The Role Of Zeus in Homer's Iliad
In the era of Homer, divine intervention was thought to be typical, and one of his
foremost works, The Iliad, reflects this. Nearly all of the Greek gods are
involved in the outcome of the Trojan War, which happens to be the
background story of this epic poem. The gods are used by Homer to add
twists on an otherwise standard plot of war. I shall concentrate on Zeus,
however, and reflect on his actions and their outcomes on the Trojan War,
and more importantly, the story of The Iliad. Zeus, very untypical of a Greek
god in his lack of involvem7ent in the Trojan War for selfish reasons, was
portrayed as the father figure, being impartial and fair to both sides of the war.
He remains this way to serve as a check for each god's involvement in the
war. Without his presence at the head of the inner circle of Olympus, it is likely
that the activity of the Trojan War would become chaotic, possibly even
becoming a playground of war for the gods. With Zeus's majestic power,
above all of the other gods combined, along with his experience, he is quite
befitting to his role in the storyline of The Iliad. The Iliad was thought to be
written by a Greek minstrel named Homer. The Iliad was the first of the major
epics credited to him, the second being The Odyssey. Discussion about
Homer among scholars inevitably leads to controversy on nearly every
conceivable issue, ranging from his birthplace to his actual composition of
either of these epics. Because of our lack of reliable information, we have but
a small fragment of knowledge agreed on by scholars about the writer of the
first great piece of literature of Western civilization. Homer in ancient Greece
was conceived as a "blind, old man, singing or reciting his own compositions"
(History of Horticulture), and at least seven ancient Greek cities claimed to be
his birthplace. His work has been questioned as to two separate ways: if one
minstrel, possibly named Homer, composed these works alone, and if so, if
this minstrel wrote both of these epics. It has been argued that Homer is, in
fact, the collective progression of minstrels that have passed this
The ancient Greeks and Romans made a variety of contributions to western civilization in the field of literature. Both of these ancient cultures produced a variety of literary works which have persevered the test of time and continue to be studied today. One of the biggest contributions of the ancient Greeks to literature came from an author, who still relatively little is known about, Homer. Homer, believed by many to have been blind, is credited with the authorship of two of ancient Greece’s most famous epic poems, The Iliad and The Odyssey. These two epic poems chronicle the final days of the Trojan War and the epic struggle Odysseus underwent on his sea voyage back to his home after the tragic war. These two epics have had a profound impact on western literature and continue to influence literary scholars and authors to this day. The following excerpt from Bio descries the impact of these ancient poems, “The Iliad and The Odyssey have provided not only seeds but fertilizer for almost all the other arts and sciences in Wester...
In the Odyssey, written by Homer, and Oh Brother, Where Art Thou? by the Coen Brothers, the authors both tell tales interwoven with divine beliefs. In these stories, Odysseus the Greek hero faces Gods on his journey home. Similarly Everett, the escaped criminal, faced the Christian god on his journey. The gods in these stories sometimes hurt and sometimes helped Odysseus and Everett, along their journeys.
“Indeed, bribery, favoritism, and corruption in a great variety of forms were rampant not only in politics, but in all levels of society” (David McCullough). In her novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee enthralls us by demonstrating the racism, violence, and abuse evident in the American South during the era before World War II. She relates this through a semi-autobiographical narrative, recalling her coming of age amid the tension of social inequality. The protagonist, Scout, and her brother, Jem, realize the faults in their society for the first time, contrasting the ills of reality to what they wish to perceive. Through their innocence, they are able to perceive the existence of racism and gender inequality evident in their town, without being directly influenced by them yet.
The main focus of the story “Young Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is the triumph of evil over good. A supposedly good man is tempted by evil and allows himself to be converted into a man of evil. This is much like the situation that arises in Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter, where two people are tempted to sin and give in thus submitting themselves to the power of the devil. In this novel, the area where the devil resides is strictly parallel to that in “Young Goodman Brown”.
Homer clearly and precisely depicts the religion and the ethics of the Achian and Trojan societies in The Iliad. During the time of the Trojan war, religion played an important role in the societies. Sacrifice, prayer, and rituals were all equally significant, and the superiority of the gods and the fates above humans was a standard of society. The gods were sacred deities to whom one had to bestow honor and respect. Within the society, honor, glory, and fame were desperately sought by warriors striving to achieve enduring notoriety. One's word represented a considerable commitment to be acted upon. Religion and ethics are prominently displayed in the characters throughout The Iliad due to their importance in Greek and Trojan society.
Greek writing, in the forms of literature and drama, definitely advanced during this successful period. Many great pieces of writing came about, which helped later societies learn about religion and life in ancient Greece. Authors and their writing today have been greatly inspired by the writing of the ancient Greeks, which have proved very influential throughout time. One great writer of the time was Homer, whose stories, the Iliad and Odyssey, are widely known around the world. The Iliad follows the story of Achilles, the representation of an ideal Greek hero, during the Trojan War.
He wishes for the Achaeans to lose as long as he is not fighting. However, this selfish act to restore his glory is going to cause many of his fellow Achaeans and friends to die. Even after his mother warns him that he will die young and unhappy, he decides he would rather win glory than live a long, peaceful life. Later in book 9 he says, "Mother tells me, the immortal goddess Thetis with her glistening feet, that two fates bear me on to the day of death.
Homer is a well-known author who is recognized for shaping Greek culture. While Homer wrote, he would call upon the muse which would help him spread knowledge throughout his works. These muses were known for their source of inspiration which would guide writers such as, Homer into writing great works. Two of his famous pieces are poems called The Iliad and The Odyssey that in respect are referred to as some of the greatest ancient Greek epics ever written. These literary works have influenced Greek culture greatly and have presented themes that people can relate to today.
Mythology was critical to Greek people’s everyday life, just like how religion is in our modern day in age. Everyday events, such as a thunderstorm, could be linked to a god or goddess. For example, when an earthquake would happen, it would be Poseidon crashing his tritan on the ground. People’s lives revolved around the whole ideology and it served as a way to explain the unexplained and to help them in times of need. All of the stories of these great gods and goddesses were passed down generation through generation each time getting more extreme and distorted. People idolized these beings and built stunning life like sculptures of them. Zeus was the most important of all the Greek gods and also king of Mount Olympus. He became a king after
A major achievement in Egyptian society was the role of women. Women were allowed to own land and pass it down to their daughters. Women also helped with agriculture and went shopping. Women were legally equal to men but in their own class. They even started having occupations. Some were singers, dancers, priests, and professional mourners. Women were even buried next to their husbands in an elegant tomb.
The Iliad is a classic epic poem written by Homer about the Trojan War and the rage of an Achaean warrior, Achilles. The book introduces the reader to the war and the personal battle between Achilles and King Agamemnon; because of this argument between these two major characters, Homer introduces the role of the gods when Achilles asks his mother, Thetis, to go to Zeus and beg for his interference on Achilles’ behalf. The major role the gods play in the Iliad is their interference in the Trojan War as immortal versus immortal and mortal versus immortal.
Greeks had used writing since c. 1400 BC, but it was not until the late 8th century BC that their literature was first written down. Greek literature began in Ionia with the brilliant epics of Homer, the Iliad and the Odyssey. These mature products of a long tradition of oral poetry brought together a vast body of divine and heroic myths and sagas that served as a foundation for much subsequent Greek literature. The epic view of humankind had a lasting influence on Greek thought; indeed, it has been said that later Greek literature is but a series of footnotes to Homer.
During his journey Young Goodman Brown found himself entangled within a web of moral controversy; this occurrence exposed his and society’s inner struggle with temptation and religious devotion. For the most part Young Goodman Brown found his downfall inevitable because although he chose good, evil seemed to prevail within his surroundings. He later declared, “"My Faith is gone!" cried he, after one stupefied moment. "There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil; for to thee is this world given."” By this point in the story Young Goodman Brown came to the realization that most individuals fail to stay strong and true to their principles. Perhaps after his imaginary veil was removed he mourned pursuing his curiosity instead of living in his previous well-lived fantasy world where mostly everyone appeared to be
Heart of Darkness is a tale of one man’s frightening journey to the Congo named Marlow. He recalls his time as an agent for the Belgian Company. He speaks about the brutality, hatred, and evil of those trying to colonize and the native Africans that are fighting for their territory. During this journey he saves a fellow agent that goes mad due to him succumbing to mental and environmental issues and unfortunately tragically dies. Through the Narrator who tells the story and Point of View from which the story is told, we get a better understanding of the overall theme, which is the hypocrisy of imperialism, the madness it causes, the absurdity of evilness, and how anyone is capable of evil.
Greek mythology has systematically included the intervention of gods and goddesses in matters of the mortal world, and Homer’s The Iliad is no different. The story is littered with divine intervention, with both positive and negative outcomes for the humans involved.