How Does Achilles Criticize The Heroic Code In The Iliad
Homer Response Prompt
Achilles criticizes the “heroic code” in the Iliad. Achilles has an unusual double fate: he knows that if he goes home from Troy, he will have a long life without glory. If he stays, he will win great glory but his life will be cut short. One measure of the extraordinary experience Achilles is going through emerges from his refusal to abide by the customary rules of status, when he rejects Agamemnon’s offer in Book Nine. Both characters in the myth are fighting because Agamemnon has taken charge of Achilles’ Trojan slave named Briseis, claiming her as his property. Achilles has feelings for Briseis, which drives the plot in The Iliad. Achilles already despises Agamemnon, so this final act of disrespect causes Achilles
Achilles criticizes the “heroic code” in the Iliad. Achilles has an unusual double fate: he knows that if he goes home from Troy, he will have a long life without glory. If he stays, he will win great glory but his life will be cut short. One measure of the extraordinary experience Achilles is going through emerges from his refusal to abide by the customary rules of status, when he rejects Agamemnon’s offer in Book Nine. Both characters in the myth are fighting because Agamemnon has taken charge of Achilles’ Trojan slave named Briseis, claiming her as his property. Achilles has feelings for Briseis, which drives the plot in The Iliad. Achilles already despises Agamemnon, so this final act of disrespect causes Achilles