Essay on Achilles as the Hero of Homer’s Iliad - 1592 Words

Achilles as the Hero of Homer’s Iliad When Homer lived, the stature of a hero was measured by the yardstick of fighting ability. In Homers Iliad, the character of Achilles represents the epitome of the Greek heroic code. Only Achilles fights for pure heroics, while the characters of Diomedes and Hector provide good contrasts. Prowess on the battlefield was ranked supreme, high above any considerations of morality(Martin 26). Nestor, for example, tells Agamemnon and Achilles that he has known much better men than them meaning men who are better at fighting. Achilles refuses Lycaon clemency because Patroclus. who is dead. was a much better man than he is by far i.e. a much better fighter. Achilles urges Hector to show†¦show more content†¦Diomedes suggests to Sthenelus that they should attack Aeneas with the hope of covering ourselves in glory: they want to eclipse all of their companions in arms. This desire is more apparent in Achilles than in anyone else. He will not let even Patroclus. his loved friend. diminish his glory. He warns Patroclus not to be too successful while wearing his armour. In the York Notes is a useful description of how Achilles motivation for fighting is a pure and simple embodiment of the heroic code. In all of the other heroes it is complicated or diminished by their characters in some way: in Agamemnon , for example, it is inseparably linked to a desire for revenge and to reclaim what is his: in Diomedes it is moderated and restrained: in Odysseus and Nestor it is amenable to practical and political considerations: in Aias it is largely unconscious to the extent that it is comic brute force: in Paris it is set aside for a desire for pleasure: and in Hector it is complicated by the needs of others. Thus Achilles is the only character with a great love of battle and glory. He is just about the only great hero who is on the trip for heroics. His decision to return and fight and accept early death, moreover, is most admirable, rather than stay out of the battle and live long. In the heroic world life expectancy was much shorter than it is today. Of course , especiallyShow MoreRelatedIliad - Self image1193 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿The Iliad Essay Prompt 1. Complete one take home essay. Provide textual evidence, specific lines and incidents from The Iliad that proves your thesis. You may also draw from The Odyssey. Use in text parenthetical documentation according to MLA standards. The style guide that many colleges use is DianaHacker.com. We will use this style guide for both MLA format and grammar and mechanics. If you have any questions about MLA format, refer to DianaHacker.com. This paper needs to read asRead MoreAnalysis Of The Iliad 915 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"In great literature, no scene of violence exists for its own sake.† This is a quote from an AP Literature Exam Essay Question to be answered during the year of 1982. When discussing this quote, thousands of great novels and other texts can be used as evidence to support this line. One such work of literature is Homer’s great epic, The Iliad. This poem, encompassing the telling of the great Trojan War, is one of the best examples of such a text. Throughout the text, it lays before the reader manyRead MoreThe Aeneid Is A Latin Epic Poem Written By Virgil1163 Words   |  5 Pagesof Aenes, a Trojan who traveled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the romans. The Iliad is an ancient Greek epic poem written by Homer. Both the Aeneid and the Iliad are both the same and different at the same time. The Iliad and the Aeneid are both masterworks in epic poetry. 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