The Epic Education of Achilles in Homer's The Iliad
Dr. Fly’s comments: This paper was well-organized and developed; the thesis was argued in a logical fashion; material from primary and secondary sources was well-documented and integrated smoothly into the text; the author’s style was clear, with varied and sophisticated sentence structures and concrete vocabulary; and the paper demonstrated excellent command of grammar and mechanics.
Within the annals of epic literature, the celebrated role of "epic hero" has always been present, heralding the poem's themes through the actions of a single, extraordinary protagonist. Strong and courageous, he is caught within the nets of mortality, and, at times, he may struggle to replace his worldly desires with celestial knowledge. In profound ways, he can even embody the mythological ideals of a civilization, and, through his many perilous adventures and profound encounters, the course of his identity may shift in focus towards something greater than himself. Through this change in his character, one can observe the universal plight of humanity in greater detail and discover how one must overcome certain obstacles to understand the complex nature of the gods. In Homer's The Iliad, such an "epic education" can be found within the account of Achilles, who, through his slow transition from an excessively angry brooder to a compassionate symbol of self-sacrifice, matures into a character that is more in tune with divine enlightenment.
At the beginning of The Iliad, Achilles is observed as being insulted by Agamemnon and getting caught within a web of anger; this state of rage distinguishes the ignorance of his character at the beginning of his "education." The pinnacle of t...
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...elf that lay beyond the superficial weaknesses that plague the journeys of all men.
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Homer. The Iliad. Trans. Robert Fagles. New York: Penguin, 1991.
Redfield, James M. "The Wrath of Achilles as Tragic Error." Essays on The Iliad: Selected Modem Criticism. Ed. John Wright. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1978. 85-92.
King, Katherine C. Achilles: Paradigms of the War Hero from Homer to the Middle Ages. Berkeley: U of California P, 1987.
Schein, Seth L. The Mortal Hero: An Introduction to Homer's Iliad. Berkeley: U of California P, 1984.
Van Nortwick, Thomas. Somewhere I Have Never Traveled: the Second Self and the Hero's Journey in Ancient Epic. New York: Oxford UP, 1992.
The actual time of the battle was short, its events often vague or at least varied depending on the narrator’s perspective, and the arena for the battle was that of a Roman-Catholic mission. For the Mexican people, the Alamo would eventually lead, though perhaps not directly, to the severe reduction of their country’s lands and open the door to the Mexican-American War. For the Americans, the epic tale of the Alamo’s events would forge myths, convert men into legends, and serve as t...
Schein, Seth L. The Mortal Hero: An Introduction to Homer's Iliad. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984.
Fictional heroes in literature are characters that embark on grueling, mind-altering journeys even though they receive no personal gain from these missions. Heroes overcome difficult challenges and resist temptations while also learning important life lessons and acquiring an enlightened perspective. The epic poem The Odyssey by Homer chronicles the great hero Odysseus’s return trip to Ithaka. His long and demanding voyage to his homeland leaves Odysseus a changed man. However, many argue whether Odysseus truly earns the title of “hero.” There is evidence for both sides of this argument. Because of his cleverness, his undying bravery and his ability to learn from past mistakes, Odysseus proves himself a hero.
The Ancient Greeks admired their heroes and tried to learn from both their achievements and their mistakes. They believed that most great leaders and warriors followed a predictable behavior cycle, which often ended tragically. In Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, Achilles is a great warrior who traces the stages of the behavior cycle twice, from arete to hubris to ate and then to nemesis. Achilles is a highly skilled warrior and a great leader who becomes a narcissist and an arrogant person, which leads to selfish and childish behavior resulting in the death of his best friend. Following Patroclus’ death, Achilles repeats the behavior cycle by regaining his courage and motivation, and goes back to battle against Hector. The pride he feels in killing Hector and his overpowering hatred for him, leads Achilles to another bad decision: disrespecting the body of his enemy. This foolish choice leads directly to Achilles death. Although The Iliad is mainly known as a story about the Trojan War, it is understood as a story about Achilles and his struggle to be a hero.
The Battle of the Alamo was a focal point in the Texas Revolution. How could the events of the battle been different? In this paper I will discuss the plea from the Alamo’s commander, begging for reinforcements, as the Mexican army enclosed around the Alamo compound. I will recount the events of the morning siege that took place by Santa Anna’s army as they overran the Texan opposition. I will discuss the quick decimation of the Alamo and its tenants as described in history and an alternative ending to this bloody battle. The Texas government had organized and declared independence on March 2nd while the Alamo was under siege. Washington-on-the-Brazos was the home of the convention where the Texas delegates formed the constitution. Soon after
The Iliad, the Greek epic documented by Homer that describes the battles and events of the ten year siege on Troy by the Greek army. Both Trojans and Greeks had their fair share of heroes and warriors, but none could match the skill and strength of the swift runner, Achilles. Achilles had the attributes of a perfect warrior with his god-like speed and combat abilities. However, even though he was Greek’s greatest warrior, he still possessed several flaws that made him fit the role of the Tragic Hero impeccably. Defined by Aristotle, a Tragic Hero is someone who possesses a high status of nobility and greatness, but must have imperfections so that mere mortals cannot relate to the hero. Lastly, the Tragic Hero’s downfall must be partially their own fault through personal choice rather than by an evil act, while also appearing to be not entirely deserved of their unfortunate fate. Achilles is a true Tragic Hero because he withholds all of these traits. Achilles proves to be a good man that puts his loved ones first, reveals his tragic flaws of pride and anger, shows dynamic qualities as a character when his flaws are challenged, and has a moment of clarity at the end of his rage. Achilles truly exemplifies the qualities of a Tragic Hero.
Schein, Seth L. The Mortal Hero: An Introduction to Homer's Iliad. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1984.
Homer is credited for writing epics that generate source materials for the modern world. The Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer are captivating stories with fascinating heroic characters. The Homer stories share with classical mythology typical recurrent motifs. The two Homer epic poems focus on the Trojan War, and its result. The epic poems contain the Greek mythology featuring the Greek gods, goddesses, mythological creatures, and the Greek heroes, and heroines. In addition, the principal motifs typical of classical mythological hero stories are; the dominance of fate, evil fighting against the gods, and death. In both the classic mythology, and he modern fiction hero stories, the heroes always have a helper in their expedition, but ultimately, they have to stand alone, face the darkness, and conquer it in order to become victorious.
In classical Greek literature, the epic hero is usually defined in terms of the contrasting characters of Achilles and Odysseus, the most important figures in Homer's great epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey. Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Greeks in the Trojan war, is actually a demi-god rather than a human hero, having been dipped in charmed waters by his mother and given the gift of invulnerability. Odysseus, on the other hand, is a fully human character, and his heroism consists more in his cleverness, boldness and cunning than his martial ability. The contrast between these two models of the epic hero could not be stronger, for although Achilles is godlike and almost immortal in his fighting prowess, he is childish and petulant in his personality; even in the moment of his greatest triumph he lacks the nobility and generosity we expect of a truly great hero. The "man of many ways" Odysseus, however, rises above his purely human limitations to achieve a much greater destiny, triumphing over the dangers of war and wandering to come home to his wife and family.
Homer's two central heroes, Odysseus and Achilles, are in many ways differing manifestations of the same themes. While Achilles' character is almost utterly consistent in his rage, pride, and near divinity, Odysseus' character is difficult to pin down to a single moral; though perhaps more human than Achilles, he remains more difficult to understand. Nevertheless, both heroes are defined not by their appearances, nor by the impressions they leave upon the minds of those around them, nor even so much by the words they speak, but almost entirely by their actions. Action is what drives the plot of both the Iliad and the Odyssey, and action is what holds the characters together. In this respect, the theme of humanity is revealed in both Odysseus and Achilles: man is a combination of his will, his actions, and his relationship to the divine. This blend allows Homer to divulge all that is human in his characters, and all that is a vehicle for the idyllic aspects of ancient Greek society. Accordingly, the apparent inconsistencies in the characterization of Odysseus can be accounted for by his spiritual distance from the god-like Achilles; Achilles is more coherent because he is the son of a god. This is not to say that Achilles is not at times petty or unimaginative, but that his standards of action are merely more continuous through time. Nevertheless, both of Homer's heroes embody important and admirable facets of ancient Greek culture, though they fracture in the ways they are represented.
Lattimore, Richard. Introduction. The Iliad of Homer. New York: University of Chicago Press. 1961. 7–55.
The first requirement of Aristotle's tragic hero is that they are more admirable than the average character. Achilles meets this requirement because of his ability on the battlefield. In The Iliad, the background to the story is the war between the Greeks and the Trojans. This background is not only the basis for the story overall, but is also the basis for Achilles' own story. This begins when Achilles refuses to join the battle because he is insulted by Agamemnon. This decision results in the action that drives the remainder of the story. Later in the story when Achilles becomes angered and goes to the other extreme, launching into battle and killing ferociously. The significance of this is that it places battle as central to both Achilles' story and to what is important in the setting of the story. Importantly, the aspect that makes Achilles greater than most is his ability o...
"Achilles." Gods, Heroes and Myth: Mythologies of Many lands. 10 June 2003. Internet. 23 June 2003.
...Temple (this action is also noted in 2nd Chronicles). In Nehemiah, Artaxerxes allows the Jews to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls. These actions are attributed to God’s favor and reveal that God is still faithful to his people. The promises made to Abraham are still in effect, along with the Mosaic and Davidic covenants. Although the people disobeyed God and were punished, God continues to exhibit his love for Israel. From an overview of the writings of the Old Testament, the theme of God’s faithfulness is displayed.
The Iliad may be seen as an account of the circumstances that irrevocably alter the life of one man: Achilles, one of the greatest warriors. Throughout the course of the poem Achilles goes through many ordeals that change his character immensely. Starting with his quarrel with Agamemnon and withdrawal from battle, to the death of Patroklos, and with the slaying of Hektor. Achilles emotions and actions decide the fate of many warriors on both sides. Achilles struggles with anger, honor, pride, loyalty and love make the poem more that just a gruesome war story.