Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
Achilles heroism in the iliad
Gilgamesh and Achilles
Gilgamesh and Achilles
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Achilles heroism in the iliad
Gilgamesh and Achilles
Gilgamesh and Achilles
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Achilles heroism in the iliad
In the Iliad, Achilles is faced with two choices which he learned of through his mother, Thetis, which are kleos,”fame,” and nostos, “homecoming.” If Achilles decides to return home, he will lose his kleos, but will have more time at home and an unchallenging death. Though if he stays in Troy and fights his nostos will be lost, but he will obtain kleos. Achilles understands that living would be an extension of time, but that just time itself has no value. At first he chose nostos and after the shift in his anger towards Agamemnon he chose kleos.
When people's credo changes there has to be something or someone that affected them to make them change their credo. For example someone can be affected emotionally in their lives that will change in how they believe in something or someone. A good example of this is Jemima finch who has various credos throughout the book, that change while he he starts to mature and after the case of Tom Robinson who lost his case just for being black. At the beginning of the book Jem is young and has no idea about racism, which growing up was normal to call a black person a “Niger” which he didn't see that it was bad when father would tell him not to use that word.
Achilles’ anger has lead to him committing cruel behavior; a large majority of the horrific violence within Homer’s story, comes from Achilles’ relentless rage. But is his rage truly without proper cause and justification? King Agamemnon forced Achilles’ to hand over his beloved Briseis to him, which caused Achilles to withdraw his men from the Achaean army. Achilles’ closest
Song of Achilles, written by Madeline Miller, delves into the intricate world of Patroclus, the son of the renowned king Menoitiades and simplistic mother who is deemed incapable of ruling due to her unsuitable characteristics. Menoitiades, often disparages and resents Patroclus for his weakness and alleged stupidity. Despite Patroclus’ young age, his father forces him to attend a gathering for suitors to determine who will bear king Tyndareus’ daughter, Helen, as wife. Following a collective oath to protect Helen, Menelaus is chosen as Helen’s suitor, leaving Menoitiades enraged.
Although Achilles did not spend as much time as Hector battling in the Trojan war, he avenged Patroclus’ death towards the end of the war. Achilles fought
In Book Nine of The Iliad, the focus is of the story is on the character of Achilles, the desperation the Achaeans suffer in their need for this great warrior as well as his refusal to return into the fighting to assist his comrades, due to his rage with Agamemnon. In particular, one of the most important scenes of Book Nine is from approximately line 443 through line 473, in which Achilles bluntly refuses the gifts offered to him by Agamemnon in recompense for stealing away Achilles’ war-prize Briseis. This passage demonstrates the depth of the rage of Achilles as well as his sense of pride, as he chooses to remain absent from the fighting, even in the Achaeans’ moment of sheer desperation, due to his deep hatred for Agamemnon. As
His only redemption after this section is the fact that he allowed Hector’s parents to give him money in exchange for their son’s corpse so that he could be properly buried and sent off to Hades. All of this violence, especially the parts towards the already dead person, was not even acceptable towards the Greek. The comparison would be that with this level of brutality, most modern-day people would view Achilles more as a villain than a hero after this. His actions here provide no redemption in modern
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.
The only thing on his mind is killing Hector. Achilles is so angry at Hector that he constantly thinks about killing him and getting revenge. His anger takes over his body and nothing can stop him from getting to Hector, not even the gods. Achilles gets to Hector and desecrated his body. Achilles does not give Hector a proper burial instead he parades Hectors body on the back of his chariot.
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
Achilles is superior to many others because, he serves as the Greek army 's best warrior. The Trojans are frightened by the strength that Achilles puts forth, that even his war gear makes them want to run away from him in terror. He shows his strength, as he is capable to conquer the power of Hector and defeat him. Achilles is invincible, unlike Hector, as shown when Homer states, “Achilles’ invincible arms-”(20.569) Achilles has a reputation as a power warrior, as shown throughout The Iliad. The face of death doesn’t stop his courage from shining through.
In the Iliad, Achilles is responding to Odysseus’s speech attempting to convince him to return to the war. Achilles’ main argument against returning is his incalculable rage against Agamemnon for “the prize of honor / The warlord Agamemnon gave me / And in his insulting arrogance took back” which is not only an insult to Achilles’ status, but also to his honor as a warrior (Il. 9.378-379). In addition to focusing on the main argument of Achilles’ speech, it is worth noting the contradictions present within his speech as well.
Agamemnon’s taking of Briseis enrages Achilles and spurs him to remove himself from the war, leading to a massive death toll in the Achaean forces. In stealing Briseis from Achilles, he is not only robbing of him of a material prize, but also a symbol of honor, his geras, in Greek culture. In retaliation, Achilles removes himself from the war and prays to his mother, Thetis, that she will ask Zeus to damage the Achaean forces. Achilles’ only goal is that “even mighty Atrides can see how mad he was to disgrace Achilles” (1.488-490). Despite having no true grievance against the Achaean army as a whole, Achilles’ rage blinds him from the potential harm that may befall his troops.
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.
These abilities are important as a warrior because both his men and the hero reflect and are influenced by them. Some of the abilities are excellence in war, courage, leadership and fighting qualities. These qualities are seen through the heroic characters Hector and Achilles. When Achilles is not present with his men, the Greeks are well defeated by the Trojans with no motivation or support. Achilles is also described by his men as a power figure when the poem says “These were his words,/ and all Achaeans gave a roar of joy/ to hear the Prince abjure his rage.”