When not given his way, Achilles, a mighty warrior, leaves the fighting and goes off to sulk. His childish ways cost the lives of many fellow soldiers, including his best friend, Patroclus. Only when Achilles hears of his young comrade’s tragic death does he return, not to redeem himself, but to take revenge on his enemies. When he finally gains retribution, he defiles the body of his enemy, spitefully dragging it through the dust. Only when the gods themselves intervene does he stop.…
The rise and fall of Achilles The main character in Homer’s book The Iliad is Achilles, who is a great warrior, vengeful, petty and proud. The problem he faces in the poem is that he’s very driven by the thirst of become glory to have his name known for many years. Achilles is a flawed character who cannot controlled his pride/ rage when his pride was injured; therefore causes him to leave his fellow comrades to die because of his actions.…
Almost every man will be found to have some hero or other, living or dead, whose character he endeavors to assume, and whose performances he labors to equal (Scheske). An example of modern day hero is Miles Parsons. Miles Parsons has always been passionate about protecting the U.S. from terrorists. To this day, he has lived up to his dream by fighting against U.S. enemies behind a computer screen (Cannon). According to Robert Schmuhl, professor of American studies at the University of Notre Dame, “We look not only to public figures, but we look more broadly, across the culture, for the kind of values that we think are important during a time of crisis” (Cannon).…
This can compare to Achilles who rather fight out of pure rage and military honor for his own purposes than to bring honor to his homeland. Even if Zeus had wished for Hector to win, Fate favors Achilles ending the Trojan warrior’s life to avenge Patroclus. Both have had their cowardly moments and show their faults and strengths as…
Achilles is frequently referred to as one of the greatest heros in Homeric culture, but is he the hero we are led to believe he is? It is easy to regard Achilles as a hero when he is essentially invincible, however don't confuse unrestrained power with heroism. Even though his skill and prowess on the battlefield is second to none, he fails to be a hero because of his unrestrained recklessness, barbaric nature, absence of self control, and his narcissistic and dishonorable actions. Although Achilles is referred to as one of the greatest heros in Homeric culture, he lacks vital characteristics of a hero. Such as restraint, selflessness, and righteousness.…
In the story the iliad, it talks about two heroic,strong, noble warriors named Hektor and Achilles. Achilles fights for the greeks. Hector he is the son of king priam and he fights for the trojans. Hector and Achilles are great warriors but when it comes which one is the better hero it hard to tell. Hector was well raised and always put family first.…
Whether historians can prove or disprove an epic ten years war, surviving myths give the modern day reader a look at Trojan War heroes from three thousand years ago. Surviving myths tell of many great soldiers, but two warriors stand out as examples of epic heroes. The two warriors are Achilles of Greece and Hector of Tory. While both possess many notable epic hero characteristics, Hector is the better epic hero because his life's end tragically ; he preforms brave deeds; and he is strong and responsible.…
Both the heroes have had epic battles over their lives. They are both great warriors risking something for the greater good. The hero that stands out in the story is hector. The hero that stands out in the story is Hector. Even though he dies tragically by Achilles and doesn’t protect his people as best as he could.…
On the other hand, Achilles who fights for fame and glory. Another trait of the heroic code is leadership, courage and physical strength. These three traits are closely linked to reputation and honour. The two characters, Achilles and Hector, both have these three traits and perform in battle with responsibility and courage: …I grow impatient now to lend a hand to Trojans in the field…
From the very beginning of Homer's the Iliad, Achilles is depicted as vindictive, prideful, and trifling. As the book advances, the picture of Achilles as a resentful youngster is improved significantly. Towards the end of the epic, Achilles displays qualities that are viewed as courageous even in today's time. When his reliable and trusted companion Patroclus passes on, Achilles experiences an extreme change in character. When he goes up against the genuine repulsiveness of death, Achilles sets aside his juvenile approaches to satisfy his obligation to his companion, his countrymen, and his inner voice.…
The story of Achilles as it is presented in The Iliad by Homer has many takeaway lessons, from those concerning love to those about forgiveness. However, when it comes to educating the young guardians from Plato’s The Republic, Achilles should not be studied, least of all as a role model. This is the case for several reasons, one being that Achilles’ actions alone do not align with the desired ideals of the guardians, another being that the few things that Achilles does have to offer are often contradicted within the epic, and lastly that the entire culture surrounding the Greeks and Achilles in The Iliad does not match up with that of Socrates’ imagined city. It is among these reasons that learning about Achilles would present a danger to…
The Iliad and the Aeneid are both two of the greatest epic poems in history. They still exist today as alive as they were told long ago. Both written by two amazing scholars, Homer and Virgil have once again astounded us with amazing stories of hero’s, war, and honor. But what truly make a hero a hero in these two stories? A hero can be imagined as a big, strong man in a cape that flies around the city.…
In Divine Comedy and the Iliad, there are many examples of characters that exhibit heroic characteristics and actions. But which character is the most heroic? The characters Hector, Dante, and Achilles all display heroic characteristics, but the most heroic is Hector. We will examine Hector, Dante, and Achilles to conclude that Hector is the most heroic character.…
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.…
In the Iliad, we are introduced to many great warriors, kings, women, and gods. Of all these characters, Achilles is the greatest and most complex figure to appear in the story. He was the most physically capable Greek at the time and feared all across the Aegean. On the other hand, he is plagued with numerous character flaws that may prevent readers from recognizing him as a true hero. Despite these flaws, Achilles manages to retain the attention and interest of the reader.…