of the men argued that he had paid the paid the damages in full while the other argued that he had not been paid. During that time conflicts were resolved by fighting until one's opponent is killed. The two men took a more modern approach of conflict resolution, which is through a legal dispute. "Elders sate on their seats of stone in a solem circle". The elders sat as authority over the conflict.. "They rose and each in his turn gave judgment." The elders offer the most valuable thing that comes with age, that is, wisdom After the elders gave their verdict "there were two talents laid down, to be given to him whose judgment should be deemed the fairest". The solem circle represented the courtroom, which was the battleground for the two men who were conflicting. The two talents was the prize for winning the battle and coming out the victor.

The shield of Achilles depicted a second city that was besieged by two men. The men of the city "armed themselves for a surprise; their wives and little children kept guard upon the wall". It was surprising that the women and the children were a part of the war plans. Women historically occupied the role of nurturer and primary care giver while children would not be brought into the violent nature of wars. Both the women and the children were not physically capable or trained in the art of war thereby making their contribution non-effective.

Another scene depicted by the shield of Achilles was a herd of cattle.

"They came full speed out of the yards to go and feed among the waving reeds that grow by the bank of the river". Cows often eat grass grown in their pasture. "The lions tore through the bull's thick hide and were gorging on his blood and bowels". The lions felt somewhat threaten by the bulls as they believed that they were not only trespassing in lion's territory but the bull would take their food. The Lions tore through the bull to prevent it from taking any of its food."The herdsmen were afraid to do anything, and only hounded on their dogs; the dogs dare not fasten on the lions but stood by barking and keeping out of harm's way". The herdsmen as well as their dogs feared for their lives after witnessing what the lion tearing apart the bull. They kept out of the bull's way and the dogs barked for help that could help them eventually escape the lion's

territory.

Another scene depict on the shield was children dancing. "Hereon there danced youths and maidens whom all would woo, with their hands on one another's wrists". The girls were among the finest girls in the city. The boys put these girls in high regards and would try to sweep them off their feet for an opportunity to court them". "The girls were crowned with garlands, while the young men had daggers of that hung by silver baldrics". The garland crown for the girls as well as the daggers for the boys to represented a right or passage into adulthood. The garland crown symbolizes the nurturing role that the girls would take up in society and their household. The dagger symbolizes becoming a protector of the city and the main breadwinner of the household for the boys.

The different layers of the Shield Achilles show different human experiences. It shows conflict and discourse as by portraying the many layers for the shield as a series of contrasts. War and peace as well as work and festivities are the contrasting events. We see how the characters coupe with their experiences and how it helped to shape their lives.