Honor As The Theme In Homer’s The Iliad

2088 words - 8 pages

There are different forms and examples of exemplary and classic literature which have been deemed as significant works that are highly esteemed worldwide. These examples of literature would awe the world with how much literary skill they entailed when they were composed and written: attention to details as to formation of characters, the most crafty of plots, the most eloquent speeches and lines, the most astounding of twists of scenes, and most of all, the most universal and meaningful of themes. The theme of any literary work is what makes it great as it should be able to encompass the immense diversity of the world and as it would be able to transcend the boundaries of religion, age, race, gender, etc. Two examples of this great and classic literature are the epics of Homer which are quite well known around the world even if, ironically, they were never written and were first composed in Ancient Greek—The Iliad and Odyssey. Both epics are famous for the literariness therein, but more than that is the theme that spins around the two epics—the importance of honor. In The Iliad, this is shown more than ever, and amidst the thousands of deaths, the murder and betrayal, the wrath of the gods and goddesses, the beautiful queen which caused the war, and the mythical and mystical of creatures is the pervading atmosphere and perception of the valiant heroes that above all else, it is honor which they exalt and fight for.
A brief summary of the epic The Iliad would be nearly impossible and complicated as it would encompass years of war and before that, years of grief, prophecies, and turbulence. In the version of Jaroslav Hulak, the epic begins in the ninth year of the Trojan War; that is, a war between the Trojans and the Greeks (or the Achaeans). The said war is believed to be caused by the Trojan Prince, Paris, who stole the beautiful Helen, wife of King Menelaus, a Grecian King who served as a host to Paris. While this circumstance may be easy enough to understand, such setting or background in the plot actually entails more history: Even before Paris was born, a prophecy was carried out that the handsome prince would cause the destruction of Troy; thus, King Priam and his queen banished the baby to be raised in the wilderness. Later on, as a shepherd, he encountered the three goddesses, Hera, Pallas Athene, and Aphrodite, and set the motion of what would be the war that extinguished the Trojan line—Paris was to decide who is the most beautiful of the goddesses. Each goddess tried to bribe him with promises of power, riches, fame, and glory, but it was Aphrodite who succeeded in the end as she promised Paris that he can have the most beautiful mortal, Helen. This simple arrangement would then serve as the catalyst of a war that would kill thousands of Trojans and Greeks as soon it is revealed that Paris has stolen Helen and the gods and goddesses of Olympus have each taken sides on the war which would further complicate the lives of the people...

The Struggle Amongst the Gods in the Homer’s Iliad

1407 words - 6 pages known as over determination by philosophers.(cite). This is important in understanding the struggle amongst the Iliad’s gods because without knowing this one may become lost in the duel world of parallel explanation that exists in the Iliad. And thus find it hard to distinguish some key factors that deal with the gods quarreling amongst one another. In Homer’s Iliad it is apparent that whenever two parties of gods take opposing stances on a matter

The Historic Accuracy of Homer’s Iliad

2986 words - 12 pages Homer’s Iliad has been a European myth for many millennia , the long poetic narrative written in the 8th century B.C. recounts a fearsome war fought over a beautiful woman. The reliability of Homers Iliad as a true historical document has been challenged for hundreds of years and only through archaeological studies can the truth be deciphered. The Iliad was written five centuries after the war, where the stories had been passed down through the

Proving Ones Honor in The Iliad by Homer

1057 words - 5 pages The Iliad is a story about the war between the Trojans and the Greeks. They believe that if you fight in a war, this is how you prove ones honor and integrity, but to not fight would show cowardice or fear. During this time, the males were trained from a young age to assume a major role in the war efforts (Rosenberg, 1999, p. 119). The most powerful warriors in this story were Hector and Achilles. Both men were given the title of heroes and

Qualities of a Hero Illustrated in Homer’s Epic Poem, The Iliad

645 words - 3 pages The Ancient Greeks idealized and worshiped their heroes, this is portrayed in Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad. To become a hero in ancient Greece, one would have to live and die in pursuit of glory and honor. Both Achilles and Hector seek victory in battle to become the “true hero.” Although both characters possess many hero-like qualities, Hector proved to be the genuine hero. Heroes are viewed differently today as the average person

A Comparison of the Role of Women in Homer’s Odyssey and Iliad

3409 words - 14 pages The Role of Women in Odyssey and The Iliad The Iliad and Odyssey present different ideals of women, and the goddesses, who are presented as ideal women, differ between the two epics. The difference in roles is largely dependent on power, and relations to men, as well as sexual desirability and activity. The goddesses have a major role in both epics as Helpers of men. They have varied reasons for this. One is a maternal instinct. This

Essay on Diomedes, the True Hero of Homer’s Iliad

1552 words - 6 pages scenarios they had created for themselves. In other words, they did not make themselves what they were; rather, they had been predestined to become it. The final requirement of being a hero was coolness. Heroes were not permitted to be blinded by rage or have mood swings. In The Iliad, two Greeks are presented to the reader as heroes. They are Achilles and Diomedes. Although they are both good contenders for the title of hero, Diomedes is by far the

The Glory Of War Analyzed in Homer’s The Iliad and Ishmael Beah’s Autobiography, A Long Way Gone

649 words - 3 pages Taking into consideration the many historic events of our time, there is no claim to be made that humanity has kicked its addiction to warfare. The contention, however, lies in whether this addiction may be described as glorious. Those keen to label it so need only look to “the world’s greatest war novel” Homer’s The Iliad in which war creates heroes out of men on both sides of the battlefield. It is fought nobly and bravely, and immortalizes

"The Iliad" and the Pursuit of Honor and Glory

1408 words - 6 pages The Iliad, which is an epic poem written about the Trojan War, was the first thing written in the European tradition. Astonishingly, its quality and appeal have yet to be surpassed. This is a result of Homer's use of idealistic themes, many of which show up in many modern novels. One of the most dominant themes present in The Iliad is the pursuit of honor and glory. Even though the Achaeans and Trojans are in a violent battle with one

Expression of Self-worth in Homer’s Iliad

1416 words - 6 pages Expression of Self-worth in Homer’s Iliad The story of the Trojan War as played out in the Iliad is perhaps most gripping for the focus on the role of the individual; the soul is struck by the very concept of a decade-long war and a city-state razed to the ground for one man’s crime and one woman’s beauty. As such, the dynamic between Helen, Paris, and the Trojan people they have doomed is a fascinating one. For while Prince Paris is

The Gods, and Zeus Especially, as Spectators in the Iliad

2658 words - 11 pages regarding the actions of the participants and the officials. As spectators we can empathise with the emotions of the participants and feel extreme jubilation or extreme disappointment depending on whether you are supporting the winning or losing side. In this essay I will be discussing whether the gods in the Iliad conform at all to this definition of a spectator. In the Iliad, the action we are witnessing is a war between the Achaeans and the

The Role of Women in Ancient Greece as Depicted in Homer’s The Odyssey

894 words - 4 pages The Role of Women in Ancient Greece as Depicted in Homer’s The Odyssey Women as Citizens For this informative report I will attempt to point out the roles women and how they are viewed in ancient Greece. I will then show how these views are present in Homer’s "The Odyssey." How are women, goddess or mortal, conveyed in "The Odyssey?" "The Odyssey" was written around 700 BC during the Archaic period (750 – 550 BC). This was a time of

The Pursuit Of Honor In Homer’s Iliad

1883 words - 8 pages . Rather, humans must strive to gain everlasting honor, the only form of immortality available to them. It is this idea that Homer seeks to expound in his epic poem, "The Iliad." Throughout his poem, Homer depicts the degree to which honor plays a role in the lives of the Greeks, and the manner in which they are willing to sacrifice in order to reach their goal. This theme manifests itself from the outset of the work, as "The Iliad," is set

The Role Of Women In Homer’s Iliad

796 words - 3 pages The Role of Women in Homer’s Iliad Homer’s Iliad is undoubtedly focused on its male characters: Achilles, primarily, but also Hector and Agamemnon. Nevertheless, it seems that the most crucial characters in the epic are female. Homer uses the characters of Thetis, Andromache, and Helen as a basis for comparison to the male characters. Homer wants his audience to see and understand the folly of his male characters in choosing war over peace

Hector As The True Hero Of Homer’s Iliad

2416 words - 10 pages is not as fearful of the gods and therefore less respectful. He commands respect through fear, so why should he respect the gods if they don't instill fear in him? Achilles seems to appeal to the gods only when he needs something, for instance when he asks his mother to avenge Agamemnon's wrongdoings: " Come, grant the Trojans victory after victory fill the Achaean armies pay my dear son back, building higher the honor he deserves!" (Thetis

Essay On Achilles As The Hero Of Homer’s Iliad

1628 words - 7 pages 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 Homer's 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