Analysis Of Homer s Iliad, Heroism - 801 Words

In Homer’s Iliad, heroism plays a major role in the two idols the reader will side with; Achilles or Hector. Society’s image of a hero demands for an altruistic, strong, and compassionate figure, but Homer refutes this idea of a hero. Homer’s Iliad demonstrates that in a realistic society, there is no such thing as a complete hero, and that true heroism does not exist. Achilles, the Achaean trophy soldier, was the creation of a mortal named Paleus and of a Goddess named Thetis. Because of his immortality given by his mother, Achilles is exceptionally strong and therefore ruled the Trojan War effortlessly. Although the most powerful soldier within the war, he is not the most heroic. Though Achilles did indeed do acts out of good will, he does not meet the expectations and standards of what a â€Å"hero† is considered, and is in fact, a clear example of how heroes do not exist in the Iliad. Every good he did ended with a bad outcome. According to The Iliad, or the Poem of Force by Simone Weil, hero is a force: â€Å"It is that x that turns anybody who is subjected to it into a thing.† Force, the power and cause to become a â€Å"hero†, dehumanizes a man such as it did with Achilles. Achilles betokened force and later on used it to kill Hector. Weil says that there are two types of force, the one that kills and the one that doesn ’t kill but ends up killing in the end. Achilles is the force that does not kill, but does so at the end of his story. Achilles actions cause Hector’s family toShow MoreRelatedThe Red Badge Of Courage1797 Words   |  8 PagesAnalysis of The Red Badge of Courage: Idealization of War Homer once said, Beware the toils of war ... the mesh of the huge dragnet sweeping up the world (War Quotes III). This quote, taken from Homer s famous work, the Iliad, demonstrates the idea that war can be seen in a skewed fashion. Realistic mindsets are the key for soldiers in understanding the truth about war. War is often idealized and viewed in an unrealistic light based on heroic stories and courageous stories of battle. The classicRead MoreFeminism in The Wizard of Oz4177 Words   |  17 Pagescharacters has a theme song, If I Only Had a Brain, etc. but the wicked witch has an almost Wagnerian musical phrase, but nothing expressing her character musically. As a film, then, we are given clues outside the prevue of the book that can help our analysis of the literary and sociological themes present in The Wizard of Oz. Each viewer brings past knowledge and a belief system to the performance, and, of course, people interpret messages, character, plot, costumes, even casting in d iffering ways. ThisRead MoreAncient Greek Culture2704 Words   |  11 Pages (Myrsiades, 2013). Two of the most famous epic poems were written by Homer entitled â€Å"Iliad† which tells about the Trojan War and the â€Å"Odyssey† which tells about the adventures of the Greek hero Odysseus when he returns home after the fall of Troy. On the other hand, lyric poetry was used primarily with the accompaniment of a lyre. Most lyric poetry told about personal feelings rather than acts of heroism. Another type of literature was the drama. There were three great playwrights: