Achilles and Oedipus

Paper Summary:

This paper compares the dual qualities of ancient Greek heroism as personified in Achilles and Oedipus through a close reading of passages central to the dramatic action of the "Iliad" and "Oedipus Tyrannus".
The paper explores Gregory Nagy's dual definition of heroism in Greece that involves physical strength as exemplified by the deeds of Achilles on the battlefield, and moral strength, as exemplified by Oedipus the statesman's faithful and ethical administration to matters of the public good. The paper also shows how Homer and Sophocles reveal to us that these heroes' ability to respect the gods ultimately determines the heroic stature that they achieve and have been accorded throughout time immemorial as literary and epic figures.

From the Paper:

"Achilles and Oedipus are both heroes. Yet their heroism takes on different forms, abiding by different but ultimately complimentary definitions, to unify the two essential sides of the ideal Greek man: physical strength as exemplified by deeds of the warrior on the battlefield; and moral strength, as exemplified by the statesman in the faithful and ethical administration to matters of the public good. Nagy identifies both forms of heroism, in volume 1 and 2, respectively.
"In addition to Nagy's scholarly literary observations that frame for us the notion of the Greek hero, ultimate authorities Homer and Sophocles reveal to us in the subtleties of language in central lines of the plays that these heroes possess the unifying sense of responsibility to the higher powers, the gods that have determined their destiny, and the ability to respect the gods, instead of anger them, ultimately determines the heroic stature that they achieve and have been accorded throughout time immemorial as literary and epic figures."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Homer. The Iliad.
• Nagy, Gregory. Literature and Arts C-14: Concepts of the Hero in Greek Civilization. Vol. 1
• Nagy, Gregory. Literature and Arts C-14: Concepts of the Hero in Greek Civilization. Vol. 2
• Sophocles. Oedipus Tyrannus.

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