The Iliad

Posted: March 26th, 2020

Name:

Tutor:

Course:

Date:

The Iliad

Part 1: Troy: An Imitation

Our actions echo across the centuries
strangers hear our names, long after we’re gone,
and wonder that we were that fought bravely, loved fiercely

Good day for the crows.

Remove your army from my land.
I like your land.
I think we’ll stay. I like your soldiers too.
They won’t fight for you.
That’s what the Messenians said.
And the Arcadians and the Epeians.
Now they all fight for me.

You can’t have the whole world,
Agamemnon.
It’s too big, even for you.
I don’t want to watch another massacre.
Let’s settle this war in the old manner.

Part 2: The Three Overarching Words

            In chapter 1 of the Iliad, the words that define the crux of the poem are war, gods, and anger. The three themes are interconnected as anger is the cause of war at the same time gives Achilles strength to succeed in battle. Anger is portrayed as an emotion that even the gods are not impervious to in the Iliad. The gods’ superiority over the mortal race is challenged given the divine beings’ tendency to indulge in mortal pleasures. They represent the double standard that humans of the Iliad adopt. The gods are controlled by emotions similar to the mortals. War is a complex concept that is revered owing to its ability to nurture a man towards self-actualization. The war, anger, and gods strategically interact in the Iliad facilitating the poet’s efforts towards character development.

War

The Iliad is centered on the importance of strife in society. War is significant in proving a man’s real worth. It gives him the opportunity to achieve exploits. Agamemnon and Achilles’ acclaim are products of war. The cause of their fighting, Chryseis and Briseis, are prizes received as a result of bravery in wartime. While Agamemnon was the chief commander of the Achaeans, Achilles was the leader of the fiercest fighting force, the Myrmidons. The former believed he superseded Achilles in station. Thus Agamemnon’s symbol of bravery is taken away at the threat of a plague with a person of lesser status keeping his prize. His demand of Achilles to relinquish Briseis to his possession not only humiliates Achilles but also infuriates him. Agamemnon strives to manage his public impression at the expense of a formidable warrior who is equally deserving.

            One can make a strong argument that The Iliad seems to venerate war. The worthiness of characters in book 1 is realized by their bravery working in tandem with their level of competence in battle. Achilles is elevated to echelons of the greats owing to his prowess on the battlefield and acts of valor. He subdues his anger towards Agamemnon due to the wise counsel of Athena rather than the fear of the commander in chief of the Achaeans. His absence in the battlefield reveals his essence in Iliad owing to the number of lives lost. Achilles rejects the idea of a comfortable life in pursuit of the opportunity for conquests that war avails.

            Nonetheless, the Iliad has no misconceptions about the consequences of war. The Iliad does not disregard the disturbing realities of war. The pride of the two men leads to the loss of countless men. In addition, women are subjected to slavery and taken as concubines, fathers become estranged from their daughters, and Apollo unleashes a plague into the Achaean camp decimating a third of the army. In the wake of these horrors, men of valor have sprouts of dread. In these moments of vulnerability, both armies reflect on the cause of the war and find it inadequate. The brink of death appears to give them clarity as both armies regret entering the war.

            The gruesome deaths of soldiers lost are documented in granular detail for emphasis. War is portrayed as a conflict between individuals first before graduating into a series of battles amongst groups. In the Iliad, war is a platform of judging character not only of men but also of the gods. Running from aggression is portrayed as timidity and misalignment of priorities. Being eager for a fight implies the presence of honor and integrity. Achilles suggests that it is not rational to retreat from a fight given the inevitability of death to both the brave and the timid. Warfare is commended as an acceptable practice of resolving disputes.

The gods

Iliad enables the reader to acquire an understanding of the underlying motives of gods. The actions of gods have dire repercussions in the mortal world. The gods are perceived to expect reverence from the inferior humans. Those who honor the gods through prayer are rewarded. For instance, Apollo sent the plague in response to Chryseis’ prayer. The Achaean army is decimated for humiliating a pious man, Achilles. The dispute between Agamemnon and Achilles is attributed to Apollo. The gods are portrayed as manipulating the actions of the weaker mortals to settle their personal disputes with other gods. Association with gods is perceived to be a source of strength. The skill of Achilles is grounded on him being the son of a Zeus and a mortal woman.           

            The gods participate in human affairs in two ways, external manipulation of events as was the case the plague sent by Apollo to the Achaean army, or internally through the control of a person’s temperament. Athena, the goddess of wisdom, helped keep Achilles’ anger in check, as without her he would have slaughtered Agamemnon. The quarrels between gods are perceived as relatively petty in contrast to the real-time costs of human warfare. The gods in the Iliad are perceived to be susceptible to human folly. Often, they are more impulsive in their actions than their lesser counterparts are. Zeus’ intervention into the Trojan affair was not derived from conviction, but to fulfill a favor he owed to Thetis. The affairs of mortals are taken lightly by the gods, as a war that costs lives is an inadvertent favor of Zeus. This god had to anger his wife, a supporter of Greeks, in honoring his word.

Anger

Anger is the third most important word in chapter one of the Iliad. It illustrates that the foundation of the poems conflict is based on pride that bears anger. Anger is the primary fuel for war, as it often made apparent in violence given its tendency to mitigate self-control. Anger is portrayed to be a genuine emotion and at the same time a foolish endeavor. The latter is implied given its ability to cause a person to lose reason, as was the case in the instance Achilles strived to cut down a commander before the intervention of the goddess of wisdom. On the other hand, Achilles’ wrath propels him to legendary status. It is portrayed as a formidable force that when channeled in the right direction may increase efficiency. Anger in the Iliad is an overt symbol of a deeper issue. Achilles’ wrath was provoked by his inclinations towards honor. Achilles is not angered by the loss of Briseis in of itself but what she symbolized. An accomplishment that had brought him honor and that signified his excellence is war was being taken from him.