The Illiad by Homer - 1206 Words

Women have held many different roles in society throughout human history. Since the beginning of time men have always been viewed as superior. In Homer’s Iliad, a perfect example of the suppressive role of women is shown. Women are treated as property and are used for the mere purpose of reproduction within the household. Paralyzed by their unfortunate circumstances, they were taken and given as if they were material belongings. In Homers Iliad, women are seen and introduce as rewards to the male heroines and usually the greatest fighters. They are depicted as being inferior to men both physically and intellectually. Throughout the epic poem, women play an important role that symbolizes their relative significance and the impact they†¦show more content†¦She is melancholic with her situation in the city of Troy but she has no doubt that she must settle through this because the gods have instructed it. Aphrodite, clearly enraged expresses her inner pain. This burst of emotions proves that the gods share some of the same characteristics as the humans themselves. Another incident happens in book five where Aphrodite experiences physical pain when Diomedes, after waiting patiently until he grasped the right opportunity to strike her and cause her to bleed her â€Å"divine blood† Aphrodite tries to take revenge when she complains her mother Dione of her assault and tries to influence Dione that the war is beyond the Trojans and the Achaeans; this aggression shown towards her was clearly a implication that the Argives yearned for war. This act of vengeance shows the women’s aggression play a major role throughout the epic. The reprisals of women can cause the war in the epic to become hotter or to calm down a bit. Aphrodite, clearly infuriated by Diomedes, makes this Trojan War a personal obsession. Helen serves as the rousing cause for the Achaean’s war with Troy and brings about the first battle in the epic. This battle is the clash between Menelaos and Paris, however; it does not resume for long in the Iliad. She takes control over the battle between Menelaos and Paris the young Trojan prince and then flies off to Paris side when Aphrodite leads him off of the battlefield using her sexual powers. HelenShow MoreRelatedThe Illiad by Homer1157 Words   |  5 Pageshold his ground no longer, he left the gates behind him and away he fled in fear(22.162-164) He acted in a dishonorable, not heroic and disgraceful way. Although these two times, he is still considered a hero and he is a good example of what the Homer, just as all the Ancient Greeks, considered to be heroic. The only person that was not afraid of death was Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior. Achilles was half human and half god. He is truly what a god should be according to the Ancient GreeksRead MoreThe Illiad by Homer: Homer The Ancient Inspiration518 Words   |  2 Pagesocean stream to glitter with brilliance† (Homer 22). This is a beautiful line from Homer’s The Iliad. It is a comparison to the stars describing someone or something that stands out amongst an ordinary crowd and proves himself. This seems to fit Homer’s description perfectly. Despite the fact that his life was a mystery, Homer, â€Å"The teacher of Greece†, is legendary due to the multiple theories about his existence, his poems, and his beliefs. To begin, Homer had a very incomprehensible life that scholarsRead MoreTroy Versus Homers Illiad2234 Words   |  9 PagesTROY VS HOMERS ILIAD (A comparison between the two with a mix of movie reviewing) by Amber Shepherd When comparing the movie Troy, directed by Wolfgang Petterson, and The Iliad, written by Greek poet Homer we can clearly see that although Petterson has made an excellent film he has clearly left out certain aspects of the Iliad which really define the story. Both versions portray the Trojan War between Greece and Troy, Achilles killing Hector and King Priam visiting Achilles to ask for the bodyRead MoreJacques Louis David, Andromache Mourning Hector1145 Words   |  5 Pagesto his artwork, encapsulating important Homeric textual and philosophical references. Masterfully, David engages audience with four central themes of the illiad; the rage of Achillies, Hectors death a metaphor for the fall of troy; and most importantly, the human impact of War. The ominous, heart-breaking family portrait not only enhances Homers’ text, but also ‘paints’ David’s own time; a steady shift into the Romantic Eras’ emphasis on emotive expressionism and passion. After Jacques-Louis David’sRead MoreThe Fury of Achiles in Homers Illiad and Ovids Metamorphoses1066 Words   |  4 PagesAchilles Through the stories in both Homers Illiad and Ovids Metamorphoses one can see the power and the fury of Achilles, one greatest Greek warriors in the Trojan War. In Homers Illiad, Homer illustrates the battle between Achilles Hector, who was the Prince of Troy. In Ovids Metamorphoses, Ovid illustrates the battle between Achilles and Cycnus, who is the son of Neptune. In both battles, the outcome is the same both warriors are slain by Achilles. While both stories have the same endingRead MoreThe Trojan War : History Not Myth1545 Words   |  7 Pageshistories most legendary battles. This battle is told to have lasted ten years, resulting in the eventual collapse of Troy, under the siege of Greek forces. Modern knowledge of the Trojan War has survived mainly through the account given in Homer’s Illiad, and while having proved to be a rich source of inspiration for other writers, artists, and even filmmakers in recent history, much speculation still exists surrounding his accoun t. I will analyze modern interpretations of the Trojan War and examineRead MoreAdvent of the Trojan War Essay544 Words   |  3 PagesEric Cline from the George Washington University says â€Å"The archaeological and textual evidence indicates that a Trojan War or Wars took place and that Homer chose to write about one or more of them making it into a great ten-year-long saga†. In the Illiad the Trojan War was fought around 1200-1100 BC. The Illiad was writing by the blind poet Homer around 750 BC. Helen of Sparta was married to king Menelaus of Sparta. The Mycenaeans had recently formed a peace treaty with Troy. However this was allRead MoreThe Trojan War - Fact or Fiction?1674 Words   |  7 PagesThe Trojan War Ââ€" Fact or Fiction? The Trojan War. Confined totally to the pages of Homers The Illiad, the indulgent fantasy of a Greek poet who lived over two and a half thousand years ago- or a historic fact at the centre of the most famous quarrel ever? The Illiad is the ancient tale of a mighty city called Troy that lay at the edge of Asia Minor whose prince abducted Helen, the most beautiful woman of all time, from the king of Greek Sparta, causing the Greeks to send an army in a thousandRead MoreCharacteristics Of A Hero In The Illiad979 Words   |  4 Pagesabout unrealistic heroes who wear crazy outfits and capes and have a different they hide behind, but during the time of the Ancient Greeks, they had slightly different thoughts on heroes. When it comes to The Illiad by Homer, one of the biggest things focused on is the image of the hero. Homer never directly gives the answer to the question â€Å"What makes a good hero?†, but he does write about many heroes, and through the writings it is easy to pick up what qualities make a good hero. It is also madeRead MoreAnalysis Of Xenia And The Odyssey 889 Words   |  4 PagesProfessors Name Course Number †¨Date The Significance of Xenia in the Works of Homer: Hospitality in the Illiad and the Odyssey The concept of Xenia was extremely significant in ancient Greek culture. As such, it played a prominent role in the works of authors, most specifically Homer. In fact, some of the most significant information we have about the concept of Xenia, as it relates to cultural norms come from the work of Homer, and the examples of hospitality demonstrated in the protagonist’s journeys