The character of Achilles, The Iliad, (Book

The character of Achilles, The Iliad, (Book –I and Book -II)

Question: The wrath of Achilles is the theme of The Iliad. Justify

Or, The character of Achilles as we find in The Iliad, Book –I and Book -II.

Answer: Achilles is the greatest warrior of the Achaean army. Although the theme of the Iliad is the Trojan was and the victory of the Achaean army over the Trojans, and there are many heroes whose exploits and sacrifices drive the plot forwards, yet it is the character of Achilles that shines forth over all others.

His courage, his action at the time of need, his inaction in rigorous questioning of some of the societal customs that he has been made subject too, at the same time his strict adherence to the norms of civility and concern of general good over individual ego make him a hero of the epic. He is not a simple character, not one of the wrathful unproblematic fighter and winner that many classical heroes are. He is more complex and foreshadows many elements of the later day tragic hero.

The first two books do not chart the entire development of the character of Achilles, but it does two important things. It tells us of his semi divine percentage, something that cannot be said about any other warriors from the Achaean side. He was born of Zeus through the sea nymph Thetis, and that he governs the nearly invincible troop of soldiers called the Myrmidons. It can be noted here, that it was prophesized that the son of this union would surpass Zeus himself in courage, power and glory; which was not something that the king of gods was very secure about. Yet, he was bound by a promise of Thetis and tried to do the best for Achilles as he could.

However, on his own right, Achilles emerged as a hero. Secondly, it shows us that he is not entirely happy with his position. He thinks Agamemnon is a weal leader and his parentage is all that justifies his position at the helm of the Hellenic order, not his abilities. He is also disturbed by the fact that Agamemnon, in full knowledge of his inferiority is jealous of him and puts his patience and endurance to test through absolutely mindless and selfish acts. In particular, the loyalty test that Agamemnon put forwards after he receives the dream from Zeus is particularly insulting to Achilles. However, he does not respond to it through direct confrontation but simply refrains from being too enthusiastic about the war.

During the elaborate cataloguing of the ships that Homer undertakes in Book II, while describing the ‘progeny of Thetis’, he states that although his a warrior with his army of the dreaded Myrmidons, for the present he ‘idly lives enraged, and then qualifies it with a statement that he will soon leave that lethargy behind and engage in war. This wrath of Achilles – the phrase which actually begins the epic –his vexation, is much of what fashion the plot of the Iliad.

Achilles’ vexation is often triggered by the fact that he does not believe in the narrow definition of bravery and rightful action that governs the troops and the Greek world, which is why he is not as blindly loyal to Agamemnon as many other. He thinks Agamemnon is an anomaly to the position he holds and must be made aware of that.

This was magnified by the way Agamemnon forced him to give up Breises, as a kind of barter to justify his own giving up of Creisias, who was the daughter of a priest to Apollo. Achilles thought it to be absolutely unjustified and carried out merely on the basis of rank jealously.

He is also not particularly mindful of protocol. We find the way he calls a council to investigate into the plague that is killing the army. In form, he is not entitled to do that. Yet, he thinks that investigation and redress of the situation is more important than mere following of form. His plan works, the plague is lifted. But it enrages Agamemnon who considers him to be a challenger and a pretender to leadership. This attitude is something that Achilles fails to come in terms to, and this strained relationship between the two warriors informs much of the action of The Iliad.

*****

👉 Mahabharata – Discussion in the light of Epic Tradition

👉 The Illiad, (Book – I and Book II): The Character of Achilles

👉 Abhijnanasakuntalam – Short Answer Type Questions and Answers (2 Marks)

👉 Abhijnanasakuntalam – Sakuntala’s departure from the Hermitage of Kanva

👉 Abhijnanasakuntalam – Role of Kanva in Abhijnanasakuntalam (CC - I)

👉 Oedipus Rex by Sophocles – Oedipus as a tragic hero