Iliad

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Maria Mihaylov
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Humane Letters 11A
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The Iliad of Homer Essay
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12/6/12
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Achilleus seems to be a great warrior on the battle field, but there are many components that stand in the way of his being a true hero.   He proves himself strong and undefeated on the battlefield, but when a certain situation does not go his way, his heroism disappears. Achilleus’ relief after killing Hektor proves he is not a true Homeric hero. His striving for people to respect and remember him leads Achilleus to self-destruction and hatred by the others, and in the end he proves to everyone that he is not a hero at all.
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A true Homeric hero consists of many traits, but Achilleus does not fall into any of those categories. He manipulates the other Gods into trusting him, and later sabotages them. A main characteristic in a Homeric hero is the changing of the character’s emotions. Achilleus does not show any change in his emotions, he remains selfish throughout the book. Another main characteristic in a Homeric hero is striving for excellence. Achilleus’s goal is to be remembered by the Gods, and he will undergo any action to get there. He isn’t trying to help his warriors win the battle, he is trying to find the way to earn peace and respect, but he is going about it in the wrong way. A true Homeric hero sets a good example for all of his warriors, but Achilleus did the exact opposite. He killed and slaughtered anyone that he thought was going to be standing in his way of glory and that was not the correct example for this men. By lacking these qualities, Achilleus is not seen as a Homeric hero.
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The Gods are realizing Achilleus’s selfish...