Achilles Not A Hero In The Iliad By Homer

In popular television, we feel pity for the abused antagonist. Although Tom is constantly trying to kill Jerry, we still feel a tinge of pity due to the hardships he must face as a consequence of his actions. Throughout the Iliad by Homer we learn to pity Achilles for the things that have happened to him, but we tend to overlook whether we should pity him. Achilles is a brutal fighter, who pillages, rapes, and enslaves his captives. The most important, least obvious thing to know about Achilles is that he is not a hero.
Within the first few books of the Iliad, Achilles is depicted as a victim when Agamemnon grabs his prize from pillaging a city. This is the main reason Achilles doesn’t fight in the beginning of the Trojan War. When it becomes
After Patroclus is killed by Hector, he desecrates his body. The Iliad directly describes the acts as continually stabbing his body, dragging him around the walls of troy, and not wanting Hector to have funeral rites performed on him. This act is one of malice. He shows the desecration he and the Myrmidons have done to the body by dragging it along the walls of Hector’s entire family. Everyone is able to see exactly what Achilles has done. Achilles feels such rage towards Hector that Achilles wants his entire family to feel his wrath.
Achilles has done quite a lot that he considers just, but bringing us back to the fight against the river, quickly after this event happened, he decides to “he drew twelve youths alive out of the water, to sacrifice in revenge for Patroclus son of Menoetius” (21 Homer). In what world is the killing of youth justified? Achilles sacrificed people for the revenge of Hector slaying Patroclus. This act is unjustified and disturbing. Achilles has let his bloodlust consume him, and believes all that he does is correct. He didn’t even have the foresight to think this may be a bad