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Literary Analysis Of The Iliad
The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic that depicts the conflicts of the Trojan War. Throughout the story,
many smaller arguments take place between the characters of the epic. Like all stories, The Iliad is
filled with literary devices to allow the readers to garner a better understanding of the motivations of
each character throughout encounters. Translators have to maintain the nuances of each situation
while accounting for an unavoidable skewing from the original passage. In reality, this means that
translations differ. A key example of this occurring in the Illiad is during Odysseus speech
attempting to rally Achilles to war. While both Fagles 's and Lattimore 's translations agree on
Odysseus's main points, their versions of the speech...show more content...
This lessens the foreshadowing of Patroclus's death which Odysseus was referring to. The reason
for this variance is probably due to Fagles electing to preserve the undertones of the Greek
passage while Lattimore choose to maintain the diction of the same passage. This would explain
the awkward wording of Lattimore's passage as Greek syntax does not translate nicely into
English syntax. Also, this explanation shows why the foreshadowing is stronger in Fagles's
version than Lattimore's. This means that the Greek text probably resembles the actual text of
Lattimore, but creates an atmosphere similar to what Fagles 's translation gives to an English
reader. In a similar vein to verb tense, each translator gives Odysseus a different point of view
which creates a different mood surrounding his advice. In the passage, Fagles makes a majority of
Odysseus's speech in the second person. Lattimore, however, keeps a majority of Odysseus's
words in a third person point of view. This sparing use of the second person point of view provides
contrast which helps to highlight Odysseus's claim that Achilles has forgotten his father, Peleus's,
advice. For example, both translators end the speech in second person. Fagles has Odysseus telling
Achilles that Peleus's advice has "slipped from your mind" while Lattimore has Achilles being told
that "you have forgotten" your father's advice (9.314, 9.259). The difference, however, lies in the
fact that Fagles precedes
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The Iliad And The Odyssey
In The Iliad and The Odyssey, Homer has different portrayals of the roles that women play in each
epic. These differences are so striking that some readers have even argued that there is a
possibility that a woman could have created The Odyssey, modeled after Homer's Iliad. In The
Iliad we see women represented as war prizes and slaves, vulnerabilities to men, and in positions of
limited power. In The Odyssey however, we see women capturing men and keeping them as prizes,
rising from a status of limited power to dominating their household, and breaking free of the
constraints of the "typical" household woman stereotype. We even see them making their own
decisions and challenging their husbands. By comparing and contrasting these epic women...show
more content...
When she is taken, Achilleus's first reaction is a bit surprising. He doesn't fight, or cuss, or make
any commotion. Instead he weeps. The reactions that both men have after they lose their women
further drives Homer's point of women being a weakness to powerful men. This and back and fourth
bargaining of women further relates women to objects rather than as people. The men treat them
more or less like sex slaves/mistresses and use them to establish their dominance. In The Iliad,
Homer seems to have the view that women can be taken from their homelands and aren't allowed to
object. That's just how war works. The next woman we see is Helen. Homer uses her character to
represent women as a sort of evil. When the chiefs of the city see Helen they instantly begin to
whisper amongst themselves.
Surely there is no blame on Trojans and strong–grieved Achaians if for long time they suffer hardship
for a woman like this one.
Terrible is the likeness of her face to immortal goddesses.
Still, though she be such, let her go away in the ships, lest she be left behind, a grief to us and our
children...
(Id. 3.156–160)
In this passage, I couldn't help but think of the similarities between Helen and another mythological
woman, Pandora. Both women are a beautiful evil. They both unleashed horrors and sorrows in their
own way. Pandora unleashed them onto the world as a
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Simile In The Iliad Essay
In the Iliad it is an interesting piece of literature, that gives the reader more than just a story, but
also gives a sense of close connection with the story. One of the tools used in the book is the Epic
Simile, which are sentences used to describe with more detail previous lines. This gives the reader a
more intense point of view of the book. In many cases, those lines are described with lions
representing the warriors that were fighting the many battles present in the Iliad. It is safe to say that
the epic simile puts the reader in the book and adds even more drama to what is an Epic war. For my
assignment, it was written an epic simile from page 245, line 213 to 217. In this section, it is
described how an angry Little Ajax seeks revenge
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Analysis Of The Book ' The Iliad ' Essay
The first book of the Iliad begins with the beginning of Achilles' rage, the rage that will eventually
cause his own people so much grief and is also the force for Homer's version of the story of the
Trojan War. Whereas the taking of Helen is the focus of the larger, traditional story, the feud between
Agamemnon and the hero Achilles over a kidnapped girl defines the Iliad. Both feature a conflict
over a woman, Helen and Chryses' daughter, and a need for resolution as well as a breach of social
contract: Paris steals the wife of Agamemnon, ruining the bonds of the guest relationship, while
Agamemnon denies Chryse his right to ransom and invokes the wrath of the gods in the form of a
plague. In both cases, however, it becomes clear that the conflict will not be resolved quickly, but
will continue through the very heart of the story. By "singing of Achilles' rage" from the first line,
the narrator is clearly showing the audience that this Trojan war is not the war of Hector or Paris or
Helen, but of the proud Achilles and his hero–sized enemy.
It is interesting to note then, that the argument between Agamemnon and Achilles finds a parallel
right at the end of the same book in the fight between Zeus and his wife Hera. This produces a
somewhat suprising effect, the first chapter of an epic that is originally about a foreign military
campaign is bookended by scenes of internal conflict: dissent within the ranks of the Greek army and
a domestic dispute among the immortals. Even
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Violence In The Iliad Essay
Honour and Divinity as Factors Influencing Violence in the Iliad Homer's Iliad provides a
description of ancient Greek society and ideology, and the factors which influenced violence in that
time. Violence in the Iliad is caused by the cycle of revenge and dishonour, as well as by divine
manipulation; conversely, it is mitigated by godly intervention, as well as empathy and respect. In
the society depicted in the Iliad, honour was incredibly important, and dishonour necessitated
retaliation to regain one's status. This revenge often came in the form of physical violence, which in
turn dishonoured the opponent and thus incited a vicious cycle. In the Iliad, the Trojan Waris the
result of Paris' seduction and theft of Helen, which is not only a great dishonour to Menelaus but a
challenge of his strength, which he cannot ignore. Achilles says the Greeks fight "to win back your
honour from the Trojans," (82) suggesting that Greek society prioritized honour over life and
safety, which made it easy to justify a war for the sake of one dishonoured man. Likewise, Achilles
kills Hector to avenge Patroclus, and dishonours Hector's corpse. This suggests that the Greeks
believed honour transcended death, which explains why they were willing to sacrifice their lives
...show more content...
This is best seen when Athena prevents Achilles from killing Agamemnon despite the fact that
Achilles has been dishonoured and therefore should retaliate, saying "Down from the skies I
come to check your rage" (84). Here Athena, as the goddess of wisdom, is a metaphor for Achilles'
own voice of reason and moral compass, showing him that it would be unwise to kill a leader on his
own side. Achilles is able to see reason through her and chooses a less violence act of retaliation by
avoiding battle altogether. Just as the will of the gods is used to justify violence, it is also a force
of moral and rational
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Critical Analysis Of The Iliad
Homer's Iliad is an epic tale that spans centuries. The story covers intense battles in which the
Greeks take on the Trojans. Homer does a fantastic job of bringing the poem to life and uses the
gods to show the scale of the tale. While the poem is well written and grabs the reader's attention,
upon further analysis one can conclude that there is a serious problem concerning the tension
between personal desire and rational ethical thinking. Throughout the book this conflict appears time
and time again and puts to question exactly how the Greeks viewed ethical behavior. In the Iliad,
Homer demonstrates that it is both the mortals and gods that struggle to find balance between the
two. This issue goes so far as to be the underlying reason...show more content...
Despite seeing the plague with both of their own eyes they choose chaos over civilization.
Agamemnon does this in the text "Achilles, valiant though you be, you shall not thus outwit me.
You shall not overreach and you shall not persuade me. Are you to keep your own prize, while I
sit tamely under my loss and give up the girl at your bidding? Let the Achaeans find me a prize in
fair exchange to my liking, or I will come and take your own" (Bk. 1 pg. 6) The result ends with
Achilles, Agamemnon's best warrior withdrawing from the war with the Trojans ultimately leading
to the death of thousands of more soldiers. Even with the death of fellow soldiers arguments and
disagreements like these continue to happen over the course of the poem.
Homer does a great job of bringing the poem to the epic scale. He does this with the use of the
Gods. However the Gods are not perfect beings and it shows in the tale. Despite being immortal and
all powerful the gods suffered the same tension between personal desire and rational ethical action.
To the gods the quarrel between the Archaean army and the Trojans army was nothing more than a
game to pass the time. Some gods including Zeus, Athena, and Apollo had massive impacts on the
outcomes and tragedies of the war. The most significant occurrence of this tension occurs in the third
and fourth books. The Iliad begins after nine years of the
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The Iliad : An Epic Poem Essay
The Iliad is known to be one of the most influential books of all time alongside with the Bible.
Influential when it comes to art, architecture, TV, movies, music, religion, etc. There have been
many things out there that have been influenced and continue to be influence by the Iliad. The Iliad
is an epic poem written by Greek Poet Homer that revises the final weeks of the Trojan war and the
Greek siege of the city of Troy. This epic poem introduces us to some of the mightiest Greek gods
known to be in a Greek mythology. Just like the Iliad, the Bible would also be recognized as an
influential book in all parts of the world. With its short stories that include war, romance, miracles,
and other characteristics that a classical hero may have. Both these books are filled with
extravagant and mythical stories that will keep your attention. In the Iliad we have Zeus who is the
king of the gods and the ruler of Mount Olympus. He 's known as the god of the sky, lighting,
thunder, law, order, and justice. In the Bible we haveJesus Christ, he is known to be the Messiah.
He 's the king of all kings, God, our Shepard, and many more. The Iliad can have possibly
influenced modern Christianity in ways similar to having higher powers/rulers. The birth of Jesus
could be known to be one the unusual births of all time. Jesus was born from Mary who happened
to be his mother and Joseph his father. The odd side to this was that Mary was still a virgin when
she was told by an angle that she
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Fate In The Iliad Essay
Fate is one of the most important themes found in The Iliad, and one of the most interesting aspects
of this theme is the relationship that Homer establishes between fate and the gods. Book Sixteen
offers an important glimpse at this relationship through the scene, found approximately between
lines 505 and 545, in which Zeus mourns the inevitable death of his son Sarpedon, just moments
before Patroclus kills the character. This passage is truly significant as is demonstrates the restrains
and limits that fate places on the actions of the gods, who normally meddle in human affairs effect
the course of the poem–such as Athena bestowing an aristeia on Diomedes in Book Five or when
Aphrodite sweeps Paris off of the battlefield and back to...show more content...
This is an important aspect of the relationship between fate and the gods demonstrated through this
passage, which indicates that the gods respect fate while holding some frustration towards fate. This
respect is suggested through Zeus's eventual compliance to the course of fate as he left "Sarpedon
there to die in the brutal onslaught, beaten down by the hands of Menoetius' son Patroclus"
(16.437–438). Furthermore, although this shows that the gods respect fate, as Zeus decides to let
fate run its course by simply not interfering in the death of his son Sarpedon, this scene demonstrates
a frustration with fate. This concept is portrayed through Zeus' mourning for his son even before his
death, at the moment that the god submitted to fate, as "he showered tears of blood that drenched
the earth, showers in praise of him, his own dear son, the man Patroclus was just about to kill"
(16.446–448). This line suggests frustration, as Zeus the most powerful of the gods, who often
intervene and meddle in human affairs, is unable to prevent the death of his own beloved son, as he
must submit to the course of
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The Iliad Essay
Divine Intervention is a "direct and obvious intervention by a god or goddess in the affairs of
humans". In various myths such as the Iliad, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and Herakles, divine
intervention was called upon in order to restrain a hero's destructive or too powerful forces. Although
the divine intervention was used to impair different heroes, the purpose to constrain was the same in
all the narratives.
Homer's The Iliad: Book XX features a battle between the Trojans and Achaians, shortly after
Patroklus' death (Lattimore Book XVI), where the gods must intervene in order to restrain
Achilleus' destructive nature that becomes amplified due to the grief and wrath as a result of the
loss of his cousin/lover. The divine foresaw an early...show more content...
It plays a main role in the beginning with the creation of Enkidu, the middle with Ishtar, and the end
with the destruction of Enkidu. The gods first intervene when Gilgamesh's subjects call for help to
them for the sake of the young women oppressed by the "lord's right". The Great Mother Goddess
creates Enkidu to stand up against Gilgmesh to stop his destructive nature that has terrorized his city
(Dalley 39–50). Gilgamesh domesticates Enkidu and they create a friendship which turns Gilgamesh
less destructive towards his citizens, thus limiting his destructive power and also focusing the
remaining towards monsters; but together they make some wrong choices and their destructive
natures are portrayed during the Cedar Forest incident and the killing of the bull of heaven (Dalley
83,102). For retribution of killing the bull that Ishtar had sent due to her rejection, Enkidu is
destroyed by the gods; warning Gilgamesh that he isn't exempt from this fate if he continues being
uncontrollable and tyrannical (Dalley 120–125).
Euripides' tragedy, Herakles, consistently portrays divine intervention as if it's a direct challenge
between a divine figure, Hera, and a hero, Herakles. Hera's hatred for Herakles stems from his
parentage, Alcmene and Zues (Hera's husband), making Herakles an offspring created by his
unfaithfulness towards her (Sleigh 12). Hera also dislikes the fact that he has godly
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Iliad Essay
The Iliad and The Odyssey are two epic poems with both similar and different styles to the structure
of the poems, as well as each poem having the same gods incorporated into the stories intervening
with the day to day lives of the mortals.
Greek poetry before Homer was all composed orally; therefore it is assumed that Homer's works
are the first written works of art (Joachim Latacz, page 15). Scholars who have spent extensive time
researching the origin of Homer's work cannot verify a specific time the Iliad and the Odyssey were
written (Latacz, 24). Many who have tried, usually run into a dead end, but it seems most have came
to the conclusion that the poems were produced in the late eighteenth century (Latacz , 59).
There are several...show more content...
There are two obvious structure similarities in each of the stories. The first structure similarity is that
Homer made each of the poems twenty–four books long. The second similarity is that each story
begins with a short prologue.
Prevalent in each poem is the presence of gods. In both The Iliad and The Odyssey, gods are a
fixture within the stories and are shown congregating on Mount Olympus or in some way
interacting with the mortals. The gods are also showing favoritism and hatred in each the poems.
Favoritism by the gods is shown quite often in the Iliad. For example, in book two Zeus carries out
Thetis's wish to grant Achilles prayer to her. Zeus helps the Trojans in the battle by coming to
Agamemnon in a dream during book two and tricking him into attacking the city of Troy's walls in
a full on attack (The Iliad, 1–15). An example of pure hatred comes throughout the poem from
Athena who is consistently helping the Achaean forces in battle. In The Odyssey favoritism is less
noticeable throughout. Most all the gods during the poem want to see Odysseus return to Ithaca,
which is shown by their agreement to make Calypso release him from her island (The Odyssey,
31–180). The most noted of the gods helping Odysseus is Athena. She is very active in helping
Odysseus survive. Hatred in the Odyssey is shown by mainly one god throughout, Poseidon.
Throughout the poem he does all he can to delay Odysseus from returning to his
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Essay on The Iliad
The Iliad
Central to any study of the humanities is the human condition – our nature, which has historically
shown that it is equally capable of both good and evil deeds – and the problem that arises from it;
specifically, why do humans suffer? Many philosophies and religions have their own account for this
aspect of humanity, and we find that what the accounts have in common is each explains the human
condition in terms that are similar to how that institution of thought explains the true nature of reality.
Homer's The Iliad is an extravagant account of the Trojan War which describes many behavioral
similarities between the gods and people. The name of Book 14: "Hera Outflanks Zeus" epitomizes
the...show more content...
"...Apollo knocked the helmet off his head and under his horse's hooves it tumbled... / Disaster
seized him–his fine legs buckling–he stood there, senseless... / Hector... came rushing into him right
across the lines and rammed his spearshaft home, stabbing deep in the bowels..." (Homer, 438–439)
Patroclus' death is devastating to the Achaean armies' morale and, more central to the story, it further
disrupts Achilles' already unbalanced sophrosyne. The torment that Achilles endures here epitomizes
the human condition.
After reading Homer's text, we realize that while it contains fine poetic history it is in fact about
the human condition and how it affects people, Achilles primarily. The reality for people in the
world of The Iliad is that they live under many gods, and that they can not please all of them;
indeed, the gods are at odds with each other and to support one means to upset another. While the
ideal condition for the Greeks is to possess sophrosyne, in reality there are too many uncontrollable
external pressures to do so. Just as the gods who influence men are not harmonious, therefore, we
find this quality also in the explanation of the human condition for Greek cultures.
In the case of Christianity, we first consider how the human condition appears in The Book of Job,
an exemplary text in this instance which tells the story of Job, a pious, righteous man who is
relentlessly tormented by God. In several rounds of discussion
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The Iliad Synthesis Essay
The Deeper Meaning Behind the Dozen The number 12 was central to Greek stories and Mythos.
Examples of this are the 12 main deities, and Hercules' 12 tasks. This number was also deeply
relevant to the plot of the Iliad, and appears at almost every major plot point. The first appearance is
the number of days until Zeus will return to Mount Olympus and Thetis can approach him with
Achilles' plea (1.449)–and the last is the number of days until they will resume war after the return
of Hector's body to his people (24.717). This gives the book another level of closure and symmetry,
with the same amount of time passing as the story begins and ends. Twelve of an object is
frequently used in connection with the gods as well as with the dead,
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Iliad Essay
In the Iliad, the relationship between mortals and immortals is similar to the one in the Epic of
Gilgamesh, however, there are some differences. The differences between mortals and immortals in
The Iliad becomes apparent in Book 1. In Book 1 the although both gods and humans go through
similar situations, their reactions are very different. We are introduced to theIliad, with Chryses
begging Agamemnon for his daughter. Agamemnon rejects Chryses, despite Chryses offering him
something in return. In contrast, when Thetis begs Zeus for her son's honor, Zeus accepts her
request. We see that gods can be more understanding than mortals in some cases. In book 1 we also
see the different responses humans and gods have to anger. When Achilles and...show more content...
The gods are also shown to be laughing many times, as in the case of the banquet in which
Haphaestus humiliates himself. Gods tend to be happier and their default state is that of happiness,
celebration, and laughter. Gods are also different than mortals when it comes to their values and the
way they live. Incestuous relationships, for example are common between gods. Hera, for example,
is Zeus' sister but she is also his wife. In addition, there are cases in which gods kill or eat their
own children, as Zeus' father did. It would be unacceptable for humans to show this kind of
behavior. Gods and humans have different rights: Gods can do as they please, whereas humans
cannot. However, mortals and immortals do share many commonalities. Gods, like humans are
competitive and jealous. We see this when Hera becomes jealous after seeing Zeus interacting with
Thetis. Gods also show feelings of love and concern, as we see when Hera sends Athena down to
stop Achilles and Agamemnon from fighting. Gods are not necessarily moral, as we see when Zeus
lies to Agamemnon in Book 2, when he tells him that the Trojans will be destroyed if he
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The Iliad Essay
The Iliad
The Iliad is the first written document, of anything. Never before the Iliad was the tool of writing
used to such an extent. The Iliad is a marvelous piece of work. Great in its fame and content, the
Iliad was used as the first historical text, philosophical writing, and storybook. Historians use it for
an account of an era. Philosophers use it as one of the basis of human thought. To children, it is a
wonderful story of battles between man and their gods. It is a writing of many uses. One such use of
the Iliad is that it is an illustration of humanity. It is an illustration that a man or womans life exists
with conflict. The Iliad illustrates that it is human nature to create and live with conflicts, whether by
...show more content...
The suppliant at the beginning of the book is such an example. Agamemnon affronted Chryses. He
could have by choice given up the woman Chryseis with no loss to his honor for the assembly
agreed to return her, but he chose not to. He may even be revered as wise if he had chose so. His
action eventually led to the suffering and deaths of his men for he had enraged Apollo. After having
lost Chryseis, Agamemnon, foolish as he was, chose to enrage Achilles by taking Briseis.
Agamemnon claimed that Ate had blinded him. Even if that was so, it was he took Achilles
woman, thus dishonored Achilles and brought about his wrath. This wrath led to Agamemnon and
the Achaean armys near total defeat at the hands of Hector in which an enormous amount of
Achaean lives was lost. Besides external conflict, man causes his own internal struggles as well.
In Book IX, Achilles was offered prizes to quench his anger and fight for the Achaeans once again.
He, in his speech, refused to accept. In that speech, he showed his internal turmoil in the matter. He
stated that he had two options: one, fate would endow him with a long, happy, peaceful, but
monotonous life if he returned home and forgot about Troy; or two, he could fight with all his
might for his fellow Achaeans but fate would then cut his life short. He felt despair for he can gain
no glory or honor in either choice. This is because even if he fought, he would not get his revenge on
Agamemnon. He
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War In The Iliad Essay
An underlying theme within Homer's Iliad is the tragedy of war. Despite war at this time being
glorified and a way to gain fame, in the Iliad, in paragraph 520–525 on page 311, the sadness of the
aftermath of war is very apparent. An unknowing Andromache has a hot bath drawn for her
husband, which she is expecting to return. Instead, she is made aware of his death and is torn
apart. "Black night swept over her eyes. She reeled backward, gasping, and her veil and glittering
headbands flew off, and the diadem golden Aphrodite gave her on that day when tall–helmed Hector
led her from her father's house in marriage, and now her womenfolk were around her, Hector's
sisters and brother's wives, holding her as she raved madly for death, until she
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Fate In The Iliad Essay
Portions of modern society believe fate to be concrete and unchanging. However, in ancient times,
it was believed to be influenced and guided by the actions of the gods. Similarly, in The Iliad by
Homer, the actions of the gods influence the life, death, and fate of each and every individual. Gods
such as Zeus, Athena and Apollo take great influence in human affairs in TheIliad. These actions
cause life, death, sorrow, and triumph to befall various individuals of the story.Achilles' fate results,
solely, from these actions the gods undertake. In particular, the gods influence on Achilles' fate
shows when the gods keep Achilles from killing Agamemnon, staying out of the war, and holding
onto his rage.
First, the gods influence on his fate becomes evident when Athena persuades Achilles to keep
Agamemnon alive and spare Agamemnon from his rage. Due to Achilles holding onto this rage
towards Agamemnon, a series of events transpire that push him closer and closer to making rash
decisions that eventuate into his fate at the end of The Iliad. Right as Achilles closes in to kill
Agamemnon, Athena appears to Achilles and says, " you shall have a...show more content...
Priam invokes a pity in Achilles that insights the end of the gods plan for Achilles, which the gods
construct. Apollo states to Priam, "You go in and clasp his knees, and beseech him in the name of
his father and mother and his son, to touch his heart" (Homer 358). In this simple action, Achilles
connects to Priam on an emotional level. This human connection allows Achilles to realize the
blindness of his anger, so Hector was able to go home. As Achilles' rage passes, Achilles' fate
becomes finalized. The finalization of Achilles; fate solely occurs due to the influential actions of
the gods and their creation of an emotional ploy to make Achilles relate to Priam and give up his
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Troy vs. The Iliad Essays
Troy vs. The Iliad
Over the thousands of years that the epic story the Iliad has survived, there has no doubt been
some form of alteration to Homer's original. Last May, Wolfgang Petersen directed a movie based
on the Iliad. This movie, Troy, has proven to be a very loose adaptation of Homer's original, as are
almost all stories that are made into movies, unfortunately. With its timeless storyline, amazing
scenery, gorgeous actors/actresses and most of all, its reported two hundred million dollar budget, it
is easy to see why Troy was hyped up to be a box office hit. However, the film critics were harsh on
this movie, as they had every right to be, and it ended up being a total flop. Compared to Homer's
Iliad, Troy is rather...show more content...
His brother Hector and he were on a peace mission in Sparta on behalf of Troy visiting the king,
Menelaus, when Paris ran off with Menelaus' wife, Helen. This action divides the Gods who
constantly meddle with the mortal's lives. Naturally, Aphrodite is on the Trojans' side, as was her
lover and God of War, Ares, and Apollo. Although Zeus, King of Gods, tried to be neutral, he was
pro–Trojan. Hera, Queen of Gods, and Athena help the Greeks because they were mad that Paris
chose Aphrodite. Poseidon, God of the Sea and Zeus' brother, also sided with the Greeks
whenever Zeus was not looking. An example of this constant intrusiveness of the Gods in the
Iliad was when King "Menelaus hurls his spear, lightly wounding Paris. Paris' helmet strap
becomes caught at his chin and Menelaus has nearly dragged him away before Aphrodite
intervenes, breaking the strap. She then wraps Paris in a mist, sets him in his own perfumed
bedchamber, and hurries to catch Helen" (Bloom 13). Of course, in the movie version, when Paris
becomes wounded he crawls to Hector's ankles. King Menelaus becomes angered and says Paris is
not worthy of royalty nor his wife Helen. Hector is then forced to defend his little brother and kills
Menelaus. The elimination of the Gods from Troy, although unsatisfactory, does simplify the movie
compared to the complicated plot of the Iliad. Wolfgang Petersen may have had motivation to
remove the Gods because it
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The Iliad Essay
The Iliad
The Iliad tells the story of the Trojan War, which lasted 10 years. The Grecians eventually won the
war, but the outcome could have very easily shifted due to a quarrel between King Agamemnon
and Achilles. Pride and anger is what the two men were fighting about. This story is a very good
example of how those two simple emotions can lead to tragedy.
Agamemnon was King of Argos. He was also the chief king among the Grecians. He was angry
because his brother, King Menelaus of Sparta, had his wife, Helen, stolen by Paris of Troy. He called
all the Kings of Greece and Isles of Greece to come together and make war upon the Trojans and
bring Helen back. Among the many was Achilles.
Achilles was the son of Thetis, a sea nymph. He...show more content...
King Agamemnon angrily stated that he did not want to give up his prize, for then he would be the
only Grecians without one. Yet, because he would rather his people live, he would return the girl if
she was replaced with another.
Achilles told him that all the prizes had been awarded. But if Agamemnon was to return the girl,
the gods would be in their favor and they would win the war. When they won they would replace
Chrysies three or four times. Agamemnon would not hear of this. His pride would not allow for
himself to have less then the next man. He said that he would send the girl back, but she would
have to be replaced or he would come after Achilles' or Ajax's or Ulysses'.
This angered Achilles, and thus began the quarrel that almost cost the Grecians the war. "You are
steeped in insolence and lust of gain," said Achilles. He also called him a "wine bibber" and "with
the face of a dog and heart of a hind." He spat out that he never receives such a large share or as
good a prize of that of Agamemnon, even though he is the one doing most of the fighting. "We
have followed you, Sir Insolence, for your pleasure not ours," he stated, "and now you threaten to
take my prize which I have been awarded!" Then he went on to say that he should return home for
he would not stay here to be dishonored by an insolent fool.
Agamemnon was furious that Achilles would speak to
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Iliad Research Paper
Good afternoon fellow archaeologists. Over the course of five years, I have been researching,
investigating and excavating the archaeological site at Hissarlik, which is believed to be the
location of ancient Troy. Troy was the location of the most well–known literature in Ancient Greek
history, Homer's Iliad. The Iliad recounts the final fifty three days of the ten year conflict between
the Greeks and Trojans, otherwise known as the Trojan War. Recently, debates have fired up on
whether Homer's Iliad accurately depicts factual evidence on a combat that occurred, or if it was just
a fictional narrative composed for entertainment purposes. Archaeologists have taken this debate into
account when excavating at the site of Troy and have attempted
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What Is Conflict In The Iliad
We are trapped in a world of conflict. We'll never have peace without conflict around the corner,
and vice versa. The only difference between where there is war from where there is harmony is
that the people there decided to use their fists, and weapons, and the wrong words to settle their
problems. Conflict is so deeply rooted in our nature that it's a part of every single one of us, and
it's not even something we developed over the years. It's always been a part of us, we have
innumerable pieces from the past that show us how prone we humans are to create strife. One of the
most famous pieces of literature that show us this was an epic from the Greeks, called the Iliad.
The Iliad is set during the Trojan War, but the conflict in this story isn't between the Akhaians and
the Trojans, but between Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek army, and Akhilleus, the army's
finest warrior. The entire fight was caused by their stubbornness and pride. It all started when they
sacked a nearby city and took several women as prizes. One of the women, Khryseis, was given to
Agamemnon. Her father, Khryses, wanted her back and offered an enormous amount to him just to
get his daughter back. But since Agamemnon saw her as a prize to him for...show more content...
It isn't about forcing the idea that you're right, it's about finding a way to both agree on something
peacefully. In Book One, we don't see Akhilleus and Agamemnon agree on anything, they give in.
That's another thing with conflict, resolution does not necessarily mean everything is fixed and
everyone is happy, sometimes it just means the problem is solved. We have to remember that
stubbornness and arrogance will never fix things, and that listening and compromising is always
better than standing your ground and causing more
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Iliad Essays

  • 1. Literary Analysis Of The Iliad The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic that depicts the conflicts of the Trojan War. Throughout the story, many smaller arguments take place between the characters of the epic. Like all stories, The Iliad is filled with literary devices to allow the readers to garner a better understanding of the motivations of each character throughout encounters. Translators have to maintain the nuances of each situation while accounting for an unavoidable skewing from the original passage. In reality, this means that translations differ. A key example of this occurring in the Illiad is during Odysseus speech attempting to rally Achilles to war. While both Fagles 's and Lattimore 's translations agree on Odysseus's main points, their versions of the speech...show more content... This lessens the foreshadowing of Patroclus's death which Odysseus was referring to. The reason for this variance is probably due to Fagles electing to preserve the undertones of the Greek passage while Lattimore choose to maintain the diction of the same passage. This would explain the awkward wording of Lattimore's passage as Greek syntax does not translate nicely into English syntax. Also, this explanation shows why the foreshadowing is stronger in Fagles's version than Lattimore's. This means that the Greek text probably resembles the actual text of Lattimore, but creates an atmosphere similar to what Fagles 's translation gives to an English reader. In a similar vein to verb tense, each translator gives Odysseus a different point of view which creates a different mood surrounding his advice. In the passage, Fagles makes a majority of Odysseus's speech in the second person. Lattimore, however, keeps a majority of Odysseus's words in a third person point of view. This sparing use of the second person point of view provides contrast which helps to highlight Odysseus's claim that Achilles has forgotten his father, Peleus's, advice. For example, both translators end the speech in second person. Fagles has Odysseus telling Achilles that Peleus's advice has "slipped from your mind" while Lattimore has Achilles being told that "you have forgotten" your father's advice (9.314, 9.259). The difference, however, lies in the fact that Fagles precedes Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. The Iliad And The Odyssey In The Iliad and The Odyssey, Homer has different portrayals of the roles that women play in each epic. These differences are so striking that some readers have even argued that there is a possibility that a woman could have created The Odyssey, modeled after Homer's Iliad. In The Iliad we see women represented as war prizes and slaves, vulnerabilities to men, and in positions of limited power. In The Odyssey however, we see women capturing men and keeping them as prizes, rising from a status of limited power to dominating their household, and breaking free of the constraints of the "typical" household woman stereotype. We even see them making their own decisions and challenging their husbands. By comparing and contrasting these epic women...show more content... When she is taken, Achilleus's first reaction is a bit surprising. He doesn't fight, or cuss, or make any commotion. Instead he weeps. The reactions that both men have after they lose their women further drives Homer's point of women being a weakness to powerful men. This and back and fourth bargaining of women further relates women to objects rather than as people. The men treat them more or less like sex slaves/mistresses and use them to establish their dominance. In The Iliad, Homer seems to have the view that women can be taken from their homelands and aren't allowed to object. That's just how war works. The next woman we see is Helen. Homer uses her character to represent women as a sort of evil. When the chiefs of the city see Helen they instantly begin to whisper amongst themselves. Surely there is no blame on Trojans and strong–grieved Achaians if for long time they suffer hardship for a woman like this one. Terrible is the likeness of her face to immortal goddesses. Still, though she be such, let her go away in the ships, lest she be left behind, a grief to us and our children... (Id. 3.156–160) In this passage, I couldn't help but think of the similarities between Helen and another mythological woman, Pandora. Both women are a beautiful evil. They both unleashed horrors and sorrows in their own way. Pandora unleashed them onto the world as a Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 3. Simile In The Iliad Essay In the Iliad it is an interesting piece of literature, that gives the reader more than just a story, but also gives a sense of close connection with the story. One of the tools used in the book is the Epic Simile, which are sentences used to describe with more detail previous lines. This gives the reader a more intense point of view of the book. In many cases, those lines are described with lions representing the warriors that were fighting the many battles present in the Iliad. It is safe to say that the epic simile puts the reader in the book and adds even more drama to what is an Epic war. For my assignment, it was written an epic simile from page 245, line 213 to 217. In this section, it is described how an angry Little Ajax seeks revenge Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 4. Analysis Of The Book ' The Iliad ' Essay The first book of the Iliad begins with the beginning of Achilles' rage, the rage that will eventually cause his own people so much grief and is also the force for Homer's version of the story of the Trojan War. Whereas the taking of Helen is the focus of the larger, traditional story, the feud between Agamemnon and the hero Achilles over a kidnapped girl defines the Iliad. Both feature a conflict over a woman, Helen and Chryses' daughter, and a need for resolution as well as a breach of social contract: Paris steals the wife of Agamemnon, ruining the bonds of the guest relationship, while Agamemnon denies Chryse his right to ransom and invokes the wrath of the gods in the form of a plague. In both cases, however, it becomes clear that the conflict will not be resolved quickly, but will continue through the very heart of the story. By "singing of Achilles' rage" from the first line, the narrator is clearly showing the audience that this Trojan war is not the war of Hector or Paris or Helen, but of the proud Achilles and his hero–sized enemy. It is interesting to note then, that the argument between Agamemnon and Achilles finds a parallel right at the end of the same book in the fight between Zeus and his wife Hera. This produces a somewhat suprising effect, the first chapter of an epic that is originally about a foreign military campaign is bookended by scenes of internal conflict: dissent within the ranks of the Greek army and a domestic dispute among the immortals. Even Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 5. Violence In The Iliad Essay Honour and Divinity as Factors Influencing Violence in the Iliad Homer's Iliad provides a description of ancient Greek society and ideology, and the factors which influenced violence in that time. Violence in the Iliad is caused by the cycle of revenge and dishonour, as well as by divine manipulation; conversely, it is mitigated by godly intervention, as well as empathy and respect. In the society depicted in the Iliad, honour was incredibly important, and dishonour necessitated retaliation to regain one's status. This revenge often came in the form of physical violence, which in turn dishonoured the opponent and thus incited a vicious cycle. In the Iliad, the Trojan Waris the result of Paris' seduction and theft of Helen, which is not only a great dishonour to Menelaus but a challenge of his strength, which he cannot ignore. Achilles says the Greeks fight "to win back your honour from the Trojans," (82) suggesting that Greek society prioritized honour over life and safety, which made it easy to justify a war for the sake of one dishonoured man. Likewise, Achilles kills Hector to avenge Patroclus, and dishonours Hector's corpse. This suggests that the Greeks believed honour transcended death, which explains why they were willing to sacrifice their lives ...show more content... This is best seen when Athena prevents Achilles from killing Agamemnon despite the fact that Achilles has been dishonoured and therefore should retaliate, saying "Down from the skies I come to check your rage" (84). Here Athena, as the goddess of wisdom, is a metaphor for Achilles' own voice of reason and moral compass, showing him that it would be unwise to kill a leader on his own side. Achilles is able to see reason through her and chooses a less violence act of retaliation by avoiding battle altogether. Just as the will of the gods is used to justify violence, it is also a force of moral and rational Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 6. Critical Analysis Of The Iliad Homer's Iliad is an epic tale that spans centuries. The story covers intense battles in which the Greeks take on the Trojans. Homer does a fantastic job of bringing the poem to life and uses the gods to show the scale of the tale. While the poem is well written and grabs the reader's attention, upon further analysis one can conclude that there is a serious problem concerning the tension between personal desire and rational ethical thinking. Throughout the book this conflict appears time and time again and puts to question exactly how the Greeks viewed ethical behavior. In the Iliad, Homer demonstrates that it is both the mortals and gods that struggle to find balance between the two. This issue goes so far as to be the underlying reason...show more content... Despite seeing the plague with both of their own eyes they choose chaos over civilization. Agamemnon does this in the text "Achilles, valiant though you be, you shall not thus outwit me. You shall not overreach and you shall not persuade me. Are you to keep your own prize, while I sit tamely under my loss and give up the girl at your bidding? Let the Achaeans find me a prize in fair exchange to my liking, or I will come and take your own" (Bk. 1 pg. 6) The result ends with Achilles, Agamemnon's best warrior withdrawing from the war with the Trojans ultimately leading to the death of thousands of more soldiers. Even with the death of fellow soldiers arguments and disagreements like these continue to happen over the course of the poem. Homer does a great job of bringing the poem to the epic scale. He does this with the use of the Gods. However the Gods are not perfect beings and it shows in the tale. Despite being immortal and all powerful the gods suffered the same tension between personal desire and rational ethical action. To the gods the quarrel between the Archaean army and the Trojans army was nothing more than a game to pass the time. Some gods including Zeus, Athena, and Apollo had massive impacts on the outcomes and tragedies of the war. The most significant occurrence of this tension occurs in the third and fourth books. The Iliad begins after nine years of the Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 7. The Iliad : An Epic Poem Essay The Iliad is known to be one of the most influential books of all time alongside with the Bible. Influential when it comes to art, architecture, TV, movies, music, religion, etc. There have been many things out there that have been influenced and continue to be influence by the Iliad. The Iliad is an epic poem written by Greek Poet Homer that revises the final weeks of the Trojan war and the Greek siege of the city of Troy. This epic poem introduces us to some of the mightiest Greek gods known to be in a Greek mythology. Just like the Iliad, the Bible would also be recognized as an influential book in all parts of the world. With its short stories that include war, romance, miracles, and other characteristics that a classical hero may have. Both these books are filled with extravagant and mythical stories that will keep your attention. In the Iliad we have Zeus who is the king of the gods and the ruler of Mount Olympus. He 's known as the god of the sky, lighting, thunder, law, order, and justice. In the Bible we haveJesus Christ, he is known to be the Messiah. He 's the king of all kings, God, our Shepard, and many more. The Iliad can have possibly influenced modern Christianity in ways similar to having higher powers/rulers. The birth of Jesus could be known to be one the unusual births of all time. Jesus was born from Mary who happened to be his mother and Joseph his father. The odd side to this was that Mary was still a virgin when she was told by an angle that she Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 8. Fate In The Iliad Essay Fate is one of the most important themes found in The Iliad, and one of the most interesting aspects of this theme is the relationship that Homer establishes between fate and the gods. Book Sixteen offers an important glimpse at this relationship through the scene, found approximately between lines 505 and 545, in which Zeus mourns the inevitable death of his son Sarpedon, just moments before Patroclus kills the character. This passage is truly significant as is demonstrates the restrains and limits that fate places on the actions of the gods, who normally meddle in human affairs effect the course of the poem–such as Athena bestowing an aristeia on Diomedes in Book Five or when Aphrodite sweeps Paris off of the battlefield and back to...show more content... This is an important aspect of the relationship between fate and the gods demonstrated through this passage, which indicates that the gods respect fate while holding some frustration towards fate. This respect is suggested through Zeus's eventual compliance to the course of fate as he left "Sarpedon there to die in the brutal onslaught, beaten down by the hands of Menoetius' son Patroclus" (16.437–438). Furthermore, although this shows that the gods respect fate, as Zeus decides to let fate run its course by simply not interfering in the death of his son Sarpedon, this scene demonstrates a frustration with fate. This concept is portrayed through Zeus' mourning for his son even before his death, at the moment that the god submitted to fate, as "he showered tears of blood that drenched the earth, showers in praise of him, his own dear son, the man Patroclus was just about to kill" (16.446–448). This line suggests frustration, as Zeus the most powerful of the gods, who often intervene and meddle in human affairs, is unable to prevent the death of his own beloved son, as he must submit to the course of Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 9. The Iliad Essay Divine Intervention is a "direct and obvious intervention by a god or goddess in the affairs of humans". In various myths such as the Iliad, the Epic of Gilgamesh, and Herakles, divine intervention was called upon in order to restrain a hero's destructive or too powerful forces. Although the divine intervention was used to impair different heroes, the purpose to constrain was the same in all the narratives. Homer's The Iliad: Book XX features a battle between the Trojans and Achaians, shortly after Patroklus' death (Lattimore Book XVI), where the gods must intervene in order to restrain Achilleus' destructive nature that becomes amplified due to the grief and wrath as a result of the loss of his cousin/lover. The divine foresaw an early...show more content... It plays a main role in the beginning with the creation of Enkidu, the middle with Ishtar, and the end with the destruction of Enkidu. The gods first intervene when Gilgamesh's subjects call for help to them for the sake of the young women oppressed by the "lord's right". The Great Mother Goddess creates Enkidu to stand up against Gilgmesh to stop his destructive nature that has terrorized his city (Dalley 39–50). Gilgamesh domesticates Enkidu and they create a friendship which turns Gilgamesh less destructive towards his citizens, thus limiting his destructive power and also focusing the remaining towards monsters; but together they make some wrong choices and their destructive natures are portrayed during the Cedar Forest incident and the killing of the bull of heaven (Dalley 83,102). For retribution of killing the bull that Ishtar had sent due to her rejection, Enkidu is destroyed by the gods; warning Gilgamesh that he isn't exempt from this fate if he continues being uncontrollable and tyrannical (Dalley 120–125). Euripides' tragedy, Herakles, consistently portrays divine intervention as if it's a direct challenge between a divine figure, Hera, and a hero, Herakles. Hera's hatred for Herakles stems from his parentage, Alcmene and Zues (Hera's husband), making Herakles an offspring created by his unfaithfulness towards her (Sleigh 12). Hera also dislikes the fact that he has godly Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 10. Iliad Essay The Iliad and The Odyssey are two epic poems with both similar and different styles to the structure of the poems, as well as each poem having the same gods incorporated into the stories intervening with the day to day lives of the mortals. Greek poetry before Homer was all composed orally; therefore it is assumed that Homer's works are the first written works of art (Joachim Latacz, page 15). Scholars who have spent extensive time researching the origin of Homer's work cannot verify a specific time the Iliad and the Odyssey were written (Latacz, 24). Many who have tried, usually run into a dead end, but it seems most have came to the conclusion that the poems were produced in the late eighteenth century (Latacz , 59). There are several...show more content... There are two obvious structure similarities in each of the stories. The first structure similarity is that Homer made each of the poems twenty–four books long. The second similarity is that each story begins with a short prologue. Prevalent in each poem is the presence of gods. In both The Iliad and The Odyssey, gods are a fixture within the stories and are shown congregating on Mount Olympus or in some way interacting with the mortals. The gods are also showing favoritism and hatred in each the poems. Favoritism by the gods is shown quite often in the Iliad. For example, in book two Zeus carries out Thetis's wish to grant Achilles prayer to her. Zeus helps the Trojans in the battle by coming to Agamemnon in a dream during book two and tricking him into attacking the city of Troy's walls in a full on attack (The Iliad, 1–15). An example of pure hatred comes throughout the poem from Athena who is consistently helping the Achaean forces in battle. In The Odyssey favoritism is less noticeable throughout. Most all the gods during the poem want to see Odysseus return to Ithaca, which is shown by their agreement to make Calypso release him from her island (The Odyssey, 31–180). The most noted of the gods helping Odysseus is Athena. She is very active in helping Odysseus survive. Hatred in the Odyssey is shown by mainly one god throughout, Poseidon. Throughout the poem he does all he can to delay Odysseus from returning to his Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. Essay on The Iliad The Iliad Central to any study of the humanities is the human condition – our nature, which has historically shown that it is equally capable of both good and evil deeds – and the problem that arises from it; specifically, why do humans suffer? Many philosophies and religions have their own account for this aspect of humanity, and we find that what the accounts have in common is each explains the human condition in terms that are similar to how that institution of thought explains the true nature of reality. Homer's The Iliad is an extravagant account of the Trojan War which describes many behavioral similarities between the gods and people. The name of Book 14: "Hera Outflanks Zeus" epitomizes the...show more content... "...Apollo knocked the helmet off his head and under his horse's hooves it tumbled... / Disaster seized him–his fine legs buckling–he stood there, senseless... / Hector... came rushing into him right across the lines and rammed his spearshaft home, stabbing deep in the bowels..." (Homer, 438–439) Patroclus' death is devastating to the Achaean armies' morale and, more central to the story, it further disrupts Achilles' already unbalanced sophrosyne. The torment that Achilles endures here epitomizes the human condition. After reading Homer's text, we realize that while it contains fine poetic history it is in fact about the human condition and how it affects people, Achilles primarily. The reality for people in the world of The Iliad is that they live under many gods, and that they can not please all of them; indeed, the gods are at odds with each other and to support one means to upset another. While the ideal condition for the Greeks is to possess sophrosyne, in reality there are too many uncontrollable external pressures to do so. Just as the gods who influence men are not harmonious, therefore, we find this quality also in the explanation of the human condition for Greek cultures. In the case of Christianity, we first consider how the human condition appears in The Book of Job, an exemplary text in this instance which tells the story of Job, a pious, righteous man who is relentlessly tormented by God. In several rounds of discussion Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 12. The Iliad Synthesis Essay The Deeper Meaning Behind the Dozen The number 12 was central to Greek stories and Mythos. Examples of this are the 12 main deities, and Hercules' 12 tasks. This number was also deeply relevant to the plot of the Iliad, and appears at almost every major plot point. The first appearance is the number of days until Zeus will return to Mount Olympus and Thetis can approach him with Achilles' plea (1.449)–and the last is the number of days until they will resume war after the return of Hector's body to his people (24.717). This gives the book another level of closure and symmetry, with the same amount of time passing as the story begins and ends. Twelve of an object is frequently used in connection with the gods as well as with the dead, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 13. Iliad Essay In the Iliad, the relationship between mortals and immortals is similar to the one in the Epic of Gilgamesh, however, there are some differences. The differences between mortals and immortals in The Iliad becomes apparent in Book 1. In Book 1 the although both gods and humans go through similar situations, their reactions are very different. We are introduced to theIliad, with Chryses begging Agamemnon for his daughter. Agamemnon rejects Chryses, despite Chryses offering him something in return. In contrast, when Thetis begs Zeus for her son's honor, Zeus accepts her request. We see that gods can be more understanding than mortals in some cases. In book 1 we also see the different responses humans and gods have to anger. When Achilles and...show more content... The gods are also shown to be laughing many times, as in the case of the banquet in which Haphaestus humiliates himself. Gods tend to be happier and their default state is that of happiness, celebration, and laughter. Gods are also different than mortals when it comes to their values and the way they live. Incestuous relationships, for example are common between gods. Hera, for example, is Zeus' sister but she is also his wife. In addition, there are cases in which gods kill or eat their own children, as Zeus' father did. It would be unacceptable for humans to show this kind of behavior. Gods and humans have different rights: Gods can do as they please, whereas humans cannot. However, mortals and immortals do share many commonalities. Gods, like humans are competitive and jealous. We see this when Hera becomes jealous after seeing Zeus interacting with Thetis. Gods also show feelings of love and concern, as we see when Hera sends Athena down to stop Achilles and Agamemnon from fighting. Gods are not necessarily moral, as we see when Zeus lies to Agamemnon in Book 2, when he tells him that the Trojans will be destroyed if he Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. The Iliad Essay The Iliad The Iliad is the first written document, of anything. Never before the Iliad was the tool of writing used to such an extent. The Iliad is a marvelous piece of work. Great in its fame and content, the Iliad was used as the first historical text, philosophical writing, and storybook. Historians use it for an account of an era. Philosophers use it as one of the basis of human thought. To children, it is a wonderful story of battles between man and their gods. It is a writing of many uses. One such use of the Iliad is that it is an illustration of humanity. It is an illustration that a man or womans life exists with conflict. The Iliad illustrates that it is human nature to create and live with conflicts, whether by ...show more content... The suppliant at the beginning of the book is such an example. Agamemnon affronted Chryses. He could have by choice given up the woman Chryseis with no loss to his honor for the assembly agreed to return her, but he chose not to. He may even be revered as wise if he had chose so. His action eventually led to the suffering and deaths of his men for he had enraged Apollo. After having lost Chryseis, Agamemnon, foolish as he was, chose to enrage Achilles by taking Briseis. Agamemnon claimed that Ate had blinded him. Even if that was so, it was he took Achilles woman, thus dishonored Achilles and brought about his wrath. This wrath led to Agamemnon and the Achaean armys near total defeat at the hands of Hector in which an enormous amount of Achaean lives was lost. Besides external conflict, man causes his own internal struggles as well. In Book IX, Achilles was offered prizes to quench his anger and fight for the Achaeans once again. He, in his speech, refused to accept. In that speech, he showed his internal turmoil in the matter. He stated that he had two options: one, fate would endow him with a long, happy, peaceful, but monotonous life if he returned home and forgot about Troy; or two, he could fight with all his might for his fellow Achaeans but fate would then cut his life short. He felt despair for he can gain no glory or honor in either choice. This is because even if he fought, he would not get his revenge on Agamemnon. He Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. War In The Iliad Essay An underlying theme within Homer's Iliad is the tragedy of war. Despite war at this time being glorified and a way to gain fame, in the Iliad, in paragraph 520–525 on page 311, the sadness of the aftermath of war is very apparent. An unknowing Andromache has a hot bath drawn for her husband, which she is expecting to return. Instead, she is made aware of his death and is torn apart. "Black night swept over her eyes. She reeled backward, gasping, and her veil and glittering headbands flew off, and the diadem golden Aphrodite gave her on that day when tall–helmed Hector led her from her father's house in marriage, and now her womenfolk were around her, Hector's sisters and brother's wives, holding her as she raved madly for death, until she Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 16. Fate In The Iliad Essay Portions of modern society believe fate to be concrete and unchanging. However, in ancient times, it was believed to be influenced and guided by the actions of the gods. Similarly, in The Iliad by Homer, the actions of the gods influence the life, death, and fate of each and every individual. Gods such as Zeus, Athena and Apollo take great influence in human affairs in TheIliad. These actions cause life, death, sorrow, and triumph to befall various individuals of the story.Achilles' fate results, solely, from these actions the gods undertake. In particular, the gods influence on Achilles' fate shows when the gods keep Achilles from killing Agamemnon, staying out of the war, and holding onto his rage. First, the gods influence on his fate becomes evident when Athena persuades Achilles to keep Agamemnon alive and spare Agamemnon from his rage. Due to Achilles holding onto this rage towards Agamemnon, a series of events transpire that push him closer and closer to making rash decisions that eventuate into his fate at the end of The Iliad. Right as Achilles closes in to kill Agamemnon, Athena appears to Achilles and says, " you shall have a...show more content... Priam invokes a pity in Achilles that insights the end of the gods plan for Achilles, which the gods construct. Apollo states to Priam, "You go in and clasp his knees, and beseech him in the name of his father and mother and his son, to touch his heart" (Homer 358). In this simple action, Achilles connects to Priam on an emotional level. This human connection allows Achilles to realize the blindness of his anger, so Hector was able to go home. As Achilles' rage passes, Achilles' fate becomes finalized. The finalization of Achilles; fate solely occurs due to the influential actions of the gods and their creation of an emotional ploy to make Achilles relate to Priam and give up his Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 17. Troy vs. The Iliad Essays Troy vs. The Iliad Over the thousands of years that the epic story the Iliad has survived, there has no doubt been some form of alteration to Homer's original. Last May, Wolfgang Petersen directed a movie based on the Iliad. This movie, Troy, has proven to be a very loose adaptation of Homer's original, as are almost all stories that are made into movies, unfortunately. With its timeless storyline, amazing scenery, gorgeous actors/actresses and most of all, its reported two hundred million dollar budget, it is easy to see why Troy was hyped up to be a box office hit. However, the film critics were harsh on this movie, as they had every right to be, and it ended up being a total flop. Compared to Homer's Iliad, Troy is rather...show more content... His brother Hector and he were on a peace mission in Sparta on behalf of Troy visiting the king, Menelaus, when Paris ran off with Menelaus' wife, Helen. This action divides the Gods who constantly meddle with the mortal's lives. Naturally, Aphrodite is on the Trojans' side, as was her lover and God of War, Ares, and Apollo. Although Zeus, King of Gods, tried to be neutral, he was pro–Trojan. Hera, Queen of Gods, and Athena help the Greeks because they were mad that Paris chose Aphrodite. Poseidon, God of the Sea and Zeus' brother, also sided with the Greeks whenever Zeus was not looking. An example of this constant intrusiveness of the Gods in the Iliad was when King "Menelaus hurls his spear, lightly wounding Paris. Paris' helmet strap becomes caught at his chin and Menelaus has nearly dragged him away before Aphrodite intervenes, breaking the strap. She then wraps Paris in a mist, sets him in his own perfumed bedchamber, and hurries to catch Helen" (Bloom 13). Of course, in the movie version, when Paris becomes wounded he crawls to Hector's ankles. King Menelaus becomes angered and says Paris is not worthy of royalty nor his wife Helen. Hector is then forced to defend his little brother and kills Menelaus. The elimination of the Gods from Troy, although unsatisfactory, does simplify the movie compared to the complicated plot of the Iliad. Wolfgang Petersen may have had motivation to remove the Gods because it Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 18. The Iliad Essay The Iliad The Iliad tells the story of the Trojan War, which lasted 10 years. The Grecians eventually won the war, but the outcome could have very easily shifted due to a quarrel between King Agamemnon and Achilles. Pride and anger is what the two men were fighting about. This story is a very good example of how those two simple emotions can lead to tragedy. Agamemnon was King of Argos. He was also the chief king among the Grecians. He was angry because his brother, King Menelaus of Sparta, had his wife, Helen, stolen by Paris of Troy. He called all the Kings of Greece and Isles of Greece to come together and make war upon the Trojans and bring Helen back. Among the many was Achilles. Achilles was the son of Thetis, a sea nymph. He...show more content... King Agamemnon angrily stated that he did not want to give up his prize, for then he would be the only Grecians without one. Yet, because he would rather his people live, he would return the girl if she was replaced with another. Achilles told him that all the prizes had been awarded. But if Agamemnon was to return the girl, the gods would be in their favor and they would win the war. When they won they would replace Chrysies three or four times. Agamemnon would not hear of this. His pride would not allow for himself to have less then the next man. He said that he would send the girl back, but she would have to be replaced or he would come after Achilles' or Ajax's or Ulysses'. This angered Achilles, and thus began the quarrel that almost cost the Grecians the war. "You are steeped in insolence and lust of gain," said Achilles. He also called him a "wine bibber" and "with the face of a dog and heart of a hind." He spat out that he never receives such a large share or as good a prize of that of Agamemnon, even though he is the one doing most of the fighting. "We have followed you, Sir Insolence, for your pleasure not ours," he stated, "and now you threaten to take my prize which I have been awarded!" Then he went on to say that he should return home for he would not stay here to be dishonored by an insolent fool. Agamemnon was furious that Achilles would speak to Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 19. Iliad Research Paper Good afternoon fellow archaeologists. Over the course of five years, I have been researching, investigating and excavating the archaeological site at Hissarlik, which is believed to be the location of ancient Troy. Troy was the location of the most well–known literature in Ancient Greek history, Homer's Iliad. The Iliad recounts the final fifty three days of the ten year conflict between the Greeks and Trojans, otherwise known as the Trojan War. Recently, debates have fired up on whether Homer's Iliad accurately depicts factual evidence on a combat that occurred, or if it was just a fictional narrative composed for entertainment purposes. Archaeologists have taken this debate into account when excavating at the site of Troy and have attempted Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 20. What Is Conflict In The Iliad We are trapped in a world of conflict. We'll never have peace without conflict around the corner, and vice versa. The only difference between where there is war from where there is harmony is that the people there decided to use their fists, and weapons, and the wrong words to settle their problems. Conflict is so deeply rooted in our nature that it's a part of every single one of us, and it's not even something we developed over the years. It's always been a part of us, we have innumerable pieces from the past that show us how prone we humans are to create strife. One of the most famous pieces of literature that show us this was an epic from the Greeks, called the Iliad. The Iliad is set during the Trojan War, but the conflict in this story isn't between the Akhaians and the Trojans, but between Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek army, and Akhilleus, the army's finest warrior. The entire fight was caused by their stubbornness and pride. It all started when they sacked a nearby city and took several women as prizes. One of the women, Khryseis, was given to Agamemnon. Her father, Khryses, wanted her back and offered an enormous amount to him just to get his daughter back. But since Agamemnon saw her as a prize to him for...show more content... It isn't about forcing the idea that you're right, it's about finding a way to both agree on something peacefully. In Book One, we don't see Akhilleus and Agamemnon agree on anything, they give in. That's another thing with conflict, resolution does not necessarily mean everything is fixed and everyone is happy, sometimes it just means the problem is solved. We have to remember that stubbornness and arrogance will never fix things, and that listening and compromising is always better than standing your ground and causing more Get more content on HelpWriting.net