Homers Iliad :: essays research papers

General Plot Summary of Homers IliadThe Iliad is a lengthy verse form of some 15,693 lines, divided into 24 books (cantos) and has as its theme the anger (menis) of the Grecian hero Achilles, the greatest of the heroes to sail to Troy. In the tenth year of the fight, Achilles quarrels with the attractor of the expedition, Agamemnon, over a slight to Achilles honor. In his anger, Achilles withdraws from the fighting and wins the aid of Zeus, the pansy of the gods, to see to it that the war turns against the Greeks. Eventually (Book 9) things begin to go so in earnest that Agamemnon sends a delegation to Achilles to offer him compensation and ask him to rejoin the fighting. In an effort to make good the slight to Achilles honor, Agamemnon promises an immense amount of treasure, notwithstanding Achilles still refuses to help the Greeks. In the anger of the moment, he declares that he exit only fight once the Trojans attack his own ships at that point, he feels, he will be able to rejoin the battle as a point of personal honor rather than as Agamemnons leased lackey. In the course of Book 12 (the center of the poem) the Trojans bring the war right up to the fortifications surrounding the Greek ships. Under the leadership of the idealistic push around, they manage to breach the Greek defenses and are soon in a lay to undo the Greek fleet. At this point, Achilles sees the weakness of his plan should the Trojans destroy the fleet, the Greek forces would be placed in a vulnerable position and could potentially be wiped out. Unable to rejoin the battle himself without losing face, he is persuaded to permit his loyal friend Patroclus to join the battle, disguised in Achilles armor, in piece to win the Greeks some breathing room. Unfortunately, Patroclus gets caught up in the fighting and, verso to Achilles instructions, attempts to take the city of Troy himself, only to be killed by Hector with the aid of the pro-Trojan god Apollo (Book 16). At this poin t, Achilles falls into an inhuman rage his condition anger at Agamemnon and the Greeks is forgotten in his grief at the finish of his friend and his desire to take revenge on Hector. In his anger, Achilles slaughters Trojans by the dozens and in a heartless manner that