The Iliad

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The last year of the Trojan War is depicted in Homer’s epic, The Iliad. Homer constructs a legend of honor, love, sacrifice, and the Olympian gods. The Iliad is believed to be principally created by the renowned Greek writer, Homer around the year 750 B.C. One of the purposes of the epic is to keep the stories of the Trojan War and Ancient Greece alive. It is also a tale that entertains, and teaches those from all periods of history of honor, courage, sacrifice, and love.
The plot of the Iliad is most likely based on legends and stories passed down through Greek tradition. The Greeks believed that their ancestors, such as Achilles and Agamemnon, were born from the gods of Olympus. Several times Homer makes references to people being stronger, faster, or nobler at this time. “…Aeneas seized a great stone, so huge that two men, as men now are, would be unable to lift it, but Aeneas wielded it quite easily.” (The Iliad) This is a clue that it was common for people to have great respect for their ancestors at the time, and Homer reflects this in his poem. The poem brings more character and opinion into the Trojan War than a factual account. It shows the thoughts and feelings of many people, from their points of view. It attributes the victories of certain battles not only to those fighting, but also to the gods. The Iliad deals with the war on a huge scale, speaking of large armies congregating from all over Greece, and yet also on a more personal scale, showing the regret that Helen feels when she thinks of all those who have suffered and died because of her. “She found her (Helen) in her own room, working at a great web of purple linen, on which she was embroidering the battles between Trojans and Achaeans that Mar...

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... the daring (or reckless) deeds accomplished in The Iliad are to gain respect and honor from fellow soldiers, or even those on the other side of the war. Heroes are often addressed with great reverence using phrases such as “honor to the Achaean name.” (The Iliad) The dead are also honored, especially those killed in battle. All throughout The Iliad, Homer stresses that those who are heroes should be shown respect and honor.
The Iliad is a story of a war waged thousands of years ago, yet it is still remembered today. It is a tragedy and an epic, a window to the world of Ancient Greece through a man who experienced that world and their legends first hand. Although it sometimes contains too much detail to comprehend or absorb in one or two readings, it brings across its themes and topics very strongly. Homer’s The Iliad is truly a masterpiece on many levels.

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