Achilles Legacy Essay

A legacy in death is the influence that a person leaves behind after they pass away, affected by many factors and everchanging. It implies that one's life should be lived with the intention of having a significant and good influence on society that will be remembered and carried on after death. The idea of legacy in death is commonly illustrated in literature by characters who, whether on design or not, strive to leave a lasting imprint by their life work, relationships or actions. Furthermore, this character's eventual death frequently symbolizes a larger legacy that they may not have been aware of. Intentional or not, incorporating legacies in literature, especially in death, often develop into a larger social context that is observed over

Based on Homer’s epic poem, Iliad, Achilles is a brave and loyal warrior with a tragic element, setting his tragic and complex legacy of bravery and honour. Despite his legacy in Iliad, Troilus and Cressida approach his character differently to fit the set satirical tone of the play. It portrays Achilles in a more prideful nature that is observed throughout the play by his own words and the observations of others. For example: “The great Achilles, whom opinion crowns the sinew and the forehand of our host, having his ear full of his airy fame, grows dainty of his worth” (Shakespeare 1.3), similarly, “My sweet Patroclus, I am thwarted quite from my great purpose in tomorrow’s battle” (5.1). Therefore, both Iliad and Troilus and Cressida’s characterization of Achilles differ significantly, changing the tone of the legacy to fit the story being

However, Sejanus does differ from Achilles in the sense that Sejanus is prideful in all versions of his story, and it is his only legacy, while Achilles’ prideful legacy was adapted and interpreted just for that play. As a Roman soldier, and close ally of the Roman Emperor, Tiberius, Sejanus feels entitled to power and is blind to the dangers it puts him in. Eventually, "his pride, and thirst of greatness, / Made him neglect those friends, that might have been / His helps, and sought out mine, that could be none, / But in his ruin." (Jonson 1.1). Therefore, Sejanus: His Fall becomes a cautionary tale, warning readers of the dangers of pride. His legacy begins as that of strength and loyalty, but quickly becomes a legacy of betrayal and deceit, explaining how his malicious actions and betrayal led to his execution. Similarly to Achilles, Sejanus has let his pride take over his actions and as a result, "he that's once bitten with ambition's pest, / All other passions, in that only, dies. (5.8), and both Achilles and Sejanus become symbols of how pride destroys humanity, taking over all other emotions. Overall, Achilles and Sejanus’ legacies in death transform from legacies of bravery and strength, to that of pride and danger, enhancing a larger message within both plays – a warning against