Free College Essays - The Character of Achilles in Homers Iliad :: Iliad essays

The Character of Achilles inHomers Iliad The story of Homers Iliad actually centers around the fretfulness of Achilles, contrary to popular belief. At first thought or practice session the epic poem seems like its of import theme is utlimately the totality and gruesomness of war. In reality it is an ancient Saving Private Ryan in that it tells us of the rough details of war without any lack of description and information. However this eventual(prenominal) devistation and emotion of the actual fighting and Trojan War is not the main focal point of this heroic tale. The real story centers on mavin awesome fighter, man, and hero--that man is Achilles. Achilles shows the greatest military prowess of any of the Achaean ranks and has the greatest fighting ability of all of the warriors, Trojan or Achaean. At the beginning of Homers tale Achilles becomes disenfranchised from the rest of his fellow warriors and chooses to retreat O.K. to his own ships of Myrmidons and refuses to fig ht for the Achaean cause against the Trojans. Not only is Achilles plauged and churning by problems with his fellow soldiers, but he ultimately must sheath the fact that he has chosen to live a short and fantabulous life, as opposed to his other option of a long and bored life. Achilles knows that he must ultimately die in the heat of affair and gain great fame for doing so--if he actually existed and the story is true in this respect then he certainly has ascertained immortal fame in the pages of Homers tale. Achilles eventually returns to fight on the side of the Achaeans, but not because of anything Agamemnon offers to him in order to cut him to return to the fighting. Achilles best friend and essential soul-mate, Patroclus, is bump off at the hands of the mighty bullyrag of Troy. Achilles is hence distraught at this happening and therefore goes to wreak his own havoc with the life of Hector to gain revenge. He manages to eventually kill many Trojans and then eventually a fter chasing Hector several times around the city of Troy, slays him and desecrates his ashes by dragging him excessively as somewhat of an artifice to get his stored up hate, anger, and fear out.