StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...

Position Paper on Achilles (As the Hero) - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
Instructor Name: Date: Position Paper on Achilles (As the Hero) The Iliad is a perfect example of honor and integrity in Greek Mythology. Two heroes fight each other to fulfill the goals that they want to. Achilles and Hector fight each other to get the best out of each other…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER98% of users find it useful
Position Paper on Achilles (As the Hero)
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Position Paper on Achilles (As the Hero)"

Download file to see previous pages

In Greek mythology honor meant courage, integrity in ones belief and actions and honesty of intent. Achilles fulfills all of them whereas we see that Hector is unable to stand his ground in trying to fight for his people. In book 22, Hector was the single Trojan left outside Troy. His father, Priam, stands guard observing the battleground from the Trojan fortifications. He pleads with Hector to come inside. We then see that Hector contemplates finding a less damaging solution by giving over Helen of troy, who was the fountainhead of the war, and with her the treasures that Alexandrus bought, in order to settle with Achilles.

But he still stands guard deciding that Achilles would not be merciful. However, the sight of Achilles at the gates struck fear in the heart of Hector who fled with Achilles in hot pursuit. Hector runs the length of troy thrice, trying to rid himself of Achilles. Meanwhile in Olympus Zeus, watched this chase and pitied the noble Hector who had ‘burned many a heifer’ in his honor and considers saving him. Minerva (Athena) then flares up saying that if her father wishes to alter the prophesied fate of Hector then she would not be of mind with him.

In response to Athena’s disapproval, Zeus urges her to descent from Olympus and fulfill Hectors predefined fate. Then at last as the two warriors were approaching the fountains of Troy for the fourth Troy, Zeus balanced his golden scales and placed on each end the fate of Achilles and Hector, whereby Hectors scale fell into the depths of Hades. We witness then that Athena goes to Achilles relays news of his upcoming victory and informs him of her plan to trick Hector. Athena then appears near Hector disguised as Deiphobus and convinces Hector to face Achilles with Deiphobus by Hectors side.

When Hector finally faces Achilles he pledges not to mistreat his body if Achilles is slain and return it to the Achaeans, in turn for a return favor incase Hector meets his end. Achilles refuses to bind himself in any such pledges and tried to strike his spear at Hector. But Hector managed to avoid it. In retaliation Hector, with remarkable aim, hurls his spear at Achilles but it bounces off his armor. When Hector turns to Deiphobus to ask for another spear he finds that his brother has disappeared and then it dawns on him that Minerva has tricked him to his doom.

Hector, nevertheless, wants to die a glorious death and swoops upon Achilles with a sword. Achilles moves forward for an attack as well and having spotted the exposed collarbone of Hector through the armor he pierces his neck. As the last breathe leaves him Hector asks for his body to be sent to his parents instead of being devoured at the banks of the Achaen ships but Achilles does not honor his request and ridicules him. Following this the Achaen soldiers wounded the body of Hector and his body was then dragged in dirt by the chariot of Achilles.

The city mourns for their hero as Hectors father, mother and wife go manic with grief. An example of a show of honor is when Achilles shows immense resolve and righteousness for his cause as Hector nears his end. While Hector lay bleeding, he tries to entice Achilles with promises of gold and treasure if Achilles would return Hectors body to his people. Earlier when Hector asks Achilles to deliver his body to his city if he dies, he replies: “Hector stop! You unforgivable you … don’t talk to me of pacts.

There are no binding oaths between men and lions –

...Download file to see next pages Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Position Paper on Achilles (As the Hero) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/english/1458895-position-paper-on-achilles-as-the-hero
(Position Paper on Achilles (As the Hero) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words)
https://studentshare.org/english/1458895-position-paper-on-achilles-as-the-hero.
“Position Paper on Achilles (As the Hero) Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 Words”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/english/1458895-position-paper-on-achilles-as-the-hero.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Position Paper on Achilles (As the Hero)

How the epic poem Iliad influenced Alexander the Great

The Iliad has exerted a tremendous influence on the psychological development of the Greek hero Alexander the Great.... Especially the Homeric hero Achilles attracted him so much that he decided to imitate him in his real life.... He even slept with it under his pillow, as Chris Whitten says in this regard: “Emulating the famous hero was apparently encouraged by his teacher, the great philosopher Aristotle….... Homer's heroes -especially, achilles- had influenced the young mind of Alexander in his youth....
6 Pages (1500 words) Research Paper

The Psychology of Remorse, Humiliation, and Honor in Iliad

hellip; This paper argues that the feeling of remorse and humiliation or shame worked very differently for the two Iliadic heroes—Hektor and achilles.... He dreads the reproach of Poulydamas for disobeying his wise strategic suggestion, feels humiliated about the possible negative opinion of Troy's citizens about his tragically mistaken faith in his own capability, shows the desire to fall “with fair fame” (Bloom 21) instead of facing his humiliation, and ultimately discards the likelihood that he might request compensation to the Achaians based on the fact that achilles would not respect him anyhow and would murder him as soon as he had removed his shield and was unclothed....
7 Pages (1750 words) Research Paper

Odysseuss Odyssey: The Narrative of Voyage, Culture, and Marriage

This paper analyzes the three major themes of Odyssey, namely, Odysseus's boat, Odysseus as the new epic hero of the new world, and Odysseus's matrimonial bed.... The intervening theme, which is Odysseus as a new epic hero, is discussed in order to prove how Odysseus contributes to the cultural imagination and knowledge of ancient Greece....
10 Pages (2500 words) Term Paper

Analysis of Beloved and The Color Purple

This paper seeks to look at novels "Beloved" by Toni Morrison and "The Color Purple" by Alice Walker, that speaks of the conditions of the African American community after the civil war but before the movement for desegregation.... nbsp;The paper also looks at the process of Reconstruction in America… The novels, Morrison's Beloved and Walker's The Color Purple, speak of issues of racism that persisted in the American South despite the abolition of slavery....
6 Pages (1500 words) Research Paper

How the Epic poem Iliad Influenced Alexander the Great

Homer's epic poem, “Iliad” appears to be one of the most influential literary… The Iliad has exerted a tremendous influence on the psychological development of the Greek hero Alexander the Great.... Especially the Homeric hero Achilles attracted him so much that he decided to imitate him in his real life.... Homer's heroes -especially, achilles- had influenced the young mind of Alexander in his youth.... It was the courage of achilles' courage -to go against Agamemnon's tyrannous, unreasonable and despotic behavior- that inspired Alexander to raise his voice often against his father's royal policies....
6 Pages (1500 words) Research Paper

Promoting access to medical technologies - from Chile's perspective mun position paper

But the fact remains that developing countries are Promoting access to medical technologies - from Chiles perspective: A position paper Content History of Topic and Chile's PerspectiveChile's PositionRecommendationMedical technologies have been a constant focus of researches in the beginning of twentieth century....
2 Pages (500 words) Research Paper

The Various Problems and Issues that the US Immigration Faces

The following paper under the title 'The Various Problems and Issues that the US Immigration Faces' gives detailed information about the United States which has successfully positioned itself as a land of opportunities hence, approached by people all over the world.... The aim of this paper is to highlight the various problems and issues that the US immigration faces today with an overview of the possible solutions that can help rectify the problem at hand.... This paper will also make use of existing studies to highlight probable solutions to counter these problems in order to initiate a favorable immigration reform....
9 Pages (2250 words) Term Paper

Chinas Liu Xiang

He became a hero across China as his image appeared on most billboards and the nations had huge expectations for him (Yi-Cheng 2004).... In the paper “China's Liu Xiang” the author focuses on Liu Xiang who was born in Shangai Eastern China.... The name was suggested by his aunt who requested the parents to combine their names; his parents settled on Xiang that means” spreading wings to fly”....
15 Pages (3750 words) Term Paper
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us