Trojan War and Iliad - 1134 Words

Valeree Shayne C. Aranas IV-2 SHS A. Author’s Background * Homer is most frequently said to be born in the Ionian region of Asia Minor, at Smyrna, or on the island of Chios, dying on the Cycladic island of Ios. A connection with Smyrna seems to be alluded to in a legend that his original name wasMelesigenes (born of Meles, a river which flowed by that city), with his mother the nymph Kretheis. Internal evidence from the poems gives evidence of familiarity with the topography and place-names of this area of Asia Minor, for example, Homer refers to meadow birds at the mouth of the Caystros(Iliad 2.459–63), a storm in the Icarian sea†¦show more content†¦Homer uses Helen to reveal the cowardly underside of Paris’s character and to spotlight the Achaean commanders when she describes them to Priam on the Trojan ramparts. Andromache helps to make Hector a sympathetic character and provides the stimulus for his speech in Book 6 about the fate of Troy. Thus, the significance of both women lie s not in themselves but in the ways they illuminate the men around them. The two may seem to be important characters because of the high status they enjoy relative to other women, but compared to The Iliad’s warriors they are little more than props 8. What role does fate play in the emotional and psychological effect of The Iliad? Why does Homer make his characters aware of their impending dooms? * In deciding to make his characters knowledgeable about their own futures, he loses the effect of dramatic irony. But Homer doesn’t sacrifice drama; in fact, this technique renders the characters more compelling. They do not fall to ruin out of ignorance, but instead become tragic figures that go knowingly to their doom because they have no real choice. In the case of Hector and Achilles, their willing submission to a fate they recognize but cannot evade renders them not only tragic but emphatically heroic. 9. Is there a â€Å"heroic code† that guides the decisions of the characters in The Iliad? Discuss the values of the Homeric hero, paying particular attention to contrasting characters such as Achilles, Odysseus, Paris, andShow MoreRelatedTrojan War in Homer ´s The Iliad868 Words   |  4 Pages Homer’s Heroes The epic poem called The Iliad written by Homer concerns the Trojan War. It shows Trojan and Achaean warriors’ courage, bravery and their attempt to become the best fighter to get fame, glory, and honor. The heroes in The Iliad follow Homer’s heroic code, striving for excellence. Hector and Achilles’ strength comes from their desire for fame, glory, honor and their acceptance of fate. These qualities are considered to be characteristics of Homer’s heroic code. However, the actionsRead MoreAt the time of Homer, it was normal for gods to meddle in human affairs, and he shows this in The1300 Words   |  6 Pagesit was normal for gods to meddle in human affairs, and he shows this in The Iliad. A vast majority of the Greek gods play some role in how the Trojan wars turns out, which is what the poem is all about. Homer uses the gods to deviate from how normal wars are played out. The head god, Zeus, will be the focus as I go through what he did and how it affe cted the War as well as The Iliad. Zeus tried to stay out of the Trojan War for egotistic motives and was viewed as a father figure, not being biased toRead MoreEssay on Private Motivations for War in The Iliad1074 Words   |  5 PagesMotivations for War in The Iliad      Ã‚  Ã‚   Wars are often complex in nature and are fought for diverse reasons. In the Iliad, powerful gods, great nations, and heroic people all fight for different reasons.   Each has private motivations to fight the war.   These private motivations are of special interest, because they help define the consequences and outcomes of the war.   The universal war of the gods, social war of the Greeks and Trojans, and the war for Achilles honorRead MoreSimilarities Between The And The Epic Of The Iliad1570 Words   |  7 Pagesof years that the epic story the Iliad has survived, which is credited to the famous Greek poet, Homer. In the 2004 film Troy, directed by Wolfgang Peterson, the plot resembles and is based from the epic poem, the Iliad. When the movie Troy was released, there was criticism on how even though the movie was based off of the Iliad, there were numerous differences from the Iliad itself. Even with its differences, the movie, Troy, does have many similarities to the Iliad. Even though there are numerousRead MoreThe Trojan War1487 Words   |  6 Pagesbeginning of the semester, I believed that I knew most of the history of the Trojan War. I knew that members of the Greek army hid inside of a wooden horse an attacked the Trojans inside of their walls. Before taking this class, I thought the movie Troy was an accurate account of the war. I also h ad no idea that the Gods had a large role in the Iliad. I was shocked to learn that the majority of the history of the Trojan War involves the Gods. In my opinion, it seems very unbelievable. According toRead MoreThe Iliad and the Odyssey1510 Words   |  7 Pages The Iliad and the Odyssey are two classic stories told by Homer. Within these two stories the roles of the gods are very important to the story line and how they affect the characters throughout. In the Iliad, more gods are involved with the characters whereas in the Odyssey there are only two major gods that affect two major characters. The roles of the gods in the Iliad are through two different stances of immortal versus immortal and mortal versus immortal. The roles of the gods in the OdysseyRead MoreThe Aeneid Is A Latin Epic Poem Written By Virgil1163 Words   |  5 PagesAeneid tells a story of 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 bo th the same and different at the same time. The Iliad and the Aeneid are both masterworks in epic poetry. Not only do they summon destiny and martial duty, but also heroism. They are both fixated around the Trojan War. In the Iliad it focuses mainly on the end of the Trojan War and the war’s critical powerRead MoreThe Trojan Horse1296 Words   |  6 PagesThe Trojan Horse was the ultimate sneak attack, bringing a city that would withstood nine years of battle to its knees. â€Å"I want to find out whether there was any real history behind that myth and in particular whether there was any real history behind the Trojan Horse,† says Edith Hall. In the epic poem, the Greeks set out for Troy to rescue Queen Helen, whose face â€Å"launched a thousand ships. After Edith had done research in Heinrich Schliemann first archeology dig he came to the conclusion thatRead MoreThe Iliad : Greeks And Their Love For War1568 Words   |  7 PagesFebruary 10th, 2017 CLAS1101 The Iliad: Greeks and Their Love for ‘War’ It has long been a popular scholarly opinion that the Greeks in the Iliad were lovers of war and violence. The Greeks were most definitely primal beasts, and blood shedders, a fact made abundantly clear in the Iliad. However, I think that the Greeks were not lovers of war, furthermore I think this interpretation is shortsighted. The amount of violence in the Iliad seems to be evidence for their love of war, but the ancient world wasRead MoreHistory of the Trojan war1388 Words   |  6 Pages History of the Trojan War Questions arise when you are thinking of the Trojan War and its history. How did the war start? , What battle techniques did the Trojan use? Greeks? What mythical creatures and beings were involved in the war and how they changed the course of the battle? What type of battle gear did the Trojans use versus the Greeks? The Trojan war is depicted in the novel of the Iliad and described by Homer, the author of the Iliad. The Iliad shows the history and brutality