Achilles An Epic Hero - 1253 Words

Daniel Armour Professor Kimberly Smith World Literature 21 February 2017 Achilles: An Epic Hero in an Epic Poem 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. To be crowned as an epic hero, one must first be a great warrior, and Achilles more than fits this role. From the†¦show more content†¦It is not uncommon for the gods to make appearances in the Iliad, and Achilles is no exception. He receives help from the supernatural on multiple occasions, much like an epic hero would. The most significant divine intervention Achilles received was by Athena, the goddess of wisdom. â €Å"Now let’s get tough and fight and not spare Any spears. Either Achilles kills us both†¦Or he goes down with your spear in his guts,† Athena said to Hector, pretending to be Deiphobus which deceives Hector into fighting Achilles (Puchner Book XXII, 270-272). There is no arguing whether or not Achilles received help from the gods, as he did on multiple occasions. Athena even helps him again in his battle versus Hector by returning his spear after a missed throw. It is the actions like these that craft Achilles into an epic hero, he isn’t asking for the help, but he receives it anyways because it is his destiny to become the epic hero. At points such as these, it seems as if mortal men don’t have much control over their destiny and that the gods are manipulating the outcomes. This can also be seen when Athena prevents Achilles from attack Agamemnon. Not everybody is perfect, and in Achilles’ case, this is definitely true. Perhaps one of the most important characteristics of the epic hero is having an epic flaw. While Achilles may be near perfect in combat, his personality is most definitely flawed. His pride leads him to overconfidence, hisShow MoreRelatedan analysis of the qualifications of an Epic Hero887 Words   |  4 PagesAn epic hero is someone who goes down in history as being brave, courageous, and obviously heroic. They don’t have to be asked to save the day, and often times, they aren’t even saving their own people. There are several epic poems that come to mind when thinking about European culture and where it came from. These stories are held as sacred to many different people, and will always be studied whenever the topic of government or culture comes up. In these poems, or stories, there is always a heroRead MoreEpic Heroism And Values Of The Iliad1030 Words   |  5 Pages DWC 101: Paper 1 November 1, 2017 Epic Heroism and Values of the Greek and Roman Culture The image of Achilles killing Hector and the image of Aeneas killing Turnus classify them as epic heroes. In the Greek epic poem the Iliad, Homer portrays Achilles as an enraged warrior fighting for revenge for a woman he loved. In the Roman epic poem the Aeneid, Virgil portrays Aeneas as fleeing the city of Troy to establish a new city. Achilles and Aeneas are epic heroes because they both show courageRead MoreThe Greek Concept of the Epic Hero Essay1135 Words   |  5 Pages In classical Greek literature, the epic hero is usually defined in terms of the contrasting characters of Achilles and Odysseus, the most important figures in Homers great epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey. Achilles, the greatest warrior of the Greeks in the Trojan war, is actually a demi-god rather than a human hero, having been dipped in charmed waters by his mother and given the gift of invulnerability. Odysseus, on the other hand, is a fully human character, and his heroism consists moreRead More Achilles and Odyssey Compare and Contrast Essay1625 Words   |  7 PagesLarger-Than-Life Heroes: Achilles and Odysseus What are the main characteristics of a larger-than-life epic hero? An epic hero is a brave and powerful warrior who is motivated to fight both internal and external conflicts to achieve glory and ranks above a normal man. In Homer’s epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey, Achilles and Odysseus are the well-known heroes. Achilles fights Hektor outside the walls of Troy because Hektor killed his best friend, Patroclus. After fighting in the TrojanRead MoreAchilles Heros Journey Essay1117 Words   |  5 PagesJanelle Fanelli Professor Probert ENGL 2800 September 7 2017 Achilles and Gilgamesh on a Journey The two Homeric epics, the Illiad and The Epic of Gilgamesh, both contain a Hero’s Journey. They show the readers a look into heroic life during the time of the Trojan War. Achilles and Gilgamesh’s Heroic Journeys are not identical, however the characteristics and qualities of them is what holds the similarities. The two characters have a compelling outlook on death, and immortality. They seek differentRead MoreOdysseus As The Epic Hero In Homers Odyssey1019 Words   |  5 PagesOdysseus as the Epic Hero in Homer’s The Odyssey A style of work often explored in Greek literature is that of the epic. An expansive poem of a wide scope centered on and regarding the wondrous deeds of the main, heroic figure, on whose actions depend the fate of a nation. The definition of an epic can be used to describe The Odyssey by Homer. In The Odyssey we are introduced to our main character, Odysseus, the former king of Ithaca and a Trojan war hero who has been trapped on an Island by theRead MoreHEROISM IN THE ILIAD Essay1046 Words   |  5 PagesIn the Iliad there are many characters that could be considered heroic. But the two main characters that stand out as heroes to me are swift-footed Achilles and flashing-helmet Hector. Numerous times throughout the epic they display qualities and traits that are unsurpassed by anyone on their side. Many times throughout the epic Achilles and Hector are tested for their strength, and will to win in battle, which for both warriors always ends up positive because they always win the ir battles. AlthoughRead MoreAnalyzing The Ways That Plato Is An Unusual Epic Hero946 Words   |  4 PagesAn Unusual Hero (An Analysis of the Ways that Plato is an Unusual Epic Hero) From the crooked heights of Troy to the winding streets of Athens, the ancient West was fascinated by epic heroes. Bards sang poems about the fleet footed Achilles and the cunning Odysseus. Every man, woman, and child knew the stories of Jason, Hercules, and Hector. However, there is one man who achieved fame akin to the epic heroes of olden times with neither strength nor skill. His name was Socrates. In ancient GreeceRead MoreSimilarities Between The Aeneid And The Iliad1029 Words   |  5 Pages Publius Vergilius Maro, or more commonly known as Virgil, studied the Greek’s most well-known author Homer when he was creating his national epic poem. Virgil’s â€Å"The Aeneid† was written long after the creation of Homer’s â€Å"The Iliad†. However, there are many underlying similarities between the two. Virgil intended for their stories to share similar themes and plots because he truly admired Homer’s works he eventually adopted the Homeric s tyle in his own writing. Despite having great battles and bloodshedRead More Comparing the Hero in Epic of Gilgamesh and Homers Iliad Essay730 Words   |  3 PagesThe Hero in Epic of Gilgamesh and the Iliad    One and the same lot for the man who hangs back and the man who battles hard. The same honor waits for the coward and the brave. They both go down to Death, the fighter who shirks, the one who works to exhaustion. (IX,385-88) Thus muses Achilles, one of epic poetrys greatest heroes. Epic poetry, one of the earliest forms of literature, began as an oral narration describing a series of mythical or historic events. Eventually