ipl-logo

Iliad Essay

1050 Words5 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Women in the iliad

After years and years of fighting, Hector, great fighter of Troy, is chased down and slain by the rage of Achilles. Although vast amounts of people living behind Troy’s great wall mourn the death of their hero Hector, three women in particular have laments or speeches mourning Hector’s death that are actually featured in the Iliad by Homer himself. Hector's wife, Andromache, his mother, Hecuba, and his sister, Helen have very important and different views of the war expressed in their speeches and one speech in particular is supported best in The Iliad. First, lets discuss his Hecuba’s, Hector’s mother, lament of Hector’s death. Her lament is the shortest and she almost seems to seek an understanding of Hector’s death or why he was killed. …show more content…

Andromache obviously mourns the death of her husband with statements such as,” You have died young, husband , and left me / A widow in the halls” but then switches her focus on their sons life ahead of him as she states”Our son is still an infant/ He will never reach manhood. No this city/ Will topple over and fall first” (l.777-781). Andromache seems almost mad at Hector as she once pleaded for him to stay behind city walls and protect and be a father to her and his son which is why her point is reflected most in the rest of the text because Andromache knew this would happen and that Hector would fall. Andromache talks directly to her son in lines 792-793 when she states” Your father was never gentle in combat/ And so the townspeople mourn for him” , but then switches right back to being upset with Hector's decisions that got him ultimately killed by stating ,“And so you have caused your parents unspeakable/ Sorrow, Hector, and left me endless pain”( l. 792-792). Andromache’s speech can be supported in the text because there were actual instances of her contemplating Hector’s death and how that would affect her emotionally and physically for the rest of her life compared to Hecuba and Helen , which the Iliad rarely ever showed speaking of their feelings about Hector before Hector’s Death. Her speech shows the tragedy when facing a war as a family member of a

Show More
Related

Martin Luther King Jr And Hector Analysis

652 Words | 3 Pages

Hector is a Trojan Prince, His father is King Priam and his mother is Queen Hecuba. He was known as the greatest fighter in Troy during his time. He was the first-born son, meaning he was the heir to his father’s throne, and he had a younger brother Paris. Hector was married to Andromache, but together they had an infant son, and his name was Scamandrius (he was also called Astyanax). Hector was killed in a battle against Achilles, fighting for his country and his beliefs.

Read More

Helen's Guilt In The Iliad

518 Words | 3 Pages

Helen’s character is balanced by personal guilt and self-preservation which together define her as a woman with her own agency and power to act. In the initial chapters of the Iliad, Helen is wracked by intense guilt and self-loathing that stems from her involvement in the conflict between the Achaians and the Trojans. Her shame is first displayed after she is called sit beside Priam and view the duel between Paris and Menelaus. When Priam asks Helen to identify the leader of the Greek forces, she takes a moment to express her remorse and mentions that she wished she had chosen “bitter death” over departure from her homeland (Iliad 3.173). Helen admits her culpability in this conflict and reveals that the extent of her shame is so great

Read More

Helen's Behavior In The Iliad

1813 Words | 8 Pages

A man 's duty in the Iliad is on the battlefield, this plays into E.R. Dodd 's ' theory of the "shame culture"17 which he considers to be an integral part of the society of the Iliad. Hector, for example, "like a good soldier"18 has been trained to "take his place on the front line."19 However, when Andromache begs Hector to retreat and not fight she, again, is herself "going against the grain"20 as Hector told her because she is not playing into this culture of shame where "shame is a motivating force." 21 Helen, though, in this instance, arguably is not acting transgressive. We can understand this through Paris, who, is saved by Aphrodite during his duel where he is taken back to safety in his palace.

Read More

Agamemnon And Achilles's Emotions In The Iliad

1536 Words | 7 Pages

Hector is shown to be devoted to this war between the Trojans and Greeks, and shows this when he refuses wine from his mother Hecuba when he first returns to Priam’s palace, telling her that it will only make him weak, and that instead she should go to the temple of Athena and pray that she pity Troy and its people (Book VI, 11. 275-88, pg. 249). Returning back home and making his way to his brother Paris’ house, Hector is completely ready to chastise him, showing his anger towards him as needed for not being out there and fighting in the war he himself caused (VI, 11. 342-47, pg. 251) but rather sitting in his house with his armor and weapons surrounding him. Hector is also given the opportunity to lay with Helen and relax, but instead says “my heart is out there with our fighting men” (VI, 11. 380, pg. 252). This makes it evident that he is a noble man and that his only purpose now is to fight with the Trojans, seeing himself as “One of the best, to fight in Troy’s ranks” (VI, 11.

Read More

Trojan Women Essay

424 Words | 2 Pages

After Helen makes her appeal of innocence to Menelaus, the chorus responds “My queen, protect your children and your homeland from the insidious bewitchment of her words - It’s terrible how well the guilty one can speak” (lines 967-969). This not only captures and illustrates the response to Helen’s speech of the other women in the camp, but also provides a smooth transition to Hecuba’s response. Furthermore, immediately after Hecuba’s response, they actively echo Hecuba’s advice to give Helen justice, and that Menelaus would earn their respect by doing so (lines 1025-1030). Although the Trojan women have nothing left, they can still find some closure and reconciliation knowing that the woman responsible for their pain has paid the price and justice has been served.

Read More

The Consequences Of War In Homer's The Iliad

1661 Words | 7 Pages

One of the major consequences of war is the horrific tragedies that occur. In the Iliad, in book eighteen, when Achilles hears that Hector killed Patroclus he is filled with rage and enters the war seeking vengeance. His rage causes him to kill hundreds of trojans and seek

Read More

Achilles In The Iliad

741 Words | 3 Pages

Homer’s The Iliad proves that Hector and Achilles have vast differences but, their few similarities are some of what we see a lot throughout the epic poem. Both Achilles and Hector have their certain strengths and weaknesses, which are noticeable countless times throughout the conflicts that come up in the Iliad. These two characters have distinct differences in their approaches to fitting the noble form to which they both attempt to achieve. Nevertheless, regardless of their differences and the fact that their armies are rivals and are brought to each other with execration in battle, they also have numerous identical traits which reasonably show the comparison between the two men, Hector and Achilles.

Read More

Hector's 'Andromache In The Iliad'

1274 Words | 6 Pages

As he departs for battle and she fears to lose him, Hector tells Andromache, “go, then, within the house, and busy yourself with your daily duties, your loom, your distaff, and the ordering of your servants; for war is man's matter, and mine above all others of them that have been born in Ilius. He took his plumed helmet from the ground, and his wife went back again to her house” (Homer, Iliad 6.490-497). As Andromache waits behind the walls of Troy, hoping beyond hope that her husband will survive, she weaves. The scene of Hector’s eventual death is made all the more tragic by its juxtaposition with the scene of Andromache “at her loom in an inner part of the house, weaving a double purple web, and embroidering it with many flowers” (Homer, Iliad 22.440-444). Andromache, who cannot go down to the battlefield, fights to defend her husband in the only way she can: by weaving him a garment decorated with flowers that Katherine Sullivan Kruger calls “an ancient symbol for protection” (Katherine Sullivan Kruger, Weaving the Word 54).

Read More

Comparing Homer's Iliad And Sophocles Antigone

995 Words | 4 Pages

When Patraclous is killed Achilles returns to the battle after he said we will not be fighting for the Achaeans because of the insult that it was made to his honor. He decided to go back and kill Hector for killing his best friend and most loved person, and to get the body which illustrate the idea of the glory after life. The idea of family honor adds a new level of understanding how important is pride is in ancient Greek literature. Another Example of this can be shown when Achilles kills hector, The reaction of Priam Hector’s father. Priam says “I have gone through what no other mortal on earth has gone through; I put my lips to the hands of the man who has killed my children (Homer, Iliad 24.505)”

Read More

Greek Values In The Iliad

1381 Words | 6 Pages

If I stay here and fight before the city of Troy, there will be no home- coming for me but my fame shall never die; if I go home to my native land, there will be no great fame for me, but I shall live long and not die an early death.” (Homer 110) This shows that he is selfishness and fearful at the same time of losing and dying in the war. In the very beginning of the Iliad, King Agamemnon and Achilles have an argument for a couple of different reasons. After, the Achians won a battle against a city that was allied with the Trojans each of them received a prize consisted of a young woman from the war.

Read More

The Most Crucial Foundations Of Ancient Greek Culture

977 Words | 4 Pages

Ancient Greek culture was influenced by many different frameworks. The most crucial foundations of Ancient Greece culture, however, were military, religion, and athletics because they brought the Populus together. They achieved this by helping the population of males and females come together to reach a common goal. Several other frameworks benefited Greece but these are the ones that brought everyone together.

Read More

Role Of Anger In The Iliad

699 Words | 3 Pages

After defeating Hector, pride within Achilles resulted in him killing more enemies and actually losing his own life. Homer’s story of The Iliad illustrates the damage anger causes when allowed to take root in any life. Anger often lead to other complications such as pride, suffering, and even fear. Achilles downfall teaches readers that the anger often controls emotions. To communicate an important message on anger, Homer illustrates the consequences of Achilles anger in The Iliad to show that controlling anger results in a more peaceful and positive

Read More

The Importance Of Heroic Code In The Iliad

1570 Words | 7 Pages

In the epic poem, the Iliad written by Homer, several characters taking part in the warfare between the Achaeans and the Trojans are portrayed as embodying the heroic code of courage, physical strength, leadership, arete of value of honour, and the acceptance of fate. The heroic code is illustrated by the actions of the Trojan prince, Hector and the Achaeans strongest warrior, Achilles. Both of these characters display the Greek’s image of a hero, and can also let the reader discern what the society admires, looks up to and aspires to in its heroes. There are also characters who fail to be heroic, such as the Trojan “vivid and beautiful” prince, Paris. These characters in the Iliad illustrate the qualities that Ancient Greek society values.

Read More

Vengeance And Justice In Homer's Iliad

786 Words | 4 Pages

Patroclus was killed by Hector while he was under the impression Patroclus was Achilles, “But I’ll tell you something else— bear this in mind—you’ll not live long yourself. Your death is already standing close at hand, a fatal power. For you’ll be destroyed at brave Achilles’ hands, descendant of Aeacus” (Homer, Iliad 16. 989-993), this foresight shared by dying Patroclus shows Achilles will kill Hector in search of retribution. Since Hector killed Achilles best friend Achilles doesn't care about pride anymore, just revenge.

Read More

Characteristics Of Greek Values In The Iliad

1395 Words | 6 Pages

In grief Achilles wants to fight Hector for what he did. Hector has two choices, either to fight Achilles or hide behind the walls of Troy. Hector exclainms doubtedly “What shall I do? If I retreat behind these walls, … And now that I have ruined them all by my rashness, I am ashamed to face the men and women of Troy, or some base fellows may say-Hector thought too much of his own strength, and ruined us all!”

Read More

More about Iliad Essay

Related Topics

Open Document