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Achilles as a classical hero
Achilles as a classical hero
The character of achilles in the iliad
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The Transformation of Achilles
In The Iliad, a book by Homer about the Trojan war, Achilles possesses a selfish rage that encompasses his entire being. Achilles stubbornly clings to his pride in hopes of gaining “kleos,” a term used to describe a sense of honor for Greek heroes. With the death of his dearest friend Patroclus, Achilles begins to let down his walls as a character, revealing layers of emotion. Love, pain, and grief are feelings that accompany Achilles’s rage as he shows that he is able to connect on a human level, as he does with Patroclus. Achilles further develops as a character when he shows compassion in returning Hector’s body to his father, Priam. Achilles reveals a sense of sympathy when faced against his enemy. It is revealed that Achilles is a dynamic character, one that has the ability to show sensitivity to even his greatest enemy. Achilles imparts on a journey that transforms him from a man overcome with selfish, prideful rage into someone that possesses a sense compassion. The beginning of The Iliad is
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characterized by Achilles and his destructive rage, but as the epic progresses Achilles evolves into an honorable man who shows sensitivity to those around him The great warrior, Achilles, is very narcissitic at the beginning of The Iliad when he quarrels with commander-in-chief of the Achaean army, Agamemnon. Agamemnon early on in The Iliad takes Chryseis to be his prize, but this quickly takes a bad turn when Apollo decides to curse the Greek armies as punishment by sending a terrible plague that would cause many deaths. It is quickly discovered by Achilles that the reason for this plague is that Chryses, the priest of Apollo and the father of Chryseis, was desperate to get his daughter back; therefore, when Agamemnon would not return her, Chryses begged Apollo for help. Agamemnon agreed to return Chryseis only if Briseis, Achilles’s war prize, were to be given to him. Achilles becomes angry, feeling inclined to kill Agamemnon, but is held back by the wise words of the gods. Achilles gives up Briseis to Agamemnon, causing a spark of rage to ignite within him. Achilles’s wrath marks a large portion of the poem, where he abandons the war efforts on account of his anger. Achilles is humiliated by the control that Agamemnon assert over him by taking his war prize. Achilles is selfishly focusing on his personal honor while there is a great war at hand that his absence will entirely alter, being that he is the greatest warrior. Achilles never respected Agamemnon, and always believed that he, himself, should be honored in the highest way; therefore, when Agamemnon took Briseis he at first felt very embarrassed, and then became very indignant. Achilles disposes insults onto Agamemnon, showing his great aggravation spewing beneath the surface. Achilles was very harsh with Agamemnon as he remarks: You wine sack, with a dog's eyes, with a deer's heart. Never once have you taken courage in your heart to arm with your people for battle, or go into ambuscade with the best of the Achaians. No, for in such things you see death. Far better to your mind is it, all along the widespread host of the Achaians to take away the gifts of any man who speaks up against you. King who feed on your people, since you rule nonentities; otherwise, son of Atreus, this were your last outrage. (Iliad 1.225-232) This quote is pointing fingers at Agamemnon’s selfishness as a person and as a war leader. The words that Achilles use clearly represent his deep-rooted anger at his current lack of power, and for how Agamemnon chose to take from his in a way that would makea him feel very demeaned. All of these emotions that Achilles took on would cause him to withdraw himself from the community and the war. Achilles wants honor, and will do anything to do obtain it at the beginning of The Iliad, so he feels very scorned when Agamemnon treats him as if he is insignificant by taking Briseis away from him as if it were his right. It is clear from the beginning of the epic that Achilles is focused on himself and on obtaining the most honor he possibly can. Agamemnon tries to reconcile with Achilles after taking from him in a way that repelled him from fighting for the Achaeans, the Greek army.
In what is called the embassy to Achilles, Agamemnon tries to shower Achilles with gifts to persuade him into returning to fight for the Achaeans, but Achilles rejects the gifts offered to him by Odysseus, Great Ajax, and Phoenix on behalf of Agamemnon. Achilles seems quite sad, almost dejected at this point in the epic. He is going through a period where he questions what role he is really meant to play in the Trojan war, and to an even greater extent he questions what path he is meant to take in his life. At this point, he blatantly ignores the deaths of the Greeks who are dying in battle, which he knows is partially on his account. The transformation of Achilles can be noted as Homer shows Achilles to be very lost in his life upon losing Briseis to Agamemnon and withdrawing himself from the
war. Achilles begins to question his life’s meaning, and contemplate all of his former values as the epic progresses. He finds out that he has only two options in his life as decided by fate. Achilles’s mother, Thetis, depicts Achilles’s fate for him and he recounts on this when he states, “If on the one hand I remain to fight around Troy town, I lose all hope of home but gain unfading glory; on the other, if I sail back to my own land my glory fails-but a long life lies ahead for me” (Iliad 9.502-506). Thetis outlines the idea that Achilles can either choose to live a long, boring life if he chooses not to fight, or upon choosing to fight he will be fated to Honor, which previously was his life’s goal, was pushed to the back of his mind as he wondered if he was better off living a long life that lacked this honor. The offering of gifts to Achilles and his blunt refusal show how he is rejecting himself from receiving the honor that he spent his whole life feeling that he deserved.
The Iliad is not only a narrative of epic battles and armies, but also of the redemption of a man ruled by wrath. Achilles, whose wrath is the driving force of the whole tale, experiences redemptive changes in the following ways .Firstly by being able to experience empathy, secondly by being willing to forgive those who his wrath was kindled against ,and finally by being able to release the sinister emotions that ruled his life. Achilles does not experience a total redemption in a biblical sense, but instead experiences partial redemption of his character. The Iliad is a novel of a humanistic redemption that does not fully grasp the Christian sense of the word but is nevertheless still redemption.
The Iliad is not only a narrative of epic battles and armies, but also of the redemption of a man ruled by wrath. Achilles, whose wrath is the driving force of the whole tale, experiences redemptive changes in the following ways .Firstly by being able to experience empathy, secondly by being willing to forgive those who his wrath was kindled against ,and finally by being able to release the sinister emotions that ruled his life. Achilles does not experience a total redemption in a biblical sense, but instead experiences partial redemption of his character. The Iliad is a novel of a humanistic redemption that does not fully grasp the Christian sense of the word but is nevertheless still redemption.
While fighting the Trojans, Achilles and Agamemnon came to blows in a show of superiority. Agamemnon, the Greek warlord, put Achilles in his place by reminding him that he controlled what actually went on and took Briseis, Achilles’ war prize, for himself. This angered Achilles and from that point he no longer would fight alongside his fellow countrymen against the Trojans and even to pout as a child would (Puchner, , and et al 238-239). During this act Achilles showed that if he could have his toys then he would no longer play with his friends. His refusal to participate in the war hurt the Greeks horribly and many men were lost. Achilles could have cared less about the loss of his p...
At this height of the epic we see that Achilles is still very much concerned with wealth and honor, the question now is "how to accomplish his goal". Achilles is aware of a few things and this puts him at an advantage over the rest. He knows that he will eventually be honored and that Agamemnon's debt to him will eventually be paid; he knows this because Athena had promised it to him if he didn't kill Agamemnon.
In Book 21, Achilles kills a hostage at his mercy, whose life he has sparred in the past. By the end of Book 21, Achilles has killed so many Trojan’s that the river is clogged with the bodies of his victims. Achilles behaves without a care for human life, as well as his treatment toward Hector before and after he kills him. As stated in Blucher’s article, Achilles is found to go berserk, committing atrocities to both living and dead. This, for Shay, is the story of the Iliad and also as Shay goes on to demonstrate, the story of many Vietnam combat veterans”. (Blucher). Before their battle Hector begs Achilles to honor his corpse if he is killed in war, and Achilles refuse, saying, “Don’t try to cut any deals with me, Hector. Do lions make peace treaties with men? Do wolves and lambs agree to get along? No, they hate each other to the core, And that’s how it is between you and me, No talk of agreements until one of us Falls and gluts Ares with his blood” (Homer). His statement of intent to dishonor Hector’s corpse and to damage the body after his enemy’s death, shows that he had anger towards his superiors. The most disturbing portrayal from Achilles is his behavior, when Hector’s father Priam meets with him to ask for Hector’s body. This show Achilles’ anger is driven by rage towards other superior officers in the
In Homer's The Iliad, we find the greatest, bravest, and most revered warrior of ancient times. Achilles was the son of Peleus, king of the Myrmidones in Phtia, and Thetis, a sea-nymph. As the legend goes, Achilles got his strength and battle skills when his mother dipped him in the river Styx. Achilles was thereby made invincible. However, Thetis forgot to wet the heel by which she held him and because of this grievous error, Thetis destined her son to defeat. It was prophesied that he would be defeated in battle by being pierced in his only vulnerable spot: Achilles' heel (thus the expression). This single weakness would inevitably be Achilles' downfall, but in the end he would still be defined as a true hero. The prophecy that he would die in battle during the Trojan War weighed heavily on Achilles. He knew he must decide whether to go home and live out his life in luxury, or go to war and surely die. The only benefit of his death would be the immortality and legendary status he would receive in the history of the world. Which brings us to our question: Was Achilles suicidal?
The epic The Iliad by Homer argues Achilles has a reaction of rage in numerous situations. Achilles’s choice to respond in such a way that it is of great significance. This incredible emotion influenced his day-to-day life. Many literary critics have started discussion as to whether Achilles’s rage exists as a virtue or a vice in this epic. Other characters throughout The Iliad have commented on his rage, such as Athena, who says, “I came to see if I could check this temper of yours,” (Homer, 235) in a discussion she has with Achilles pertaining to his quarrel with Agamemnon.
Agamemnon tries to use Achilles rage and fury to get him to give up and retreat back to the army he left. Even though Achilles felt rage and sorrow, he keeps to his word. He wants to obey Athena’s orders of to not fight back. Although he is sad, he will not let Agamemnon’s threat get to his
The constant demonstration of grief, death and honour in Homer’s Book XXIV of the Iliad shines illuminates the intricate personal connections between gods and people. Through the act of war the reader visualises the human state and ideology of humanity; we begin to understand the key values of honour and pride during the Homeric period. The affect both loss and triumph have on the characters are shown clearly in their detailed emotions throughout Book XXIV. Achilles loss of his ‘dearest companion’ (cousin in the film) is an exhibit of a transition from loss and grief to acceptance and peace, an overall trend throughout the book.
Consumed by his rage, he refuses to accept even the most admirable gifts and wealth in exchange for his return to war. He understands his prowess as a fighter, but not even his potential to make an immense difference on the battlefield can persuade him to join the fight. The adamant refusal is constant throughout the text, given that Achilles does not decide to join again until Book XVIII. What inspires this turning point is being personally struck by the death of Patroclus – his best friend. Achilles had such a strong connection with his companion that he is found sobbing, asking “but what boots it to me, seeing that my dear comrade Patroclus has fallen—he whom I valued more than all others, and loved as dearly as my own life?” (18.100-103). Just shortly after the turning point of The Iliad occurs when Achilles declares to “force his soul into subjection” and “pursue Hector who has slain him” (18.115). Without being personally affected by such a tragedy, Achilles never would have returned to war provided that not even the most tempting of offers could have swayed him. Furthermore, if Achilles were not struck with such overwhelming grief, then the outcome of the Trojan War would have been different. For instance, Agamemnon is at times a mediocre warrior. Because the Achaeans lacked a key figure in battle until Achilles changed his mind, it is very possible that Hector never would have been killed and that Achilles’s rage would have persisted. Merely telling Achilles that Patroclus had passed, breaking their brotherly bond, was enough to heighten the entire war rather than the countless battle scenes leading up to Patroclus’s
In addition, Achilles is also acting in a manner of that demonstrates the potential of his character through his demand of the return of Chryses’ daughter to appease Apollo. Through this demand, Achilles is acting in a selfless manner as the satisfaction of Apollo will bring about the end of the pestilence that is affecting the Achaean army. Moreover, Achilles also consolidates the idea of mutual respect through the civility in his language found by offering an incentive to Agamemnon if Chryses’ daughter is returned. With regards to the incentive, Achilles offers Agamemnon additional wealth in addition to the promise that the Achaeans will be able take Troy with the blessing of Zeus. Altogether, Achilles’ is an embodiment of the Homeric Ideal by reaching his personal potential through his tenacity and selfless underlying intentions.
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 is introduced into The Iliad getting into a debacle with the leader of the Greek army, Agamemnon, during the last year of the Trojan War. Achilles starts a quarrel with Agamemnon because he has demanded possession of Achilles’ woman, Briseis, in consolation for having to give up his woman, Chryseis, so that the gods will end their plague upon the Greek soldiers. Achilles does all he can to get his loved one back, but he knows that nothing will waver Agamemnon’s decision. This is when Achil...
Agamemnon admited that he wronged Achilles and that he insulted the greatest warrior, and prepares to offer Achilles gifts (one of Agamemnon own daughter was wife and seven of Agamemnon citadels), if only he will return and yields place to Agamemnon, in as much as I am the “kinglier”. Nestor proposes sending Phoenix, Great Ajax and Odysseus, as well as the heralds Odius and Eurybates. When embassy went to Achilles house, Achilles treated the guest with courtesy, by asking Patroclus to make food and serve drinks, with a sacrifice for the gods. Odysseus told Achilles what Agamemnon has decided but he leave out Agamemnon statement about the needing to yield Agamemnon kingly majesty, he also add a final statement about Achilles dislike for Agamemnon, he should join the army out of pity for his friends and fellow soldiers, who are being slaughtered for want of their greatest warrior. Achilles told the embassy he will not fight for Greek and that Agamemnon gifts to return to battle are not important than his life. Let’s look at Agamemnon for example he still have pride because he did not apologies for his actions towards Achilles but he offers gifts which reflects glory, honour and generosity of a king, he also ended his statement that
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.