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Achilles as a classical hero
Achilles as a classical hero
The character of achilles in the iliad
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The Transformation of Achilles In The Iliad, a book by Homer about the Trojan war, Achilles possesses a selfish rage that encompasses his entire being. Achilles stubbornly clings to his pride in hopes of gaining “kleos,” a term used to describe a sense of honor for Greek heroes. With the death of his dearest friend Patroclus, Achilles begins to let down his walls as a character, revealing layers of emotion. Love, pain, and grief are feelings that accompany Achilles’s rage as he shows that he is able to connect on a human level, as he does with Patroclus. Achilles further develops as a character when he shows compassion in returning Hector’s body to his father, Priam. Achilles reveals a sense of sympathy when faced against his enemy. It is revealed that Achilles is a dynamic character, one that has the ability to show sensitivity to even his greatest enemy. Achilles imparts on a journey that transforms him from a man overcome with selfish, prideful rage into someone that possesses a sense compassion. The beginning of The Iliad is …show more content…
In what is called the embassy to Achilles, Agamemnon tries to shower Achilles with gifts to persuade him into returning to fight for the Achaeans, but Achilles rejects the gifts offered to him by Odysseus, Great Ajax, and Phoenix on behalf of Agamemnon. Achilles seems quite sad, almost dejected at this point in the epic. He is going through a period where he questions what role he is really meant to play in the Trojan war, and to an even greater extent he questions what path he is meant to take in his life. At this point, he blatantly ignores the deaths of the Greeks who are dying in battle, which he knows is partially on his account. The transformation of Achilles can be noted as Homer shows Achilles to be very lost in his life upon losing Briseis to Agamemnon and withdrawing himself from the
hroughout the Iliad Achilles shows how the ego of a Kardashian is being portrayed and the emotional maturity of an eight-year-old because of the certain adult qualities he lacks, for example: he does not work well with others, he lacks the concept of forgiveness, he is selfish, thinks highly of his self without regard to others, being rude and unkind, aggressiveness when talking to others, and having too much pride and not thinking about the consequences of his actions and how it can affect not only him but others as well. Achilles does not like to work with others he prefers to be the one in charge of everybody and he likes for everyone to do as he says. In the Iliad Agamemnon says, "This man wants to be ahead of everyone else he wants to rule everyone and give orders to everyone" (1.302-303). Achilles and Agamemnon are having an argument amongst one another because no one wants to give Achilles the honor he feels that he deserves for being the best fighter in the war and for all the blood sweat and tears he shed while defeating the Trojans "he is a mighty bulwark in this evil war" as Nestor says.
While Phoenix and Meleager seemed to have issues with their respective parents, Achilles has none of the same issues. Achilles has a loving mother as well as a father and Phoenix, a father figure. Achilles and Phoenix are so close that Phoenix claims, “I made you what you are, my godlike Achilles, And loved you from my heart” (Homer’s Iliad 9.498-499). In contrast, the relationships depicted through Phoenix’s story are filled with rage and promises of death. The importance of structuring symmetrical relationships when invoking an emotional argument is imperative, and this paradigm fails to pick appropriate examples. Though Achilles may feel pity, he isn’t able to wholeheartedly empathize with the narrative laid before him. Without empathy, there can be no universal bonds in which others can be held accountable for each other. The dearth of empathetic material in Phoenix’s speech is largely proportional to Achilles’ acute refusal as well as a broader representation of the tragedy of the Trojan war on the
The Iliad, written by Homer, is about a few weeks of a ten-year war between the Trojans and the Acheans. Achilles is one of the main characters of The Iliad and he is a great man. All he wants is blood. His friend Patroclus was killed and he fights to avenge his friend and earn glory in the process. He would not have achieved glory if his friend hadn’t died though because Achilles knew that when he fought he would die. His friend’s death is what led Achilles to the fame and glory he received even though he couldn’t really enjoy it since Achilles died in the war.
In Homer's The Iliad, we find the greatest, bravest, and most revered warrior of ancient times. Achilles was the son of Peleus, king of the Myrmidones in Phtia, and Thetis, a sea-nymph. As the legend goes, Achilles got his strength and battle skills when his mother dipped him in the river Styx. Achilles was thereby made invincible. However, Thetis forgot to wet the heel by which she held him and because of this grievous error, Thetis destined her son to defeat. It was prophesied that he would be defeated in battle by being pierced in his only vulnerable spot: Achilles' heel (thus the expression). This single weakness would inevitably be Achilles' downfall, but in the end he would still be defined as a true hero. The prophecy that he would die in battle during the Trojan War weighed heavily on Achilles. He knew he must decide whether to go home and live out his life in luxury, or go to war and surely die. The only benefit of his death would be the immortality and legendary status he would receive in the history of the world. Which brings us to our question: Was Achilles suicidal?
The epic The Iliad by Homer argues Achilles has a reaction of rage in numerous situations. Achilles’s choice to respond in such a way that it is of great significance. This incredible emotion influenced his day-to-day life. Many literary critics have started discussion as to whether Achilles’s rage exists as a virtue or a vice in this epic. Other characters throughout The Iliad have commented on his rage, such as Athena, who says, “I came to see if I could check this temper of yours,” (Homer, 235) in a discussion she has with Achilles pertaining to his quarrel with Agamemnon.
The constant demonstration of grief, death and honour in Homer’s Book XXIV of the Iliad shines illuminates the intricate personal connections between gods and people. Through the act of war the reader visualises the human state and ideology of humanity; we begin to understand the key values of honour and pride during the Homeric period. The affect both loss and triumph have on the characters are shown clearly in their detailed emotions throughout Book XXIV. Achilles loss of his ‘dearest companion’ (cousin in the film) is an exhibit of a transition from loss and grief to acceptance and peace, an overall trend throughout the book.
Consumed by his rage, he refuses to accept even the most admirable gifts and wealth in exchange for his return to war. He understands his prowess as a fighter, but not even his potential to make an immense difference on the battlefield can persuade him to join the fight. The adamant refusal is constant throughout the text, given that Achilles does not decide to join again until Book XVIII. What inspires this turning point is being personally struck by the death of Patroclus – his best friend. Achilles had such a strong connection with his companion that he is found sobbing, asking “but what boots it to me, seeing that my dear comrade Patroclus has fallen—he whom I valued more than all others, and loved as dearly as my own life?” (18.100-103). Just shortly after the turning point of The Iliad occurs when Achilles declares to “force his soul into subjection” and “pursue Hector who has slain him” (18.115). Without being personally affected by such a tragedy, Achilles never would have returned to war provided that not even the most tempting of offers could have swayed him. Furthermore, if Achilles were not struck with such overwhelming grief, then the outcome of the Trojan War would have been different. For instance, Agamemnon is at times a mediocre warrior. Because the Achaeans lacked a key figure in battle until Achilles changed his mind, it is very possible that Hector never would have been killed and that Achilles’s rage would have persisted. Merely telling Achilles that Patroclus had passed, breaking their brotherly bond, was enough to heighten the entire war rather than the countless battle scenes leading up to Patroclus’s
In addition, Achilles is also acting in a manner of that demonstrates the potential of his character through his demand of the return of Chryses’ daughter to appease Apollo. Through this demand, Achilles is acting in a selfless manner as the satisfaction of Apollo will bring about the end of the pestilence that is affecting the Achaean army. Moreover, Achilles also consolidates the idea of mutual respect through the civility in his language found by offering an incentive to Agamemnon if Chryses’ daughter is returned. With regards to the incentive, Achilles offers Agamemnon additional wealth in addition to the promise that the Achaeans will be able take Troy with the blessing of Zeus. Altogether, Achilles’ is an embodiment of the Homeric Ideal by reaching his personal potential through his tenacity and selfless underlying intentions.
The Iliad is not only a narrative of epic battles and armies, but also of the redemption of a man ruled by wrath. Achilles, whose wrath is the driving force of the whole tale, experiences redemptive changes in the following ways .Firstly by being able to experience empathy, secondly by being willing to forgive those who his wrath was kindled against ,and finally by being able to release the sinister emotions that ruled his life. Achilles does not experience a total redemption in a biblical sense, but instead experiences partial redemption of his character. The Iliad is a novel of a humanistic redemption that does not fully grasp the Christian sense of the word but is nevertheless still redemption.
The Iliad is not only a narrative of epic battles and armies, but also of the redemption of a man ruled by wrath. Achilles, whose wrath is the driving force of the whole tale, experiences redemptive changes in the following ways .Firstly by being able to experience empathy, secondly by being willing to forgive those who his wrath was kindled against ,and finally by being able to release the sinister emotions that ruled his life. Achilles does not experience a total redemption in a biblical sense, but instead experiences partial redemption of his character. The Iliad is a novel of a humanistic redemption that does not fully grasp the Christian sense of the word but is nevertheless still redemption.
While fighting the Trojans, Achilles and Agamemnon came to blows in a show of superiority. Agamemnon, the Greek warlord, put Achilles in his place by reminding him that he controlled what actually went on and took Briseis, Achilles’ war prize, for himself. This angered Achilles and from that point he no longer would fight alongside his fellow countrymen against the Trojans and even to pout as a child would (Puchner, , and et al 238-239). During this act Achilles showed that if he could have his toys then he would no longer play with his friends. His refusal to participate in the war hurt the Greeks horribly and many men were lost. Achilles could have cared less about the loss of his p...
In Book 21, Achilles kills a hostage at his mercy, whose life he has sparred in the past. By the end of Book 21, Achilles has killed so many Trojan’s that the river is clogged with the bodies of his victims. Achilles behaves without a care for human life, as well as his treatment toward Hector before and after he kills him. As stated in Blucher’s article, Achilles is found to go berserk, committing atrocities to both living and dead. This, for Shay, is the story of the Iliad and also as Shay goes on to demonstrate, the story of many Vietnam combat veterans”. (Blucher). Before their battle Hector begs Achilles to honor his corpse if he is killed in war, and Achilles refuse, saying, “Don’t try to cut any deals with me, Hector. Do lions make peace treaties with men? Do wolves and lambs agree to get along? No, they hate each other to the core, And that’s how it is between you and me, No talk of agreements until one of us Falls and gluts Ares with his blood” (Homer). His statement of intent to dishonor Hector’s corpse and to damage the body after his enemy’s death, shows that he had anger towards his superiors. The most disturbing portrayal from Achilles is his behavior, when Hector’s father Priam meets with him to ask for Hector’s body. This show Achilles’ anger is driven by rage towards other superior officers in the
Agamemnon tries to use Achilles rage and fury to get him to give up and retreat back to the army he left. Even though Achilles felt rage and sorrow, he keeps to his word. He wants to obey Athena’s orders of to not fight back. Although he is sad, he will not let Agamemnon’s threat get to his
Achilles is introduced into The Iliad getting into a debacle with the leader of the Greek army, Agamemnon, during the last year of the Trojan War. Achilles starts a quarrel with Agamemnon because he has demanded possession of Achilles’ woman, Briseis, in consolation for having to give up his woman, Chryseis, so that the gods will end their plague upon the Greek soldiers. Achilles does all he can to get his loved one back, but he knows that nothing will waver Agamemnon’s decision. This is when Achil...
Agamemnon admited that he wronged Achilles and that he insulted the greatest warrior, and prepares to offer Achilles gifts (one of Agamemnon own daughter was wife and seven of Agamemnon citadels), if only he will return and yields place to Agamemnon, in as much as I am the “kinglier”. Nestor proposes sending Phoenix, Great Ajax and Odysseus, as well as the heralds Odius and Eurybates. When embassy went to Achilles house, Achilles treated the guest with courtesy, by asking Patroclus to make food and serve drinks, with a sacrifice for the gods. Odysseus told Achilles what Agamemnon has decided but he leave out Agamemnon statement about the needing to yield Agamemnon kingly majesty, he also add a final statement about Achilles dislike for Agamemnon, he should join the army out of pity for his friends and fellow soldiers, who are being slaughtered for want of their greatest warrior. Achilles told the embassy he will not fight for Greek and that Agamemnon gifts to return to battle are not important than his life. Let’s look at Agamemnon for example he still have pride because he did not apologies for his actions towards Achilles but he offers gifts which reflects glory, honour and generosity of a king, he also ended his statement that