Achilles vs Hektor The Iliad, an epic poem by Homer, takes place in the tenth year of the Trojan War. Recalling important events that take place bringing the war to an end the poem uses figurative language and literary devices to enhance its characters, presenting similarities and differences between how the characters handle specific situations and how they deal with the concept of masculinity. For example Homer uses the method of literary foils. A foil is a character that depicts traits that differ with the traits of another character. In The Iliad, Achilles and Hektor are foil characters.
The armor “glistens” and is “glittering.” This paints a more glorious picture of war. Achilles armor has a sacred air about it since the god Hephaestus has forged it. It is well made and beautiful. The massive shield is compared in a simile to a “full round moon” “flashing far and wide.”
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.
In his introduction, Hedges cites The Iliad and The Odyssey, and states that “The Iliad is about power and force. Those who inhabit its space abide by the warrior’s code. Its heroes are vain, brave, and consumed by the heady elixir of violence and the bitterness of bereavement… The Odyssey is different.. In The Odyssey the hubris and inflexibility of the warrior fail to ward off the capriciousness of fate, the indifference of nature.”
It is so deeply rooted that it encompasses Achilles, becoming a characteristic of this great warrior, influencing his actions and chooses throughout the story, such as leaving the fighting and considering the idea to return to Pythia. The depth of Achilles rage and hatred is demonstrated through in his response to Agamemnon, concerning the gifts he offered as compensation for his wrongs, saying that “not if his gifts outnumbered all the grains of sand and dust in the earth, no not even then could Agamemnon bring my fighting spirit round” (9.470-472). The true rage of Achilles is extremely important to the entire story of The Iliad, as from Book One through Book Nine Achilles allows this rage to control his actions, causing him to Achilles remains absent from the fighting as well as causing him to pray to Zeus that Trojans may receive the upper hand in the fighting so that the Greeks may suffer for Agamemnon’s actions. Therefore, this profound rage is an extremely important aspect of The Iliad, as it ultimately effects not only Achilles actions but also course of the
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.
The epic poem, The Iliad written by Homer shows the conflicts and events that occurred between the Greeks and Trojans during the Trojan War. Among both sides there are warriors who follow a distinct code, known as the heroic code. This Heroic code helps portray the characteristics of the warriors and their perspective on war. This distinct code is composed of many elements such as arete, acceptance of fate, honour, excellence in war, leadership, courage and power. These traits are shown within the main warriors, Hector and Achilles throughout the epic war poem and helps to guide their decisions.
The Iliad by Homer describes the great shield built by Hephaestus for Achilles by commission of Thetis. The intricate shield comes into existence after the death of Patroclus, which allows Hector to assume the glory of having Achilles’ armor. Hephaestus constructs the shield specifically for Achilles with “five layers of metal” and “ blazoning, well-wrought emblems all across the surface” (483.559,526). Hephaestus builds the shield with the life and legacy of it’s holder in mind as he adds celestial bodies, cities, peace, conflict, farms, fields, and humans inhabiting these planes. The Shield of Achilles by W.H. Auden features many of the same themes of a life gone too early in his poem.
Depicting normal life in peacetime, it symbolizes the world beyond the battlefield, and implies that war constitutes only one aspect of life. It includes feasts and dances and marketplaces and crops being harvested. Interestingly, although Homer glorifies war and the life ofthe warrior throughout most ofhis epic, his depiction of everyday life as it appears on the shield comes across as equally noble. In other words, the shield depicts war in a negative way. One ofthe many reasons the Achaeans fight is so that they can return home to their families and experience everyday life.)
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.
One of the most interesting sections in Book 24 of the Iliad when Priam knelt at the feet of his son’s killer. Not only did Achilles kill Hector but had been dragging him around his cart, and attempting to mutilating his sons body. And yet despite this he has the courage to appear before Achilles a man who has been torturing the broken body of his son (scorning the gods by doing so) and ask for the return of his son. The entire passage where Priam appeals to Achilles nature outside his need for revenge by saying: This is incredibly courageous, and works to force Achilles to see the humanity in his foe and recognize Hector as a son with a loving father, rather than just the enemy. Even when Priam takes Hectors body and slips out in the middle
In Homer’s The Iliad, epic hero Achilles serves as an example of how rage, when unchecked, leads to disastrous repercussions. Achilles, though nearly superhuman in his physical abilities, struggles repeatedly to contain his anger. Throughout The Iliad, as Achilles’ fury compounds, the consequences of his actions become catastrophic, eventually leading to the death of his best friend, Patroclus. Although Achilles ultimately chooses to avenge Patroclus’ death and achieve his own kleos, or honor, his rage-driven actions lead to the death of many Achaean soldiers, and change the course of his fate.
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
The contrasting intent between the two poems are heightened within the description of the hero's’ shields. Aeneas’ shield portrays the glorious accomplishments that future Rome will achieve.(Mastin). His shield solely revolves around the future of Rome. But Achilles shield is more cynical, it depicts what was occuring during the Siege of Troy and seems to mostly display the detriment of war. (“Iliad”).Considering that The Aeneid is political propaganda, it should come as no surprise to the reader that Aeneas’ shield caters to the Roman delusion that their empire is
Iliad is recognized as one of the most famous ancient monuments of literature. The full understanding of this epic poem is hardly possible without thorough analysis of its main characters. Among all the episodes of the Trojan War, Homer chooses the moment of Achilles’ wrath and thus creates a poem in which he becomes the central figure. From the Ancient Greeks’ point of view, Achilles represents the ideal of manliness and pure heroism, for he is brave and fights for heroics, not profits. Today, one can agree with this interpretation, yet Achilles is probably the most controversial character because he combines various personality traits and acts in accordance with his ambiguous nature.
