Fate In The Iliad Essay

In the essay of Simone Weil, she proclaims that force is the whole subject of the Iliad. Weil states that the Iliad demonstrates the force that kills. She focuses mainly on a grotesque, bloody, and forever conquering weight of force that hangs over the helpless heads of all. However, the Iliad is not a poem of violence, but rather an epic that proves the inevitableness of fate and the beauty of coming to terms with the meaning of humanity. In fact, the Iliad is a poem embodied within the idea of fate. One may say that fate is in fact a force, but within the Iliad fate has such a force that none can escape nor deny. In book 9, Achilles states, “One and the same lot for the man who hangs back /and the man who battles hard. The same honor waits/ for the coward and the brave. They both go down to Death/” (IX. ll.385-387). All are subject to fate therefore, force is merely a subcategory of fate and Weil alleviated from that perspective. There is one character within the Iliad who most clearly demonstrates the subject of fate and the recognition of humanity. Achilles, a superhuman and the mightiest of all the Achaeans, is the son of Thetis, a sea nymph, and Peleus, the mortal king of the Myrmidons. His emotions are uncontrollable as the sea. He is full of endless pride and rage that stretches as far …show more content…
Taking the old man’s hand he gently moved him back. And overpowered by memory both men gave way to grief. Priam wept freely for man-killing Hector, throbbing, crouching before Achilles’ feet as Achilles wept himself, now for his father, now for Patroclus once again, and their sobbing rose and fell throughout the house.” (XXIV. ll. 592-599)
In the end, Achilles remembers his humanity by taking part in the humanity of another. Priam and the superhuman take arms and grieve for the loss of son and father. It is with this grievance that Achilles remembers his father and in turn accepts his