UNITY
[Document subtitle]
Three thousand years ago, ceaseless war fire surrounded the ancient city of Troy. The nine-year Trojan War formed countless heroes in Greek History. However, the Iliad was one and only written literature on this particular War. Constructed by Homer, the Iliad was the first written text and one of the major pieces of epic literature in Western history. Some may debate the historical accuracy of the Iliad since it was recounted by Homer and written down a hundred years later. Nevertheless, the poem still has an undeniable significance in both history and literature. In particular, the Iliad reflects Ancient Greek people’s view on divinity, humanity, and nature, in which gods and goddesses are imperfect, individuals …show more content…
Unlike Christian Gods, Gods and Goddesses described in the Iliad and several other Greek mythical stories are imperfect. Rather than divine features, they appear more likely to carry out human behaviors. As demonstrated in the Iliad, for instance, when Helen feels guilty for causing the Trojan War, the old king tells her, “Do not think I lay the wars endur’d by us on thee - / The gods have sent them, and in tears in which they swam to me.” Here, instead of blaming Helen, the old king claims that the war was caused by gods and goddesses. In accordance of a Greek mythical story “The Golden Apple of Discord”, the trigger of the Trojan War was the conflict amongst three goddesses. The story took place at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, Achilles’ parents. As the goddess of discord, Eris was not invented to the wedding. Irritated by this exclusion, Eris arrived at the wedding with a golden apple inscribed “kallisti”, for the fairest. Three goddesses - Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite – all claimed for the apple, and Prince Paris of Troy awarded the apple to Aphrodite. Hence, Aphrodite offered Paris the world’s most beautiful woman, Helen. However, Helen was the wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. As a result, Greece declared war against Troy, and the …show more content…
As reflected in the poem, the imperfect gods and goddesses were created based on humans’ emotions and behaviors, people’s inescapable fate fused them with their own destiny, and the close relationship between human and nature defined them as a part of nature. Literature reflects the reality. As a matter of fact, Greek people believed the unity between the divines and the mortals, the fate and the freedom, and human and nature. Such unity allowed Greek people to embrace their lives and appreciate
[Document subtitle]
Three thousand years ago, ceaseless war fire surrounded the ancient city of Troy. The nine-year Trojan War formed countless heroes in Greek History. However, the Iliad was one and only written literature on this particular War. Constructed by Homer, the Iliad was the first written text and one of the major pieces of epic literature in Western history. Some may debate the historical accuracy of the Iliad since it was recounted by Homer and written down a hundred years later. Nevertheless, the poem still has an undeniable significance in both history and literature. In particular, the Iliad reflects Ancient Greek people’s view on divinity, humanity, and nature, in which gods and goddesses are imperfect, individuals …show more content…
Unlike Christian Gods, Gods and Goddesses described in the Iliad and several other Greek mythical stories are imperfect. Rather than divine features, they appear more likely to carry out human behaviors. As demonstrated in the Iliad, for instance, when Helen feels guilty for causing the Trojan War, the old king tells her, “Do not think I lay the wars endur’d by us on thee - / The gods have sent them, and in tears in which they swam to me.” Here, instead of blaming Helen, the old king claims that the war was caused by gods and goddesses. In accordance of a Greek mythical story “The Golden Apple of Discord”, the trigger of the Trojan War was the conflict amongst three goddesses. The story took place at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis, Achilles’ parents. As the goddess of discord, Eris was not invented to the wedding. Irritated by this exclusion, Eris arrived at the wedding with a golden apple inscribed “kallisti”, for the fairest. Three goddesses - Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite – all claimed for the apple, and Prince Paris of Troy awarded the apple to Aphrodite. Hence, Aphrodite offered Paris the world’s most beautiful woman, Helen. However, Helen was the wife of Menelaus, king of Sparta. As a result, Greece declared war against Troy, and the …show more content…
As reflected in the poem, the imperfect gods and goddesses were created based on humans’ emotions and behaviors, people’s inescapable fate fused them with their own destiny, and the close relationship between human and nature defined them as a part of nature. Literature reflects the reality. As a matter of fact, Greek people believed the unity between the divines and the mortals, the fate and the freedom, and human and nature. Such unity allowed Greek people to embrace their lives and appreciate