Essay on Achilles' Shield

Many people have heard of Achilles, whether in Greek Mythology or when referring to the tendon in their foot. He is well known in the Iliad as the main force for the Achaeans in the Trojan War, dubbed the “swiftest warrior,” “Achilles dear to Zeus”, and “brilliant runner.” However many do not know the story of Achilles when he walks away from the Achaean campaign over a scuffle of war prizes. His action cripples the Achaean army, costing the lives of many. The story of the Trojan War is one where Achilles ultimately leads the Achaeans to Troy and kills Hector outside Priam’s walls. However, it was Patroclus, Achilles’ brother-in-arms, who should be accredited with the Achaean victories and know for his success against the Trojans in the

In the Iliad is a very interesting epic with features two main central characters that are similar in some ways but totally different in other ways. In this epic you will be introduced to Hector and Achilles. Two men from each side in the great Trojan-Greek war. They were both heroes to their people despite their clearly different contrast in their personalities. In this paper I will highlight the life of both of these two leaders of the Greek and Trojans in this epic the Iliad. Also a little will be shed of how Homer portrays the characters deeper then an average thought. I will attempt to show the complexity of his thought process in forming the climax of these two characters coming to battle.

In the Greek epic, The Iliad, Homer describes the siege and capture of the ancient city of Troy by Achilles and the Achaean warriors. Achilles, being a fearless fighter, defeated many throughout his battles against the Trojan army, including the brave-hearted Hector during the invasion of Troy. Though Achilles has been given the title of the hero of the Trojan War, many historians believe that Hector was a greater hero than Achilles. When comparing the characteristics of an epic hero such as being a national hero and having supernatural abilities, Hector clearly surpasses Achilles. In this essay, the argument will be supported through the context of the heroic personas revealed by the warriors and the non-heroic qualities that dishonored

In Homer’s epic, the Iliad, the legendary, has no two characters that are so similar yet so different as Greek warrior, Achilles, and the Prince of Troy, Hector. Achilles is the strongest fighter in the Greek side, and Hector is the strongest Trojan. They are both put into the mold of a hero that their respective societies have put them into; however; it is evident that they are both extremely complex characters with different roles within their society and with their families, and with the gods.

Through further research, I have learned that this vase “depicts the heroes Achilles and Ajax playing a board game” (Two-Handled Jar with Achilles and Ajax).

And there were young men on it and young girls, sought for their beauty with gifts of oxen, dancing, and holding hands at the wrist” (Il., 18.590-594). In fact, the majority of the shield depicts common Greek life; this being a quality that distinguishes Achilles’ shield from those of other famous warriors and heroes. Epics and their heroes usually involve gods and god-like feats, which are still true in the Iliad, yet the engravings on this shield are an oxymoron of that style. Edwards best describes this in stating, “Like an enormous simile, the scenes on the shield hold the narrative still for a while as we gaze at them; and the content is like that of a simile, too – it is the ordinary life of mankind that we observe, not that of heroes or gods” (278).

The Iliad, by Homer, is an epic poem set in the era of the Trojan War, accounting the battle logs during the time of conflict between Agamemnon and Achilles, the text’s tragic protagonist. The heroic outlook on life, in Iliadic terms, is exemplified through the construction of one’s honor through hard work. Being an aspect of the heroic outlook of life, this value is demonstrated through his contribution and dedication to the Trojan War, his experience with neglect from the deities, Achilles’ overall disdain towards Agamemnon, and, lastly, his longingness towards Briseis, his dear lover.

For the ancient Greeks, culture is of the utmost importance. Greek family values are so strong that elements of tradition and culture transcend many generations. One particular tradition, literature, is a custom that has been passed down from generation to generation. Thousands of families, from their parents to their children, are told the stories of men and women who grew up and became great warriors that saved the world. These children later grew up with the goal of becoming those same heroes; they grew up wanting to save the world just like the characters in the stories. In this particular epic, we encounter the characters of Achilles and Hector, both ideal warriors; one uses his physical aptitude, the other his intellect and desire to

The Iliad tells many great mystical tales while also containing pieces of history. One of the greatest wars documented in the Iliad is between the Trojans and the massive Mycenaean kingdom. The greatest warrior remembered from that battle who ultimately won the battle for the Mycenaeans is Achilles, known for his magnificent ability to take lives and conquer kingdoms. Most know him for his great swordsmanship and his god like art of battle(Patterson, May 4th); although, his shield is the most significant piece of equipment from that battle for Troy that he fought against Princes Hector. It was not the sword that ended Hector’s life, but the shield that Achilles used in battle due to the mass amount of symbolic value it holds. As well as how beautiful Homer describes the shield to be. It had to be a glorious piece of armor because it was said to be crafted by a god Hephaestus (History.com Staff, 2011).

The shield can be considered to be a microcosm of the larger story going on. Achilles’s depicts real battles that have happened, and may happen in the future, but also a battle between Homeric society versus Archean Greek society: heroes versus real people. To be clear, Homeric society generally consists of lavish and extraordinary fictionalized heroes and gods that live by a martial code and Archean Greeks are simply normal citizens of Greece that live by the civil code. The martial code is what gives the heroes power, status, and honor. An exchange between Odysseus and Thersites show to tides of total power based on status. Odysseus is a champion for the Greeks in the Trojan Wars and Thersites is a common solider known for being crude, vile,

I was privy to many discussions and arguments that took place behind the backs of the soldiers’ leadership as to why they should do what they were being commanded to do by them. All too often soldiers begin to become complacent when they feel over taxed by their leadership or taken advantage of and become pathos driven when they cannot see the fruits of their labor coming to fruition during war or even peacekeeping missions; especially long deployments such as Iraq, Afghanistan or Kosovo. Achilles speech in “The Envoys Plead with Achilles” is pathos driven because it exemplifies aspects of emotionally driven complacency experienced in war due to selfish deceitful leadership, length of deployments, and a feeling

In the battle between Hector and Achilles, there was more on the line than winning the war. Until the end of the poem, it can be argued that both Achilles and Hector fit the role of an epic hero, but there can only be one. The battle represented who would ultimately be determined the epic hero. In Homer’s epic poem, The Iliad, Achilles is crafted into an epic hero throughout the poem by the illustration of the qualities of an epic hero: a great warrior, help from the supernatural, an epic flaw, and an epic journey.

The armor of a hero plays an important role in catalyzing his heroism. It served as an object of strength, virility, and masculinity. The armor of Achilles was according to the Greeks suggested a new crucial role in the hero 's 'social reintegration ' after Hektor stripped Patroklos of Achilles ' old armor, the hero undergoes what this critic describes as "a rebirth into

For instance, Homer’s description of white alley contrasts with the earlier description of an ox, naturally dark in colour. This emphasizes the difference between Achilles and other Achaeans. Most soldiers in The Iliad subscribe to the heroic code and want personal glory at any cost. Yet, Achilles does not conform to the heroic code, as seen by his original refusal to fight in the war in Book 9. The words “shields and corpses” (20.564) placed beside each other also create a contrast between the battle’s victors and its fallen soldiers. This emphasizes Achilles’ agility in combat compared to other soldiers’ inability to survive the battle. Oxen are domestic, agricultural animals, while stallions are animals used in warfare. Homer includes both animals in this passage - oxen as a simile for Achilles and the stallions as his companions. Achilles is unlike other warriors in his indifference toward the heroic code. The oxen represent this difference as they are domestic animals unconcerned with glory, compared to animals used in battle like stallions. This passage also describes Achilles as an ox to emphasize his ox-like strength and persistence. Despite his rejection of the heroic code, he is still an accomplished and powerful warrior. The imagery used in this passage emphasizes the distinction between Achilles and the poem’s other characters. The Homeric simile also draws attention to Achilles’ rage. Earlier in this passage, Homer describes Achilles

First of all, Auden uses the ekphrasis in “The Shield of Achilles” as a means to denounce the mores and practices of his society. Auden’s “Shield of Achilles” is derived from Homer’s “Shield of Achilles. Both authors make a description of the Achilles’ shield. One (Homer’s) is ameliorative and the