Achilles the Illiad - 1570 Words

Iliad 21.70-135 (Lykaon supplicates Achilles, Achilles kills him) Consider Achilles’ response to supplication in this passage. How does this compare to his attitude in the extracts from the Iliad in your lecture/tutorial readings? The cruel rejection by Achilles to the supplication of Lykaon in Book 21 represents a fundamental transformation in the attitude of Achilles. Achilles has become full of anger and self-loathing following the death of Patroclus. Achilles answers Lykaon’s supplication by stating, â€Å"I reject this childish plea for mercy, and I will accept no ransom. Until Patroclus died, I often spared suppliants, and sold them abroad; but now all Trojans I catch will die, especially all sons of King Priam!† (Graves 1960†¦show more content†¦Achilles has been tipped over the edge by the blame he feels for failing his responsibilities and completely loses his grip on reality. Achilles no longer adheres to the moral and social standards that were previously so important to him in his quest for personal glory. The old values Achilles held are no longer relevant and he has lost all sense of right versus wrong. Achilles atrocious acts are symbolic of the war raging inside his mind. In his vengeful slaying of the Trojans he is metaphorically trying to kill himself over and over again. At this point Achilles is completely obsessed on obtaining revenge by killing Hector and absolutely nothing will stop him achieving this aim. Achilles is now in a psychological traumatic state of mind. Achilles wrath reaches its pinnacle when he kills Hector, as he declares, â€Å"at last I am avenged!† (Graves 1960 22:317). It would now be reasonable to expect that from this moment on Achilles anger would begin to subside with the relief of his revenge. We would rightfully expect to begin to see the return of the old Achilles as previously told, â€Å"but there is no gall in Achilleus’ heart, he is forgiving† (Lattimore 2011 2:240) however this is most certainly not the case. Instead Achilles anger is further and even more disturbingly demonstrated by his mutilation of Hectors body. Achilles has not found peace in his revenge whatsoever instead he becomes more deranged than ever. The death ofShow MoreRelated Achilles in The Illiad is not a Hero Essay1009 Words   |  5 PagesAchilles in The Illiad is not a Hero   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  In the introduction of the Essential Illiad given by Sheila Murnaghan, Achilles is labeled as â€Å"the greatest of the Greek heroes†. In classic mythology a hero is a person of great strength and courage celebrated for bold exploits and is often the offspring of a mortal and a god. Achilles was the greatest fighter among the Greeks or Trojans and feared no man in battle. He was also the offspring of a mortal and a god so by classic mythology definitionRead MoreThe Character of Achilles in Homers Illiad Essay1511 Words   |  7 PagesFor centuries now, the character of Achilleus, the great Achaean warrior, has been a subject of major debate among those studying Homers classic epic The Iliad. Ironically, though there is very little physical description of Achilleus in The Iliad, he is perhaps the most thoroughly developed character in the epic. It seems as though Achilleus has a tendency to make a very strong impression on the reader, and often a bad one a t that. Those who dislike Achilleus in particular attack his overpoweringRead MoreThe Fury of Achiles in Homers Illiad and Ovids Metamorphoses1066 Words   |  4 PagesAchilles Through the stories in both Homers Illiad and Ovids Metamorphoses one can see the power and the fury of Achilles, one greatest Greek warriors in the Trojan War. In Homers Illiad, Homer illustrates the battle between Achilles Hector, who was the Prince of Troy. In Ovids Metamorphoses, Ovid illustrates the battle between Achilles and Cycnus, who is the son of Neptune. In both battles, the outcome is the same both warriors are slain by Achilles. While both stories have the same endingRead MoreThe Trojan War : History Not Myth1545 Words   |  7 Pageshistories most legendary battles. This battle is told to have lasted ten years, resulting in the eventual collapse of Troy, under the siege of Greek forces. Modern knowledge of the Trojan War has survived mainly through the account given in Homer’s Illiad, and while having proved to be a rich source of inspiration for other writers, artists, and even filmmakers in recent history, much speculation still exists surrounding his accoun t. I will analyze modern interpretations of the Trojan War and examineRead MoreJacques Louis David, Andromache Mourning Hector1145 Words   |  5 Pagesinfluent to the latter Romantic movement, blends various elements and allusions of Homeric times to his artwork, encapsulating important Homeric textual and philosophical references. Masterfully, David engages audience with four central themes of the illiad; the rage of Achillies, Hectors death a metaphor for the fall of troy; and most importantly, the human impact of War. The ominous, heart-breaking family portrait not only enhances Homers’ text, but also ‘paints’ David’s own time; a steady shift intoRead MoreThe Road Of Immortality And Glory940 Words   |  4 PagesThe Road to Immortality and Glory â€Å"Gilgamesh† and â€Å"The Illiad† are epics that tell a character’s struggle to gain immortality and glory. Gilgamesh and Achilles’s motivations to gain immortality and glory are quite different. However, their journeys in trying to achieve these things are quite the same. Through the journey of trying to obtain immortality and glory, Gilgamesh and Achilles teach their audience the true way a person is able to gain immortality and glory in life. Although greatness,Read MoreThe Heroic Code1182 Words   |  5 Pagesdecisions often affect the lives of others as well. They need the heroic code to guide them in their decision making. In this essay, I will describe the heroic code and share its applications in the stories of Beowulf, Gilgamesh and Noah, and The Illiad, as well as my other personal experiences. I will start with the story of The Man of La Mancha, which is a play based on the story of Don Quixote. In this story, you have a rather deranged man on a quest to become a knight. In order to become aRead MoreCharacteristics Of A Hero In The Illiad979 Words   |  4 Pagesanything in between. People tend to think about unrealistic heroes who wear crazy outfits and capes and have a different they hide behind, but during the time of the Ancient Greeks, they had slightly different thoughts on heroes. When it comes to The Illiad by Homer, one of the biggest things focused on is the image of the hero. Homer never directly gives the answer to the question â€Å"What makes a good hero?†, but he does write about many heroes, and through the writings it is easy to pick up what qualitiesRead MoreTheme Of Glory In The Iliad774 Words   |  4 Pagesnegatively. In the early books of the Iliad, Agamemnon and Achilles are more concerned with individual honor rather than the well-being o f the city. In chapter 1, lines 135 -140, we clearly see Agamemnon defending his honor and pride by insisting, that because he is the king, he must not be left without a prize. By doing so, he has angered his greatest warrior whom is essential, to the defeat of Troy. By taking Briseis, Agamemnon dishonors Achilles and causes him to refuse to fight for his fellow AchaeansRead MoreAchilles, Aeneas, and Roland979 Words   |  4 Pagesduring the times of the ancient Greeks and Romans, as well as during the medieval period when Germanic tribes ruled Europe. To help them get through their very insecure days, people would tell oral stories of great heroes, like those of Achilles, Aeneas, and Roland. Achilles was a Greek war hero who fights in the Trojan War, a ten year long war between Greece and Troy (present day Turkey). Aeneas was an epic hero in ancient Roman folklore. He was a soldier who fought in the Trojan War and after surviving