The story of Homer's Iliad (the quintessential
western classic) HOMER'S ILIAD Background. The Iliad and the Odyssey took
their present form about 800-750 B.C.; the poet used tales inherited from
Mycenaean times (see textbook) and a highly sophisticated technique of
composition (without writing) perfected by generations of epic singers. The scale and artistic splendor of these two
poems are probably due to one exceptional poet
Iliad. One short episode in the ninth year of the
siege of Troy by the Greeks. Depiction
of the conflicts and frustrations of an intensely competitive social hierarchy;
the emotions of men and women in a doomed city; Achilles, who cannot bring
himself to accept what others think is fair and so indirectly causes the death
of his best friend; his revenge on the killer; and his eventual acceptance of
the human condition. The poem ends with
the funeral of the Trojan hero Hector, heavily overshadowed by the approaching
death of Achilles himself and the fall of the city of Troy
Book 1. Agamemnon, the supreme commander of the
Greeks, takes back the prize of honor awarded by the army to Achilles, a
lower-ranking but greater fighter.
Achilles withdraws from the battle and asks his goddess mother Thetis to
petition Zeus, king of the gods, for the defeat of the Greeks. Zeus agrees. Aspects of the gods:
Apollo resenting an insult (just as Achilles does) and as bringer of
plague; Athena as "adviser" to Achilles; Zeus as lord of gods and men
and as henpecked husband; the all-too-human society of the gods. Nestor on the rights of kings. Foreshadowing of the early death of
Achilles.
Book 2. Zeus encourages Ag. to attack, even without
Achilles.
Book 3. The Trojan Paris, abducter of Helen,
challenges her rightful Greek husband Menelaus to a duel; Helen watches from
the wall of Troy; as Paris is being defeated, the goddess Aphrodite picks him
up, puts him down in his bedroom and leads the reluctant Helen to him. They go to bed together, while Menelaus
hunts vainly for his victim. Note: Helen is a sex object, the prize in
competition, the cause of the war, and a lonely, guilt-ridden woman, still
unable to resist the irresponsible Paris in spite of her contempt for him. Aphrodite = sex, with no regard for
morality. Helen condemns her, but cannot resist.
Books 4 and 5. the truce called for the duel is
broken by a Trojan; the general battle begins, and the Greek Diomedes is made
all-powerful by Athena.
Book 6.
Diomedes' exploits end in a friendly conversation. Hector returns to Troy, sends his mother
Hecuba to pray to Athena, rousts out Paris, and takes leave of his wife
Andromache and his baby son. Note: transient mankind compared to falling
leaves. Contrast between Paris-Helen
and Hector-Andromache. Brilliant
depiction (in speeches) of emotions at the parting--Andromache stressing her
total dependence on her husband but advising him as an equal; Hector with
gloomy forebodings of the future together with inconsistent (but natural) hopes
for his son. His final expression of
fatalism. Contrast at end between
Hector's deep emotion and light-hearted Paris.
Book 7 and 8. The Trojans drive the Greeks back and
encamp on the plain outside the city.
Book 9. The
disheartened Agamemnon sends an embassy of Odysseus, Phoenix and Ajax to offer
magnificent gifts to Achilles if he will return. He refuses. Note: the great speeches. Too-clever Odysseus, offering a bribe;
Achilles' increased isolation, anger and hurt; the affection and dismay of
Phoenix; the disapproval of the simple, unimaginative Ajax. Achilles has now turned against the normal
heroic code and is estranged from his fellow chiefs
Bk. 10-15. After a night expedition, the battle
resumes; several Greek leaders are wounded and the Trojans break through the
Greek wall. The god Poseidon rallies
the Greeks while Hera distracts Zeus by seducing him. When he recovers, Zeus stirs up Hector and the Greeks are driven
back to their ships.
Book 16. At
the request of Patroclus, his great friend Achilles allows him to put on
Achilles' own armor and lead their troops to rescue the desperate Greeks. He is successful and kills the Trojan ally
Sarpedon but is himself killed by Hector.
Note: Achilles' reluctant,
anxious, goodhearted decision to let Patroclus go; but Patr. is not Achilles
and cannot wield his great spear--and he yokes a mortal horse to the immortal
ones of Achilles. Hector's own
approaching death is foreshadowed just before he kills Patr., as well as in
Patr.'s dying words.
Book 17 and 18. After a long fight over Patr.'s
body, the terrible news is brought to Achilles. His mother Thetis tries to comfort him, but he vows to kill
Hector, despite her warning that his own death must soon follow Hector's. New armor is made for him by the god
Hephaestus (note scenes of daily life on the shield).
Book 19-21. Ach is reconciled to Ag and goes into
battle. There is a parody Battle of the Gods.
Finally, all the Trojans flee into the city, and Hector is left alone
facing Achilles.
Book 22. The
duel between Hector and Achilles; Hector's death. Note: Hector's soliloquy;
the technique of prolonging the description of the pursuit around Troy; the
parallels between Hector's death and that of Patroclus', including the
prediction of the death of his killer; the delaying of Andromache's lament, and
the symbolic loss of her wedding head-dress.
Book 23. Relaxes the emotional level with the
funeral of Patroclus, and a very gracious Achilles presides over funeral
games. Note the words of Patr.'s
ghost.
Book 24. Achilles' inconsolable grief. The gods send Priam to recover Hector's body from him. Achilles hands over the body, and it is buried by the Trojans. Note: the superb scene between Priam and Achilles, including Achilles' words about the futility of war and the sorrows of human life. Tension remains between the two, and the war will continue, with Achilles' death to come at the hands of Priam's son (Paris) and Priam's at the hands of Achilles' son (Neoptolemus). The last shot is of Hector's tomb. But the consolation given to Priam by Achilles--courage, endurance, and the respect inspired by both these--is not forgotten.