The Iliad by Homer

Important Characters

Achilles - Greek demigod warrior
Helen - Wife of Menelaus, consort of Paris
Menelaus - Helen's husband
Paris - Son of Priam, Prince of Troy
Hector - Trojan Supreme Commander, brother of Paris
Priam - King of Troy
The Greek Gods - Swayers of the Battle of Troy

Summary

The tale of the Battle of Troy is very well known. It is one of the most famous battles ever fought in history. However, not many people really know what truly happened there. That is where The Iliad comes in. The Iliad is a Greek Epic written by Homer, who was also the author of The Odyssey. Although the tale is not entirely accurate, due to its inclusion of the influence of Greek Gods as well as other factors, the story of this battle remains a major part of literature today.

The Iliad begins years before the battle starts. Paris, a worker at the time, is called upon by the Gods to decide who is fairer: Athene, Aphrodite, or Hera. After being promised a beautiful woman known as Helen, he claims Aphrodite to be the fairest of them all. After becoming Prince of Troy, he goes to the Greek kingdom of Sparta. There, he seeks Helen and takes her back to Troy whilst Menelaus, Helen's husband, is away at his Grandfather's funeral in Crete.

Because of this, Greece gathers armies and heroes (including Achilles, son of Thetis) to invade Troy and take Helen back to Greece. The Trojans meet the Greeks and the fighting over the beautiful Helen commences. Chariots roll over the battlefield, swords clash against shields, and blood spills on the sands of Troy's beach shore. The siege lasts for a total of ten years.

As soldiers and heroes from both sides fall in battle, the Gods choose sides. They choose between the two forces and use their wills to influence the battle in their favor. But even with their help, the Trojans were defeated after Athene, who sided with the Greeks, gave them the idea of the Trojan Horse. After the Trojans were tricked and Troy was pillaged and razed, the Greeks made their way home. However, not many survived the trip back. And that is where The Odyssey begins.

Quotes and Themes

"Go to Sparta, Paris, and she will fall head over heals in love with you. I swear" (13) - This quote represents the theme of lust and temptation. The entire war was brought on by Paris' lust for Helen. His love for her led to many deaths and the eventual destruction of Troy.

"A shower of death-dealing spears glittered and hissed across the narrowing space. Men cried out in pain to their gods, their wives, and their sons and daughters as they closed their eyes on the world" (47) - This quote represents the theme of war and brutality. The Battle of Troy was a very gruesome fight, with severe injuries and many casualties on both sides of the conflict.

"My friends, fight with the courage you have always shown" (57) - This quote represents the theme of honor and glory in battle. Soldiers during this time seeked honor and fortune in their battles, and for your body to be captured and desecrated was a major shame to you and your family. Corpses were collected and burned on a pyre, and their bones were buried or kept by family.

Author Information

Very little is known about Homer. Some believe he is a single person, while others believe he is actually a group of people who collectively wrote the Epics. Since most Greek stories were orally told instead of written down, Homer's writings are some of our only windows into Greek history. What we DO know is that he was born between 750 BC and all the way back to 1200 BC. The latter is believed to be because of The Iliad being set during the Trojan War, while the first because of his lyrical writing style. Other than this, Homer is an almost complete mystery.

Critique

The Iliad is an amazing story. As a recounting of a battle that left almost no trail, it is very important to historians for helping keep track of the Greek timeline. It has overall made it's mark on history and, in my opinion, is a success as a historical novel. However, since this particular copy is a retelling and not the story in it's original form, I don't recommend reading this version. Although it does give an accurate recount of the major events, too much of the story overall is taken away. But as a huge fan of Greek mythology and history, if you can't get a chance to read the original form of the story I would settle for this copy.

Sources

Homer. The Iliad. Boston: Kingfisher, 2004. Print.

Bio.com. "Homer." A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 13 Oct. 2014.