Transformation Of Achilles In The Iliad

Demigod to Mere Mortal: The Transformation of Achilles

The mighty Achilles transforms dramatically through the duration of Homer’s epic, first we as readers perceive him as the cold-blooded warrior of the Achaean forces and then later we start to see his human side. The moment that Achilles placed his own father in Priam’s position, he could finally have compassion, see without bias and suffer with Priam. The story of the transformation of Achilles is very much the story of the transformation of his anger throughout the epic, which is very much encapsulates the story of The Iliad. Only once his anger was extinguished, could he be regarded as humanized to a degree.

In Book 1 we see the rage of Achilles being sparked when his honor was slighted by Agamemnon who demanded to get Briseis back as his prize, which was originally given to Achilles. Achilles is so distraught by what Agamemnon has done, that he refuses to partake in the war. His rage has made him blind to the needs of

the Greek forces that desperately need him on the battlefield, they need him for morale and they need him for victory:

“But he raged on, grimly camped by his last fleet.

. .the swift runner Achilles. Now he no longer haunted the meeting grounds where men win glory, now he no longer went to war. . .” (The Iliad by Homer, Book I, 581-584).

Here in the early stages of the poem Achilles can be described by his actions as being proud and selfish, he places what has happened to him above the entire Achaean force. He is not acting with compassion; he does not feel sympathetic towards the many Greek lives that are lost each day that he does not march toward the battlefield. His ability to identify with the loved ones of those that are lost in the army is not there.

Achilles rejects Agamemnon’s plea to return to the war effort, despite the luring of the myriad of prizes and rewards that Agamemnon is willing to give to him. With the Greek forces suffering major losses, neither Odysseus, Great Ajax or Phoenix can persuade the fierce warrior. Achilles argues in defense of his decision not to accept Agamemnon’s

offer:

“But a man’s life breath cannot come back again – no raiders in force, no trading brings it back, once it slips through a man’s clenched teeth.” (Book IX, 495-497)

By making this choice not to accept the offer and return to fighting Achilles becomes alienated from the Achaeans and eventually from his human society. Achilles lays in his tent, consumed by rage and hate.

Patroclus berates Achilles in Book 16:

“But you are intractable, Achilles! Pray god such anger never seizes me . . . Cursed in your own courage! . . . The salt gray sunless ocean gave you birth . . . your temper’s so relentless . . . at least send me into battle . . .” (Book XVI, 33-43)

He observes Achilles to have no compassion for his fellow Greeks, the very thing that makes us human. His rage is feasting away at his humanity, if he does not allow himself to forgive he will never escape. The death of Patroclus can be seen as Achilles moving into a direction closer to what it means to be human, he suddenly gives up his selfish motives and decides to fight for those that he loves/loved. Achilles is now not just fighting for pure glory; he wants to avenge his beloved Patroclus.