Anger in The Iliad and Genies

Anger in The Iliad and Genies

We live in a society of violence and extravagance. One can pick up a newspaper and see a headline reading “Bride Killed On Wedding Day By Crazed Ex-Boy Friend”. We live in an age of people who drive hundred thousand dollar cars. These are on opposite sides of the spectrum. We see people causing great pain and people who are trying to lose themselves in material goods, to avoid the suffering in life. This is the society we live in, which can be seen in all civilizations in the history of man. It was evident in the time of Greek heroism and the days of Hebrew culture. Life seems to be a journey to control ones happiness by avoiding craziness in oneself and others. This craziness or blind rage is called Ate. Ate is something that has no controller or master, but has existed since the origin of time. One can see how Ate affects all of life’s functions including: the mind, body, and souls of people. It is interesting to see how each culture reacts to this great power that reigns above all. In Genies and in Homer’s Iliad we see such action. The Iliad and Genesis are epic stories of harnessing the great power of Ate.

The time and culture one lives in effects peoples’ thoughts, actions and writing. Writing affects the society it dwells in, this is Vico. These two writings are different, but can be contrasted to see great truths.

.

The concept of anger and consequence are themes that play themselves out in both Genesis and the Iliad. In the Iliad we see the strongest anger and emotion is Ate. Where does this blind rage or delusion come from? When Agamemnon loses his woman and take Briseis from Achilles his actions, he admits, are wrong. But he said, “I was mad, I myself will not deny it.”(9...

... middle of paper ...

...e Hebrew religious text of genesis when Adam and Eve learn of temptation or original sin. The actual wrath of Ate appears physical in both texts. In the Greek text Agamemnon “evil heart” is mentioned. Genesis shows the repercussions of Ate as naked bodies. The Greek text shows the body with little or no unity, while the Hebrew text depicts the body as, a whole. The presence of Ate in each text is for different reasons. The Iliad show the importance of honor and Genesis shows the importance of faith. The great power of Ate arises in different situations in the two texts due to the purpose of the text and the culture in which it was written. In both we see that this force is to be harnessed. This lesson of controlling anger, blind rage, and delusion is relevant in all cultures. The presence of religion and government in today’s culture attempts to harness this Ate.