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As the army is moving closer towards his position, he has fear about what the upcoming battle will bring. Yet, he sets these concerns aside in order to fulfill his duty as a warrior. (Homer, 1876) (Harris, 2011)
While Achilles, is the complete opposite. An example of his selfish behavior occurred after he killed Hector. Instead, of leaving his body behind, he drags it around to show everyone in Troy his latest conquest. This is clearly, an example of him wanting to illustrate his own personal ambitions over everything else. In this aspect, one could argue that Achilles did not have any respect for Troy, the traditions of sacrifice / selflessness and only fought for his own glorification over everything else. The fact that Hector defended these larger ideals is what makes him more admirable than Achilles. (Homer, 1876) (Harris, 2011)
The ancient Greeks had two different concepts of heroism. The most notable include: an individual who performed some great deed when...
At the same time, someone could be considered to be a hero if they are ready to give their life in order to obtain immortal glory. In this aspect, the ancient Greeks accepted the fact that Achilles was willing to give his life in support of Greece's honor. (Homer, 1876) (Harris, 2011)
This is because Helen was taken from Menelaus by Paris after both nations had agreed to end long running disputes. While this was occurring, Paris came to Greece and did not show any kind of respect for it by engaging in these kinds of actions before he left. This is a symbol of how he did not care about the Greeks, their traditions or what they represent. In this aspect, Achilles is considered to be a hero, because he was putting his life on the line in order to defend the honor and integrity of Greece. (Homer, 1876) (Harris, 2011)
References
Harris, S. (2011). Classical Mythology. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
Homer. (1876). The Iliad. Philadelphia, PA: JP Lippencourt.
As stated earlier, Burgess' writings were very scientific in nature, and naturally they read in a very scientific way. The book is presented as a study of the makings of Homers poetry and how his poetry (especially Iliad and Odyssey) became known as the Epic Cycle genre. He states, "Indeed, eventually the whole genre of epic poetry became equated with Homer." (pg 130) The only problem that a reader might have
" This approach contrasts sharply to the constant calling out to the gods and the direct actions of the gods as presented in The Iliad. Especially when read as a piece of social and political commentary, as it was very likely intended when written and first performed, it becomes clear that at this point in their history the ancient Athenians placed greater emphasis and value on the actions of people rather
Iliad is the tale of two male warriors, Hector and Achilles. Hector, a Trojan prince, fights nobly to defend his doomed city, even though the most powerful gods stand against him. Meanwhile Achilles, the Achaian warrior who knows he is fated to die in battle, must fight his own nature as well as his enemies. Women appear only in minor roles; there are no fully developed female characters among
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Iliad With our observation of God, it can, every now and then, be extremely complicated to understand the proceedings and judgments of the Greek divine beings. In modern times, it is believed that God does not tend to take such a vigorous and energetic function in the dealings of people's lives, where, in contrast, the Greeks considered and respected undeviating participation and association by the gods as an every day, unmanageable
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