Troy by Wolfgang Petersen and Homer's Iliad: an Analysis

Movie Review

I think that Mendelsohn makes some strong and valid points about the flaws of Peterson’s Troy. He points out that Peterson and Benioff failed to incorporate the elements of the Trojan epic – the mischievous gods and goddesses and elaborate shame-culture codes of honor, reciprocity and gift giving. Mendelsohn also says that Peterson moves too quickly through the more meaningful scenes in order to get back to his “Big Epic Moments.” He has poor direction during the battle between Hector and Achilles, and fails to make even the epic scenes more meaningful for the more advanced moviegoers.

I am a self-proclaimed movie enthusiast, and I think that Mendelsohn failed to point out some of the stronger aspects of the movie. Troy garnered an Oscar nomination for Best Costume Design, and I think that the filmmakers did an excellent job with making the films “look” seem authentic to the ancient Greek times. Also, some of the acting is very strong, including Eric Bana’s portrayal of Hector and the legendary Peter O’Toole as King Priam.

I think Brad Pitt is a little on the weak side in his role as Achilles, and that he’s had better works in movies like Babel and Se7en. Though the movie may not live up to the standards of sophisticated fans of film, I think Peterson and Benioff do a great job creating a film that will entertain the majority of audiences, those who are not critical on movies and just show up to have a good time.

Symbolic Action – Helen in Iliad and Troy

Iliad - The impact that Helen’s weaving and the Teichoscopia have on the reader is that it enables one to view the war from Helen’s perspective. Imagine being the woman that was “the face that launched a thousand ships.” Sure, Agamemnon would have gone to war with Troy with or without her running away with Paris to Troy from Menalaus. During the scene in the book where Menalaus and Paris have their confrontation, Helen expresses her guilt and frustration, and wishes to have been killed because she doesn’t want either of her homes – Sparta and the Greeks, and her new home in Troy – to suffer because of her selfish actions.

Troy – Orlando Bloom’s Paris and Brendan Gleeson’s Menalaus confront each other in the movie; this is the first dramatic encounter between the Greeks and the Trojans. As Helen watches their fight, Diane Kruger does an excellent job of portraying her anxiety as she watches her prince nearly lose to her husband, and one can imagine the guilt that she feels as she watches both her lovers fight.

Symbolic Action – Relationships of Characters

Iliad – These series of encounters are important for the reader in order to gain a better understanding of the relationships Hector has with the people around him. Homer’s supernatural, mythic and heroic elements are important to his epic, and they inform every action taken by every character in the Iliad.

Hector and Hecuba – Evident in all of the Trojan characters in the Iliad, love, care and honor are important in each of their lives. Hecuba loves her son Hector, and he loves his mother and honors her. She is a guide for him and she prays to the gods for him.

Hector and Paris – These princes both love each other very much, but Hector is obviously a superior, as he his leader of the Trojan army, a skilled warrior and a mentor to his younger brother. Even on the brink of death, Paris is receiving advice from his brother, whom he admires, and goes back out to fight Menalaus because of his brother Hector’s counsel.

Hector and Helen – At first angered at Paris’ actions, Hector soon begins to accept Helen as a woman of Troy. Hector is right to be upset with Paris and Helen and their selfish actions, but forgiving as Hector is, he understands the love they share, and honors their bond.

Hector, Andromache and Astyanax – Evident throughout the Iliad, Hector is a family man who loves his wife and child. His wife is a strong woman and she does not want to see her son grow up without a father. Hector supports his family, and he receives support from those who love him.

Hector and Paris – The heroic code that Hector honors holds true to the belief that running away from a fight that has agreed terms breaks the code of honor that warriors share, and he convinces Paris to return to battle, for it is the honorable thing to do. Sarpedon expresses a heroic code that believes that it is a man’s duty to fight, and that no matter the consequences, there is no choice but to go to battle.

Troy

The movie does a good job of portraying Hector’s relationships with the characters from the Iliad. Hecuba is the only one not featured in the movie. When Hector stops Helen from fleeing in the night, this asserts his care for Helen and affirms his acceptance of Helen. When Hector cradles his child and smiles with his wife, there are obvious bonds of love this family shares that cannot be broken. Throughout the movie, Hector is seen as a mentor of Paris, who advises him on the right thing to do and shows his love for his brother.

One relationship not listed above is Hector’s with King Priam. The King loves both of his sons, but he shows special care for Hector. After Achillles defeats Hector in their battle, Priam sneaks into Achilles’ tent to beg that his son can have a proper burial. This shows that even in the face of danger, Priam will show his everlasting love for his son.

Another obvious relationship is Hector’s with Achilles. Achilles respects Hector as an equal warrior, but chooses to let Hector live so that Achilles can kill Hector in front of everyone. All Achilles cares about is glory and fame – he wants to be a legend. Later, he gets his wish, asserting his dominance over Hector by killing him and dragging his body by chariot back to the beaches.