The Iliad, A Homeric Epic That Depicted The Age Of Heroes

The Iliad, a Homeric epic that depicted the Age of Heroes in Archaic Greece. An age of giant, god-like, men, and a time of true heroism. The themes of the Iliad encompass a realm consisting of the principles of justice, vengeance, and honour in Achaean society. A monumental theme that Homer brought through the Iliad was the idea of Greek Shame culture, which Involved public praise and blame, to honor and shame one before others in one s society. The assemblies, called by the Achaean commanders, where the Achaeans would discuss and delegate battle strategy, acted as a perfect place for one to gain and defend their honour. These assemblies represented the political make-up of the Achaean coalition force. Commanders could effectively voice their concerns and opinions on matters that faced the assembly, all while fostering discussion that unified the Achaean force. Agamemnon was head of the Achaean army, with his royal scepter, but he still needed the confidence of his commanders in orde r to rule effectively. He established this confidence in the assemblies throughout the Iliad. The assemblies acted as forums of discussion and delegation, where those who were worthy, could speak and voice to their own heroism. To understand the essence of the assembly, it is easier to view them as an advisory council. Where the commanders of the Achaean force advised Agamemnon on appropriate courses of action. Agamemnon’s power is not absolute, he needs to maintain the confidence of hisShow MoreRelatedThe Iliad, A Homeric Epic That Depicted The Age Of Heroes925 Words   |  4 PagesThe Iliad, a Homeric epic that depicted the age of heroes in Archaic Greece. An age of giant, god-like, men, and a time of true heroism. The themes of the Iliad encompass a realm consisting of the principles of justice, vengeance, and honour in Greek society. A monumental theme that Homer brought through the Iliad was the idea of Greek Shame culture, which Involved public praise and blame, to honor and shame one before others in one s society. The assemblies, called by the Achaean commanders, whereRead MoreThe Iliad, By Homer1141 Words   |  5 PagesThe Iliad, along with the Odyssey, is one of two epics handed down thr ough the Homeric tradition in the Greek Dark Ages, considered by many to be the Heroic Age. However, the key issue lies with the fact that ancient Greeks define a ‘hero’ very differently from what we would consider a ‘hero’ to be today. In ancient Greece, a hero is any human descended from the gods and bequeathed with superhuman abilities. By this definition, Achilles is immediately classified as a hero, no matter his actions.Read MoreThe Timeless Truths of Homers Iliad1784 Words   |  8 PagesJames Hutchinson Ms. Spicer AP Literature 20 August 2010 Homers Timeless Truths Is Homers The Iliad relevant to todays society? Is this work a timeless parable depicting universal human truths transcending time and context or merely a superbly-crafted epic poem to be studied and admired for its stylistic brilliance? Has the text endured simply because of Homers dramatic verse or because of the timeless human truths it conveys? Was it written to persuade readers to question the moral implicationsRead MoreThe Iliad By Homer2007 Words   |  9 PagesThe Iliad is a collection of poems written by Homer describing the 10-year siege of the city of Troy by Greeks in what is now famously known as the Trojan War. Several characters stand out in the series of poems because of the roles they played in the war, how they behaved and the acts they took to help eventually win the war for the Greeks (then known as Akhaians). This paper specifically investigates the writings in Books two, four, thirteen, sixteen and seventeen and why the events in these booksRead MoreThe Greek Mythology : A Normative Critique1754 Words   |  8 PagesTruly Mythology? The Modern Greek Mythology : A Normative Critique.   Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. It was a part of the religion in ancient Greece. Modern scholars refer to and study the myths in an attempt to shed light on the religious and political institutions of Ancient Greece and its civilization, and toRead MoreDid Homers Trojan War Exist?1753 Words   |  8 PagesThe Trojan War, the event depicted in Homers Iliad, was the most popular subject in Greek drama and told its story elaborately to next generations. According to Homer, the war started because Helen, the most beautiful Greek woman and wife of a Greek king, Menelaus, decided to leave her husband and ran away with a Trojan Prince, Paris. This angered the Greeks so they sailed to Troy and fought for Helens return. As the war continued on, the Greeks were forced to plan a new strategy to attack TroyR ead MoreGreek Mythology8088 Words   |  33 Pagesabout  the  exploits  of  gods   and  heroes  and  their  relations  with  ordinary  mortals.   The  ancient  Greeks  worshiped  many  gods  within  a  culture  that  tolerated  diversity.  Unlike  other  belief   systems,  Greek  culture  recognized  no  single  truth  or  code  and  produced  no  sacred,  written  text  like   the  Bible  or  the  Qur’an.  Stories  about  the  origins  and  actions  of  Greek  divinities  varied  widely,   depending,  for  example,  on  whether  the  tale  appeared  in  a  comedy,  tragedy,  or  epic  poem.  Greek   mythology  was  like  a  complex  and  rich  languageRead MoreWomen in Greece2882 Words   |  12 Pagesbetween text and culture, but also implicitly relegates women to an entirely passive role in patriarchal socie ty. (pg 79 Ideology and â€Å"the status of Women† in Ancient Greece by Marilyn Katz.) Thus its important when using literature such as Homers epic as evidence of women’s role and status during that time period were are critical of the conclusions we draw. On the other hand there have been many assumption made of the role of women during ancient Greece from the evidence we do have. It was patricidalRead MoreEssay on The Odyssey21353 Words   |  86 Pagesand hero of the poem. Odysseus is the King of Ithaca, a small, rugged island on the western coast of Greece. He takes part in the Trojan War on the side of Agamemnon. Of all the heroes who return from the war, his homeward voyage is the longest and most perilous. Although Odysseus is in many ways a typical Homeric hero, he is not perfect, and his very human flaws play an important role in the work. Penelope - the much-enduring wife of Odysseus and the patient mother of Telemachus. The Iliad, A Homeric Epic That Depicted The Age Of Heroes The Iliad, a Homeric epic that depicted the age of heroes in Archaic Greece. An age of giant, god-like, men, and a time of true heroism. The themes of the Iliad encompass a realm consisting of the principles of justice, vengeance, and honour in Greek society. A monumental theme that Homer brought through the Iliad was the idea of Greek Shame culture, which Involved public praise and blame, to honor and shame one before others in one s society. The assemblies, called by the Achaean commanders, where the Achaeans would discuss and delegate battle strategy, acted as a perfect place for one to gain/denounce ones honour. These assemblies represented the political make-up of the Achaean coalition force, where commanders could effectively voice their concerns and opinions on matters that face the council, all while fostering discussion that unified the Achaean force. Agamemnon was head of the Achaean army, with his royal scepter, but he still needed the confidence of his commanders in order to rule effectively. He established this confidence in the assemblies throughout the Iliad. The assemblies acted as forums of discussion and delegation, where those who were worthy, could speak and voice themselves. To understand the essence of the assembly, it is easier to view them as an advisory council. Where the commanders of the Achaean force advised Agamemnon on appropriate courses of action. Agamemnon’s power is not absolute, he needs to maintain the confidence of his commanders and theShow MoreRelatedThe Iliad, A Homeric Epic That Depicted The Age Of Heroes987 Words   |  4 Pages The Iliad, a Homeric epic that depicted the Age of Heroes in Archaic Greece. An age of giant, god-like, men, and a time of true heroism. The themes of the Iliad encompass a realm consisting of the principles of justice, vengeance, and honour in Achaean society. A monumental theme that Homer brought through the Iliad was the idea of Greek Shame culture, which Involved public praise and blame, to honor and shame one before others in one s society. The assemblies, called by the Achaean commandersRead MoreThe Iliad, By Homer1141 Words   |  5 PagesThe Iliad, along with the Odyssey, is one of two epics handed down through the Homeric tradition in the Greek Dark Ages, considered by many to be the Heroic Age. However, the key issue lies with the fact that ancient Greeks define a ‘hero’ very differently from what we would consider a ‘hero’ to be today. In ancient Greece, a hero is any human descended from the gods and bequeathed with superhuman abilities. By this definition, Achilles is immediately classified as a hero, no matter his actions.Read MoreThe Timeless Truths of Homers Iliad1784 Words   |  8 PagesJames Hutchinson Ms. Spicer AP Literature 20 August 2010 Homers Timeless Truths Is Homers The Iliad relevant to todays society? Is this work a timeless parable depicting universal human truths transcending time and context or merely a superbly-crafted epic poem to be studied and admired for its stylistic brilliance? Has the text endured simply because of Homers dramatic verse or because of the timeless human truths it conveys? Was it written to persuade readers to question the moral implicationsRead MoreThe Iliad By Homer2007 Words   |  9 PagesThe Iliad is a collection of poems written by Homer describing the 10-year siege of the city of Troy by Greeks in what is now famously known as the Trojan War. Several characters stand out in the series of poems because of the roles they played in the war, how they behaved and the acts they took to help eventually win the war for the Greeks (then known as Akhaians). This paper specifically investigates the writings in Books two, four, thirteen, sixteen and seventeen and why the events in these booksRead MoreThe Greek Mythology : A Normative Critique1754 Words   |  8 PagesTruly Mythology? The Modern Greek Mythology : A Normative Critique.   Greek mythology is the body of myths and teachings that belong to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. It was a part of the religion in ancient Greece. Modern scholars refer to and study the myths in an attempt to shed light on the religious and political institutions of Ancient Greece and its civilization, and toRead MoreDid Homers Trojan War Exist?1753 Words   |  8 PagesThe Trojan War, the event depicted in Homers Iliad, was the most popular subject in Greek drama and told its story elaborately to next generations. According to Homer, the war started because Helen, the most beautiful Greek woman and wife of a Greek king, Menelaus, decided to leave her husband and ran away with a Trojan Prince, Paris. This angered the Greeks so they sailed to Troy and fought for Helens return. As the war continued on, the Greeks were forced to plan a new strategy to attack TroyR ead MoreGreek Mythology8088 Words   |  33 Pagesabout  the  exploits  of  gods   and  heroes  and  their  relations  with  ordinary  mortals.   The  ancient  Greeks  worshiped  many  gods  within  a  culture  that  tolerated  diversity.  Unlike  other  belief   systems,  Greek  culture  recognized  no  single  truth  or  code  and  produced  no  sacred,  written  text  like   the  Bible  or  the  Qur’an.  Stories  about  the  origins  and  actions  of  Greek  divinities  varied  widely,   depending,  for  example,  on  whether  the  tale  appeared  in  a  comedy,  tragedy,  or  epic  poem.  Greek   mythology  was  like  a  complex  and  rich  languageRead MoreWomen in Greece2882 Words   |  12 Pagesbetween text and culture, but also implicitly relegates women to an entirely passive role in patriarchal socie ty. (pg 79 Ideology and â€Å"the status of Women† in Ancient Greece by Marilyn Katz.) Thus its important when using literature such as Homers epic as evidence of women’s role and status during that time period were are critical of the conclusions we draw. On the other hand there have been many assumption made of the role of women during ancient Greece from the evidence we do have. It was patricidalRead MoreEssay on The Odyssey21353 Words   |  86 Pagesand hero of the poem. Odysseus is the King of Ithaca, a small, rugged island on the western coast of Greece. He takes part in the Trojan War on the side of Agamemnon. Of all the heroes who return from the war, his homeward voyage is the longest and most perilous. Although Odysseus is in many ways a typical Homeric hero, he is not perfect, and his very human flaws play an important role in the work. Penelope - the much-enduring wife of Odysseus and the patient mother of Telemachus.