Honour and Divinity as Factors Influencing Violence in the Iliad Homer’s Iliad provides a description of ancient Greek society and ideology, and the factors which influenced violence in that time. Violence in the Iliad is caused by the cycle of revenge and dishonour, as well as by divine manipulation; conversely, it is mitigated by godly intervention, as well as empathy and respect. In the society depicted in the Iliad, honour was incredibly important, and dishonour necessitated retaliation to regain one’s status. This revenge often came in the form of physical violence, which in turn dishonoured the opponent and thus incited a vicious cycle. In the Iliad, the Trojan War is the result of Paris’ seduction and theft of Helen, which is not only a great dishonour to Menelaus but a challenge of his strength, which he cannot ignore. Achilles says the Greeks fight “to win back your honour from the Trojans,” (82) suggesting that Greek society prioritized honour over life and safety, which made it easy to justify a war for the sake of one dishonoured man. Likewise, Achilles kills Hector to avenge Patroclus, and dishonours Hector’s corpse. This suggests that the Greeks believed honour transcended death, which explains why they were willing to sacrifice their lives …show more content…
This is best seen when Athena prevents Achilles from killing Agamemnon despite the fact that Achilles has been dishonoured and therefore should retaliate, saying “Down from the skies I come to check your rage” (84). Here Athena, as the goddess of wisdom, is a metaphor for Achilles’ own voice of reason and moral compass, showing him that it would be unwise to kill a leader on his own side. Achilles is able to see reason through her and chooses a less violence act of retaliation by avoiding battle altogether. Just as the will of the gods is used to justify violence, it is also a force of moral and rational
In death’s atrocity, Achilles and the Athenians turn towards their self-interests in hopes to regain control and dignity. Achilles withdraws from the army in hopes they will recognize his worth, thus restoring honor to him. The Greeks “were stricken with unendurable grief” yet his “proud spirit” kept him from letting go of his anger. (Il. 9.4, 259). His inability to understand his mortality and resulting lack of philotēs “pitched countless souls of heroes into Hades’ dark” (Il. 1.3-4). Falling into fits of self-pity, Achilles is unable to recognize others’ sufferings, even of his own people. He complains to his mother that Agamemnon “has taken away [his] prize and dishonored” him and playing a lyre by the shore, away from the war displaying death’s reality (Il. 1.370). In his isolating mēnis, Achilles hardens into an apathetic death-like figure. Similarly, the Athenians begin to lack pity as their city turned towards “unprecedented lawlessness,… acts of self-indulgence,” and immorality during the plague (HPW 2.53). The Athenians even abandon their own people in fear of falling ill as well. Their civilization reveals it shallow-nature as they result to only considering present desires as honorable. In the face
Children taunting each other on the playground. A fast paced action adventure movie. A family crossing the street when a person of color walks by. They can be found everywhere within society, and yet rarely are recognized for what they truly are; scenes of violence. The children are using linguistic violence. The movie shows physical violence. The person of color endures societal violence. From the time a person is born to the time they die, they are subjected everyday to violence, even if it comes in forms that we do not immediately recognize as being violent in nature. It is possible that this complacency with violence exists because it can also be found in Western Cultures’ most treasured works, specifically those that are accredited for shaping the view of society as the world knows it. In Homer’s masterful work of The Iliad, the reader is confronted with all sorts of violence on many different occasion;, however, a few specific ones contribute more than the rest to the overall themes of the text.
In both books, the reader is exposed to multiple battles in the name of achieving and regaining honor. The notion that one should try to escape death did not mean anything close to honor and glory. In the Iliad, it can be said that the whole battle started on a basis of destroyed honor. Helen being stolen was a jab at Menelaus’ honor and to regain it, he would have to fight to destroy the person that tested him no matter how many people died. Another example in the Iliad is in book one, which also coincidentally carries on throughout the whole story when Achilles is dishonored by Agamemnon’s promise to take away Briseis to which Achilles replies, “ ...should give me honor-- but now he gives me nothing… he disgraces me”. She gave him something to show that he had won honor in battle. Due to the disgrace Achilles, prays for the downfall of his comrades till they give him the honor he deserves, even though he knows his fate will be death if he stays on battle, as long as it is with honor it is acceptable. Similarly, honor in the Odyssey was just as great and damning. In both novels it seems as though the only way one could atone for the greatest dishonorment ( stealing one’s woman) is through death as we saw with Paris and Menelaus and now with all the suitors who had lay waste in Odysseus’ home. But a more specific example that showed the importance of honor would be in book
It goes without question to state that various times in Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, violence occurs. Violence is typically thought of as it relates to physical violence, war, a way to resolve a conflict, yet is open to various other interpretations. In addition, it is arguable that multiple types of violence occur within that classical piece of literature. The most obvious type being physical violence, but including, yet is not limited to, psychological, emotional, sexual, and linguistic violence. Emotional violence is one that pairs easily within the other types, yet is equally as important. These types of brutality all contribute to the major theme of fate versus free will. This epic poem allows for readers to question whether people are truly free or if everything that happens is due to fate. If there is such a thing as determinism, then it would be safe to say nothing that happens in someone’s life is a free choice. In Homer’s, The Iliad, multiple scenes of violence support the central theme of fate versus free will.
The Iliad, a great epic poem written by Homer, illustrates the honor system valued deeply by the Greeks and Trojans. Though Homer uses Hector as a voice piece for the honor system, he presents Hector and other characters as heroes that conflict with the code itself. Through Hector’s conversation with Paris, we identify the three main components that codes the honor system. In other great epic poems, great heroes appear to possess and suffice the components. Yet, Homer chooses to do the exact opposite. In The Iliad, the heroes , such as, Paris, Diomedes, and Hector himself, conflict with the codes. Homer criticizes the Greek honor system by contradicting the system through these conflicted heroes.
Before his death the Trojan leader Hector exclaims, “Well let me die⎼but not without struggle, not without glory, no, in some great clash of arms that even men to come will hear of down the years,” (22.359-362). This proclamation reveals an important theme in Homer’s Iliad. Throughout the epic poem, the concept of honor and shame constantly reappears, from being the cause of the plot to personification as Greek and Trojan heroes to the dichotomy of honor and shame within the gods. Homer uses honor and shame as a major theme of the Iliad to show how important these attributes are to the human condition.
Intro: In the Greek society, honor is found on the battlefield, amidst the glory of war. In The Iliad, with the thousands of deaths, murder and the wrath of the gods, the betrayal, the beauty of one woman which caused the war and the heroes in the story, they all fight for honor.
The Greek gods are highly partisan beings in the Iliad. The Greek gods side with different armies there is no side that is more 'moral' or favored by the gods than the other. The Trojan War itself was largely begun because of a rivalry between Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera. The gods also favor certain mortals Athena prefers Odysseus, for example, while Aphrodite adores Paris. This favoring is not based upon the moral behavior of these particular humans but is instead based in the gods' own prejudices. The gods do not act as moral guides in a Judeo-Christian sense. They are anthropomorphically rendered, jealous, unpredictable, and at times vengeful. They have more power than humans and demand humans' respect, but that respect is commanded by their greater power, not their greater morality. The gods also deliberately insert themselves into human affairs, egging on the Trojan War when it seems to be flagging, or favoring one side over another. "Make all haste, and invent/Some mean by which the men of Troy, against the truce agreed, /May stir the glorious Greeks to arms, with some inglorious deed" (59). However, even the gods have limits Achilles mother Thetis, although a goddess, cannot prevent her son's death, which she knows is inevitable. Q2.In Book 1, with whom is Achilles angry? Why? What does Achilles vow to do in response?
When Achilles first challenges Hector, Hector tries to talk his way out of it; yet again showing his cowardice. But, in the end, Hector decides to battle Achilles even though he knows the gods have
The information present supplies an immense amount of insight into life in Ancient Greece. However, Homer’s justification and glorification of war in the Iliad must be recognized and objectified to understand Homer’s true perspective on war. Therefore, war in the Iliad is justified and glorified by Homer to portray the importance of honor and dignity to warriors, its pertinence in human society, and war as the means to a peaceful afterlife. Overview In order to obtain a complete and well developed understanding of the glorification of war in the Iliad, its reasons and justification must be explained.
be looked at as "the wife of Hektor, who was ever the bravest fighter of
According to the Odyssey, and Agamemnon, ancient Greeks value violence as a way of maintaining their society because the stories showcase how violence functions in ancient Greece polis system. The stories indicate the structure of ancient Greece society and the ideal principles that held the people together. Because works of Homer and works of Aeschylus represent a different period of ancient Greek culture, the form of society differs. However, the fundamental principles of ancient Greek society remain similar. Regardless of what period of ancient Greece, the admiration of violence by the ancient Greek can be seen from both Homer and Greek Tragedy.
Indeed, in their submission to base appetites and shallow grudges, the gods of The Iliad often seem more prone to human folly than the human characters themselves. This can also be seen when Zeus promises to help the Trojans, not out of any profound moral consideration but rather because he owes Thetis a favor.
Homer clearly and precisely depicts the religion and the ethics of the Achean and Trojan societies in The Iliad. In The Iliad, the Greeks and Trojans struggled to adhere to the codes of religion and ethics, of their society. The Iliad is an epic poem dedicated to the pursuit of honour and name immortality through fame by humans who were inevitably mortal. During the time of the Trojan war, religion played an important role in the societies. Sacrifice, prayer, and rituals were all equally significant, and the superiority of the gods and the fates above humans was a standard of society. The gods were sacred deities to whom one had to bestow honour and respect. Within the society, honour, glory, and fame were desperately sought by warriors striving
Homer's Iliad is commonly understood as an epic about the Trojan War, but its meaning goes deeper than that. The Iliad is not only a story of the evolution of Achilleus' persona, but at times it is an anti-war epic as well. The final book proposes many questions to the reader. Why not end with the killing of Hektor? Most stories of war conclude with the triumphant victory of good over evil, but in the Iliad, the final thoughts are inclined to the mourning of the defeated Hektor, which accentuates the fact that good has not triumphed over evil, but simply Achilleus triumphed over Hektor. Ending with the mourning of Hektor also brings to center stage for the first time the human side of war and the harsh aftermath of it. We see that war