Essays on Greek Mythology

324

Father-son Relationships and Sisyphean Challenge in The Illiad and The Odyssey

4 pages / 1930 words

In Greek myth, Sisyphus repeatedly rolls a giant boulder up a mountain only to have it roll back down the peak every time. He serves a sentence of eternal suffering for trying to escape from Death and Hades. Like Sisyphus, the warriors of Homer's The...

Iliad

325

Trojan War, Homer and The Other Historical Embracements of Iliad

3 pages / 1315 words

Introduction For centuries, Homer’s epic Iliad was taken as a literal interpretation of the Trojan War. Only rather recently has the reliability and accuracy of the Iliad in terms of depicting the war come into question. Modern historians and scholars have come to the same...

Iliad Trojan War

326

Iliad and The Materialistic Views on Life

4 pages / 1812 words

Since the advent of bartering, materialism has been a prime concern for human beings. Inherent in our human nature is the desire to improve ourselves. This originates as an individualist need for improvement. The only way the individual can measure their standard of living is...

Iliad

327

The Fight with Death by The Hector in The Iliad

2 pages / 1066 words

In Homer’s Iliad, two conflicting desires motivate Hector. He adheres to the heroic code by fighting for honor and glory, but he does not always actively pursue battle. He has a strong instinct for self survival that urges him to remove himself from danger and...

Iliad

328

Achilles and Job as a Comparative Iliad Characters

2 pages / 818 words

The Timeless Fascination with Heroes Throughout human history, people have been infatuated with the role of the “hero.” The concept that someone would be willing to risk life and limb for someone else never ceases to amaze. Just take a trip to Washington, D.C. The...

Achilles Iliad

329

The Cruelty of War in The Iliad

2 pages / 1223 words

The Iliad, in that it is more about the Greek hero Achilles than any other particular person, portrays the Achaean in surprisingly shocking light at times throughout the story. In his encounter with Lycaon, who had previously been taken prisoner by Achilles long ago, Achilles...

Iliad

330

The Improvements of Achilles Throughout The Iliad

8 pages / 3908 words

There is a minor ambiguity in this title, which must be clarified for the purposes of this essay. The emphasis on an impression of the characters changing as you read more of the poem, may indicate the effect on a reader’s initial interpretation of the...

Achilles Iliad

331

The Civic Law and How It Developed Through Time in Iliad

2 pages / 1165 words

When contemplating the ultimate nature of the Greek gods and the ensuing roles they play in human affairs, it is helpful to view instances of divine intervention through the actions of the goddess Athena. Athena occupies a central place in The Iliad, The Odyssey, and...

Iliad

332

The Way Virtue and Rank Work in The Iliad

2 pages / 1217 words

Rank was central in Homeric Greek society. Though first given by one’s pedigree, a man’s standing in society was affected by his aret (virtue). A man of low rank, unless elderly or a seer, was supposed to be physically weak, unremarkable or ugly, and unable...

Iliad

333

Achilleus as a Main and Crucial Character of The "Iliad "

2 pages / 1026 words

Introduction During the first 125 lines of Book 18 in the Iliad, the character of Achilleus undergoes a metamorphosis as he responds to the death of his beloved friend, Patroklos. Tragically, Achilleus finally finds his role in the Trojan War just as he accepts the...

Iliad

334

Andromache’s Lament as an Important Element of The "Iliad"

2 pages / 807 words

Andromache, one of the few female characters in the Iliad, is part of perhaps one of the tenderest sections of Iliad. Along with Helen, she is the only other mortal woman to have any substantial speaking lines in the entire epic. Unlike women in general...

Iliad

335

Women’s Influence on The Warfare in The Illiad

2 pages / 931 words

Essentially a tale of warfare, Homer’s Iliad presents the Trojan War as a traditionally male-focused conflict. However, embedded in the story is the inevitably female-centered core of the battle. While not fully explored in the frame of the epic’s narrative, the cause of the war...

Iliad

336

The Defeat of Hector and The Impact It Had in The Iliad

2 pages / 1145 words

Achilleus’ defilement of the body of Hektor is a grotesque and elaborate moment in the story of the Iliad, while all of the other bodies killed in the epic are either carried back by their comrades or left to the vultures. His treatment of the...

Iliad

337

Achilles's Character Transformation in The Illiad

3 pages / 1551 words

“Sing, goddess, the anger of Peleus’ son Achilleus and its devastation, which put pains thousandfold upon the Achaians …and the will of Zeus was accomplished since that time when first there stood in division of conflict Atreus’ son the lord of men and brilliant Achilleus.”...

Iliad

338

Hector and Achilles as Powerful Characters in The Iliad

4 pages / 1738 words

Across cultures, fire has been considered both a life-sustaining and destructive force – it has the ability to warm and the potential to burn. The duality of fire parallels that of a Homeric hero’s pursuit of honor. On one hand, the pursuit is an enticing...

Achilles Iliad

339

Analysis of How The Weaker Dominates The Stronger in "David and Goliath"

3 pages / 1300 words

In the annals of human history, the tale of David and Goliath stands as a testament to the triumph of the underdog against overwhelming odds. Set in the Elah valley, this iconic battle between a shepherd boy and a formidable giant has captured the imagination...

David and Goliath Malcolm Gladwell

340

The Biblical Point of View on Joseph and Odysseus

4 pages / 1955 words

Erich Auerbach describes a model for a hero from the Hebrew bible that he believes is nearly all inclusive. Joseph and the story of his journey through slavery and imprisonment up to royalty exemplifies the journey from the deepest humiliation to exaltation, aided by God’s...

Bible Odysseus

341

Pride of Pentheus, Antigone and Oedipus

2 pages / 918 words

Introduction Hubris, excessive pride or arrogance, is a recurring theme in Greek mythology, driving the narratives of various characters and leading to their eventual downfall. This essay explores the manifestations of hubris in the characters of Pentheus, Antigone, and Oedipus, drawing comparisons and contrasts between...

Antigone Oedipus Sophocles