Helen Prejean

The Iliad is an epic poem set in the Trojan War about a decade into the war; mainly centered on the hero Achilles. Throughout the complete tale, the societies and cultures experienced many difficulties due to two types of culture. These two type of culture would be both honor and shame culture. The honor culture consist of being the mightiest warrior, to have glory and fame and to exact revenge on those who have wronged you. This culture is usually followed by the majority of the Greek heroes.…

In Aeschylus’ play Agamemnon, the dynamic, strong female character of Clytaemnestra is introduced. Left alone for ten years, she has become bitter after Agamemnon had sacrificed their daughter, Iphigeneia, in order to sail to Troy. Clytaemnestra is waiting for her revenge. Clytaemnestra’s two speeches after Agamemnon has returned to Argos and is entering the palace reveal that she is convicting him of the murder of Iphigeneia and sentencing him to death. In Clytaemnestra’s first speech when…

says these lines right after he and Helen finish talking about his experience in the war before coming home. It is disturbing that Paris is so shallow that when there is not anything else to talk about, he shifts to his thirst for sex. By “losing themselves in love” it is implied that they both love each other and cannot get enough, but in reality Helen regrets her decision of leaving Menelaus, as she admitted so earlier on to Priam. Also, he “calls for Helen” due to his “hunger for her”,…

and people come back home a completely different person. War is most definitely not something beautiful to celebrate. People fight to protect what they love. Hector fights to protect his wife from a life of slavery; Menelaus fights for his love, Helen. Achilles goes to battle because Patroclus, a close friend, has died. Even though friends are a different love than lovers, it’s still…

blown warfare or have an important effect over the outcome of a war. In one example, Paris is called to settle a dispute over which of the three goddesses is the most beautiful. He is given Helen of Troy, wife of Menelaus, as the prize for his decision by Aphrodite. Paris, in turn, winds up kidnapping Helen, which results in the Trojan War. In another example, the disagreement between Agamemnon and Achilleus begins over a woman. When Agamemnon is forced to return his war prize, Chryseis, to…

The Aeneid is bursting with violent acts from the beginning to the end. The main character, Aeneas, faces conflict from both humans and gods. Aeneas is a Trojan hero and prince who embodies pietas, or driven by duty, honor, and devotion, which makes him an example of an ideal Roman citizen. Aeneas was determined to be a successful founder of Rome, but he faced complications along the journey. In each conflict, Aeneas dealt with fighting and violence; therefore, Rome was founded on violent…

The Homecoming The Odyssey by the ancient Greek writer Homer takes us into the life of a man called Odysseus. Odysseus, the son of Lartes, has left both his son, Telemachus, and his wife, Penelope, to fight a war in Troy. After 10 years of fighting the war, Odysseus and his men were finally ready to return home to their families, however, the Gods were not finished with Odysseus. They needed to test his wisdom, honor, piety and prudence to prove that he is truly a noble hero. While Odysseus was…

Like an avalanche in the mountains change is inevitable and unstoppable. In the Iliad, by Homer, an epic/poem retelling the tale of the Trojan war, there was a bloody battle between Greece and Troy. One of the main characters is Achilles, an almost invincible Greek warrior. The author uses characterization to show Achilles experiences great change throughout the poem, from stubborn to devastated to avengement seeking, all because his good friend and comrade, Patroclus, was killed in battle.…

Jean Anouilh’s play Antigone is a tragedy inspired by Greek mythology and the play of the same name (Antigone, by Sophocles) from the fifth century B.C. The play Antigone tells the story of a brave girl (one of Oedipus’s daughters) who stands up against the law in order to honor her brother. The play had many important characters without which the meaning would be incomplete. However, there were many minor characters that completed the play and aided the reader’s understanding which leads us…

The Trojan War was being fought in the 13th or 12th BC which was a period of time known as the Bronze Age. In Greek Mythology, the war was fought against the city of Troy after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband who is the King of the Spartans. Many people fought wars to achieve and gain pride or themselves and their family. Although in Ancient Greece many were fearless and brave: in the Trojan War, Hector, a fierce Greek warrior, portrays the most hero-like qualities, in the epic poem,…