Achilles Vs Penthesileia Essay

Ruled by the patriarchy in Greek society, women were left behind to attend to household needs while the men left home to fight or hunt. Outside of this societal rule were the Amazons, a race of women that were shaped to be the strongest and bravest warriors. During the Trojan war, the Trojans ask for the Amazons to aid them in battle and fight against the Greeks. Among these warrior women is Penthesileia, the female counterpart for the Greek hero Achilles in The Iliad. Despite the tragic death of both Achilles and Penthesileia, they both exemplify what it means to be a Greek hero. This paper will analyze the characteristics of a traditional Greek hero that Achilles exhibits and compare them to the qualities of Penthesileia to substantiate the

The obvious characteristics include godlike strength and bravery. They typically have an appearance that attracts those around them. Greek heroes, unlike modern day heroes, were selfish as they only cared about their honor and glory. Greek heroes are destined to live a short life, so they avoid running away from battle in hopes to obtain the greatest honor. Because heroes care so much about their pride and glory, they perform an act of hubris before they meet their tragic fate. The term hubris refers to the act of extreme pride in a foolish manner. Lastly, all the Greek heroes are decedents of the gods, whether it be one of the major gods or minor deities. Heroes have some form of divine relative that gives them an advantageous connection during the ancient Greek era. These traits merge together to create a traditional Greek Hero. The Greek hero Achilles was often portrayed with godlike characteristics. In accordance with his strength, he was also exceptionally handsome according to Homer’s accounts. Through The Iliad, Achilles is described as godlike which refers to his appearance and stature as a warrior. Achilles is first called godlike from Agamemnon. Agamemnon states, “Not so quickly, / brave as you are, godlike Achilles—trying to cheat me!” Secondly, Phoenix, a comrade of Achilles, states, “So you Achilles—great godlike Achilles—