Achilles’ Actions Bring His Eventual Doom Closer To Reality
“To be, or not to be, that is the question. Whether ‘tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing end them.”
Though written centuries after the death of Achilles, this quote from Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” speaks honestly of his life. The epic poem, “The Iliad” of Homer, is a story of the journey of his soul, and his attempts to escape his fate. He questions his fate set out for him by the gods, pondering whether or not he should die for the sake of war, and it is by this questioning of the divine judgment of the gods that he brings doom upon himself. It is known by himself, and by the gods, that ...
Want to read the rest of this paper?
Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay
and over 50,000 other term papers
|
The wrath of Achilles begins in Book One of “The Iliad.” Agamemmnon, leader of the Greek army, takes Achilles booty prize, Briseis to replace his own concubine, Chryses, daughter of a priest of Apollo, who was returned to end the plague put on his people by the angry god, Apollo. Achilles feels unappreciated for all that he does for the army when Agamemmnon takes his girl to be his own. He leaves the army because he feels that the king has disrespected him. Thus begins the onset of his doom; by not fighting, and continuing to refuse to do so until after the death of his best friend, Patroklos, he defies his fate.
Once having decided to leave the fighting, he goes to speak to his mother, Thetis. He asks her to ask Zeus to allow the Trojan army to take over the fighting so that the Greeks realize how much they need him, and for them to come to an appreciation for him. Through his concern for his own ego, it is appearant to the reader that, knowing his fate, Achilles will do all ...
Get instant access to over 50,000 essays.
Write better papers. Get better grades.
Already a member? Login
|
difficult to change a person once they have made up their mind to do something. After refusing in Book Nine to return to battle, Achilles watches as his army loses again and again to the powerful, divinely driven Trojans. He, and his best friend and companion, Patroklos, watch as the fighting continues. The Greeks appeal once again to Achilles to leave behind his personal feelings and lead them to victory once again, but again, he refuses. Patroklos suggests that he should enter the war wearing Achilles’ armour and rouse the Greeks to overpower the Trojans. Achilles’ agrees to this and sends his best friend into battle to do his work. Unfortunately, Patroklos is not the great warrior ...
Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library.
Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports,
and research papers in 2 minutes or less.
|
CITE THIS PAGE:
Achilles’ Actions Bring His Eventual Doom Closer To Reality. (2005, February 19). Retrieved April 16, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Achilles-Actions-Bring-His-Eventual-Doom/22530
"Achilles’ Actions Bring His Eventual Doom Closer To Reality." Essayworld.com. Essayworld.com, 19 Feb. 2005. Web. 16 Apr. 2024. <http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Achilles-Actions-Bring-His-Eventual-Doom/22530>
"Achilles’ Actions Bring His Eventual Doom Closer To Reality." Essayworld.com. February 19, 2005. Accessed April 16, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Achilles-Actions-Bring-His-Eventual-Doom/22530.
"Achilles’ Actions Bring His Eventual Doom Closer To Reality." Essayworld.com. February 19, 2005. Accessed April 16, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Achilles-Actions-Bring-His-Eventual-Doom/22530.
|
Save
Report