To create a realistic character an author will make their characters complex. A complex character is a character that holds more than one dimension he or she will act differently in different situations. Homer the author of the Iliad does a good job of this with his character Achilles. Achilles is a complex character because because he has multiple conflicting motivations.…
According to the Homer, Achilles was not kind or tender hearted; rather he was the man of fierce passions. His description of the Achilles was not swift or excellent, yet his mentioned his characteristics as the son of the Goddess. Achilles was a great warrior of the Greek mythology who was also as equal handsome and bravest man too. His passions and feeling were to the extreme position. He loved dearly and hated deeply and violently too.…
Achilles was never a hero to even begin with he was more the villain in the book. He killed and slaughtered people because of his rage; he even let his own comrades get killed because of his selfishness. But soon after Patroclus dies he felt the need to finally put his rage and anger to the side and focus on something that was more important and that was the respect from his fellow peers. He notice that after his cousin died he had become very distant with the people around…
The text The Iliad recognizes heros are the essence in society which they come from. Honor and glory describe a true hero. Major battles and heroic deeds and actions provided hope to find glory. Honor was similar but could only be demonstrated through loyalty and other qualities one might display. One of the best examples of greek warriors would be in the character of Achilles.…
Warriors of ancient Greece were considered heroes by following the Heroic Code of excellence. The achieved this by establishing their fame and glory or kleos. It was not an easy task to become a Grecian hero. Building and maintaining kleos meant that a warrior must be strong, face and kill his enemies, and most of all value his honor over his life. The most important act of honor for the warrior was to die in battle.…
The Real Hero in the Iliad In the Iliad, specifically the part about Hektor’s death, there are two main character named Hektor and Achilleus. Achilleus kills Hektor towards the end of the story. This leads people to believe that Achilleus is a hero.…
Homer’s captivating epic, The Iliad, invites readers to compare the protagonist, Achilles, and his foil, Hector, during the span of only a couple bloody weeks of the lengthy Trojan War. Thousands of men sacrifice their lives at the cost of one Trojan’s selfish act of stealing Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, from the Greeks. Homer presents the recurring motif that the will of Zeus prevails regardless of man’s attempts to escape. The weight of the Greek hero and the Trojan leader’s fate lies on the scale of the thundering god of Olympus. Zeus orchestrates the actions of the characters Achilles and Hector in all aspects of their lives.…
The books shows how prideful he is; “Achilles, who despite his youth was the proudest and hottest-hearted of all the Greek leaders.” (Page 19) We see how he believed he is the best at everything, especially fighting, right before he dies; “Dogs of Troy! Dying though I am, you shall not escape my spears!” (Page 118)…
Philosopher Gilbert K. Chesterton once said, “If the world becomes pagan and perishes, the last man alive would do well to quote the Iliad and die.” The Iliad is a story of war and sacrifice and has many noble characters. Two of the most notable characters are Hector and Achilles. Hector and Achilles are both alike and different in many ways.…
Achilles is portrayed as the central Hero and warrior in Homer’s epic the Iliad. Glory is a great motivation for Achilles. Their are many instances through the Iliad where it is evident that Achilles is influenced by his want for the fame of Kleos. When the opportunity to go fight against the trojans is presented he joins the war. A great warrior like Achilles can earn his Kleos through his courage and prowess in battle.…
Achilles is shown in a much more favorable light by Homer. Homer describes Achilles as fueled by grief for his men and the Achaeans in the camp (1.64). He is strong in the face of handing over Brises, despite it affronting his honor and pride (1.398). Achilles is the voice of reason and good for the Achaeans through the first book of the Iliad.…
Traditionally, heroes in myths have some of the same elements in the structure of their stories. In each odyssey, a person needs to experience or live through specific actions and ordeals until he becomes whole as a hero. In the epic poem, The Iliad by Homer, the main character Achilles journeys through stages of a Hero’s Journey, as defined by Joseph Campbell, including his dream of relinquishing his role as a warrior, his feud with Agamemnon, and how he resolves the loss of his closest friend until he evolves into a hero. Initially, two elements that generally occur at the beginning of-of an epic journey are “The World of the Common Day” and “The Refusal of The Call.”…
The Iliad gives fantastic examples of these heroes. Each has a few things in common, even though most seem extremely different. For example, Achilles and Odysseus are two contrasting examples of Homeric grandeur, yet they have the same Dark Age concepts validating them as great men. These concepts are arête, aristos, aidos, and kleos. The first two concepts refer to the greatness of a man or woman, while aidos is shame, and kleos is more like glory.…
The image of heroes has changed numerous times throughout history. The epic hero became popularized by epic poems in which an individual embarked on treacherous quests and illustrated desirable traits through their actions. Recently, the modern hero has gained acceptance. This hero displays courage, selflessness, and does the right thing without need for praise or compensation. In The Iliad by Homer, many heroes arise on the battlefield due to their gallant acts on both sides.…
The Homeric heroes are meant to be skillful, courageous, mighty, determined, and intelligent on battlefields as well as when they are not fighting. Homer, the author of this epic poem, expresses both positive and negative sides of heroism throughout his poem in the form of three warriors: Hector, Achilles, and Paris, who each fight for different purposes and beliefs. Hector, the best warrior of Troy, represents aspects of heroism. He is the prince of Troy who is a dedicated warrior.…