Analysis of Achilles

Poem Review # 116754

English > Analysis
Literature > Greek and Roman
Literature > Poetry

An analysis of the character of Achilles in Homer's "Iliad".

912 words () | 0 sources | 2009 United States

Paper Summary:

The paper relates that the entire Trojan War, as portrayed in Homer's epic poem, "Iliad", was a result of insane pride and the character of Achilles was ultimately the personification of that all-consuming pride. The paper demonstrates how Homer uses Achilles to show the reader that pride goes before the fall of even a powerful and heroic man, as well as to illustrate the futility of war and the fact that there is little glory in the death of a man.

From the Paper:

"While the characters in Homer's legendary Iliad loom consistently larger than life, they are flawed, and perhaps none more so than Achilles. It is no accident that Homer painted the ancient Greek and Trojan warriors so consistently as having feet of clay. Homer also tended to make his characters one-dimensional. They were as they were initially shown and seldom evolved or grew. The character most clearly an exception to the generalization is Achilles. He managed to mature as the plot unfolds. Yet, the entire Trojan War was a result of insane pride and Achilles was ultimately the personification of that all-consuming pride."