Preview

Is Achilles Selfish Or Is He Really Self-Preserving?

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
463 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Is Achilles Selfish Or Is He Really Self-Preserving?
Is the Greek hero Achilles selfish or is he really just self-preserving? Many may have this question pop in to their minds as they read The Iliad. Therefore, the reader is always trying to determine whether or not Achilles is looking out for his best interest or if he is a stuck up and selfish hero. Looking at; attitude, dialogue, and actions all of Achilles, can provide much information needed to decide who he truly is. Taking all these key points in to great thought helps one make up their own mind on the confusion behind this question. Achilles attitude truly expresses his true demeanor. This Greek hero has a genuinely rude and arrogant attitude. In book one, Achilles says to Agamemnon, "To me you are the most hateful of all the kings
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Achilles Vs Beowulf Research Paper
    • 344 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Achilles Vs Beowulf Research Paper

    He fought for his people and to protect others. () However, Achilles was indeed strong, but he was very selfish. () Both were great heroes, but in various ways.…

    • 344 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Achilles and Gilgamesh
    • 718 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Achilles and Gilgamesh

    I see Achilles as ill-tempered and reactionary because he cannot control his temper and becomes furious when his pride is hurt. He is very prideful and will do basically anything for his name to be remembered. His mother, a Goddess and fortune teller, tells him his fate, if he goes to Troy to fight Hector his name will be forgotten. He still goes because of his strong desire to avenge his best friend and cousin Patroclus’ death. I think this shows that, even though prideful, he is also very loving and cared deeply for people especially his family and close friends. His rage is very evident in his personality throughout The Iliad. In the section of The Iliad read, his anger is shown at Hector for killing Patroclus, it is apparent that pride and anger are a major part to his personality.…

    • 718 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Iliad and Achilles Dearest Friend
    • 1200 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Iliad and Achilles Dearest Friend

    Achilles was called a tragic hero because his flaw was to be selfish. A selfish person lacked consideration for others and was concerned with their own pleasure. In the Iliad, Achilles mostly cared about himself. For example, Agamemnon stole Achilles’ prize possession. For this reason, Achilles refused to join the war because he was angry with Agamemnon. Achilles stated, “But listen while I tell you exactly how I want things to be: ‘I want you to win me great honor and glory in the eyes of all Greeks, so that they give my lovely women back to me and…

    • 1200 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Beowulf Vs Achilles Research Paper
    • 732 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Beowulf Vs Achilles Research Paper

    Achilles is the greatest warrior in the Greek army, and like any exemplary hero, he is resolute and possesses incredible strength and toughness. Nevertheless, his numerous disagreeable traits overshadow his few agreeable ones. He is merciless, indignant, selfish, and vindictive. To…

    • 732 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Achilles In The Iliad
    • 511 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Achilles In The Iliad

    Aristotle said that the man who is incapable of working in common, or who in his self-sufficiency has no need of others, is no part of the community, and is like a beast or a god. Discuss the character of Achilles in light of this statement. Use plenty of examples, details, references, and quotations in the response.…

    • 511 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Achilles and the Greek Era
    • 1662 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Achilles and the Greek Era

    Achilles had humanlike characteristics. He fought and risked his life for the people, many descendants from God themselves. Achilles was one of the most vital characters in the story. Being the ultimate most powerful warrior of all time, he wishes for nothing in his life but to be the most glorious man alive, mortal or immortal. It is this profound desire for glory and honor, that in the end leads to his demise. He helped to raised the Greek soldiers’ moral and was an excellent fighter. He fights to save his city, and believes in preconceived notions of his life, or predetermined destiny. Instead of fulfilling his desires, he fulfills those already given to him. Fate does not determine every action, incident, and occurrence, but it does determine the outcome of life.…

    • 1662 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Achilles: A Tragic Hero
    • 2207 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Achilles: A Tragic Hero

    The first characteristic of a tragic hero is that they must suffer more than deserved. This stands true for Achilles, Hector, Beowulf, and Hamlet. Achilles, son of King Peleus and Thetis, rightfully earned his title as one of the greatest heroes in the war between the Greeks and Trojans. Achilles was a special warrior because he could only be killed if he was wounded in his…

    • 2207 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Iliad American Hero
    • 1466 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Iliad American Hero

    Achilles cares about nothing other than himself and making sure that his name lives on forever, while Hector cares about winning the battle for his family and country. In one battle, Hector kills Patroclus thinking it was Achilles, which really sets Achilles off and is the reason that Achilles rejoins the war. When the two warriors finally meet near the end of the Epic, Hector is confronted with the fact that he is indeed going to die. Hector tries to think of ways to get out of the battle with Achilles, like bribery. This shows that Hector is not the perfect hero like many people may have thought when they first read about him. One cannot forget that Hector is only human, and that he does have the same characteristics as us humans do now. Everyone has to face a fear that they do not necessarily want to from time to time, and courage is the trait that brings the true heroes to the forefront. After being chased by Achilles for a while, Hector finally realizes that he has to fight Achilles. The fact that Hector stands up for himself and his country proves that he is courageous and that he is indeed a…

    • 1466 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Achilles: God or Beast?
    • 1158 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Achilles: God or Beast?

    In the beginning, we realize that Achilles has a strong sense of social order and is an important figure in the Greek camp. In fact, as a deadly plague sent by Apollo is decimating the Greeks, Achilles is the…

    • 1158 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Achille's Emotions
    • 2113 Words
    • 9 Pages

    Achille's Emotions

    Love and Hate. Pain and Pleasure. Fear and Confidence. These are all emotions that are experienced by living things. Some of us are more susceptible to these emotions than others. In Homer’s Iliad, one of the main characters, Achilles, is especially prone to these emotions. His emotions vary from one extreme to the other. Despite being considered to be one of the strongest warriors, a figure feared by the…

    • 2113 Words
    • 9 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Achilles Runner
    • 871 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Achilles Runner

    In the beginning of Book One, after Agamemnon erroneously accuses Achilles of cheating him of his prize, Chryseis, Achilles insulted, retorts at Agamemnon reminding him of all the honors and loyalty he has earned while he shamelessly earns his pillage through his lust for greed. "Shameless-armored in shamelessness-always shrewd with greed…my honors never equal yours, whenever we sack some wealthy Trojan stronghold-my arms bear the brunt of the raw, savage fighting…I have no mind to linger here disgraced, brimming your cup and piling up your plunder," (1.174-202). Achilles cannot control his pride or rage, which at some point in the epic poisons him, and as a result he does not stop his rage and brutality against the Trojans and Hector's corpse. After Hector took his last breathe, Achilles ruthlessly molested his corpse. "He was bent on outrage, on shaming noble Hector…Piercing the tendons, ankle to heel behind both feet, he knotted straps of rawhide through them both, lashed them to his chariot, left the head to drag…he whipped his team to a run and breakneck on they flew, holding nothing back."(2.467-472). Achilles' brutality and outrage are established on his lust for infamy and…

    • 871 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Achilles Changes
    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Achilles Changes

    The Iliad, a book by Homer about the Trojan War, focuses a lot on Achilles and his internal struggle with his personal desires. In the time of the Trojan War, there was an unspoken code of morals and how warriors of honor should follow. If they did not fight or acted cowardly it not only brought them shame but their family name was looked down on. Warriors that were defeated weren't always killed because they were sometimes taken prisoner to be used for ransom money or gifts. However, in the Iliad, Homer shows that sympathy rarely is evident in war.…

    • 564 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Odysseus A Leader Analysis
    • 1760 Words
    • 8 Pages

    Odysseus A Leader Analysis

    Homer portrays Achilles as a man with great strength and a true passion for fighting. Both Achilles and Odysseus represent the Greek ideals of what makes an epic hero. Their sense of duty, courage, and bravery is what allows them to be heroic leaders in their respective journeys and battles. They both encounter personal struggles and tests, but both have come out stronger. For example, Odysseus endures constant trials along his journey to return to Ithaca. He encounters turbulent weather, the loss of his men, and the continual wrath of Poseidon. Likewise, Achilles’ entire existence is a mixture of war, hardships, and trying to establish himself as an immortal Greek hero. Although they both follow different paths, the countless trials that they face led them both to become great leaders and solidify their status in Greek history. Though they share several similarities, their differences are both interesting and varied. One example is Achilles, who is an honorable man in the beginning of his journey but after the death of Patroclus, he becomes completely irrational and only desires to destroy his enemies. Odysseus is far more level-headed and truly desires to return to his home and his family. As a warrior, Achilles is known for being impulsive and revengeful. He is completely focused on demolishing his opponents and often lacks the human emotion to care for those around him.” In the…

    • 1760 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Analyzing Theories Of Edgar Allen Poe's Death
    • 205 Words
    • 1 Page

    Analyzing Theories Of Edgar Allen Poe's Death

    There are many different theories on the author Edgar Allen Poe’s death. The theories go from drugs to alcohol, to brain tumors, to suicide. There is different evidence on the theories, but no one will ever know the real cause.…

    • 205 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Food Safety Risk Perception
    • 896 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Food Safety Risk Perception

    The socio-demographic elements such as age, gender, education, income, size of household and invulnerability of oneself are distinguished as important aspects influencing people’s risk perception (Klontz et al., 1995; Hibbert et al., 2004; Miles et al., 2004). Support by the view of Flynn et al. (1994) that individual risk perception is manipulated by socio-demographic characteristics, voting behaviour and level of understanding. Furthermore, Dosman et al. (2001) analyze the relationship between food safety and risk perception in a multivariate way and find that the risk perception related to bacteria; additives and pesticides in food is predicted by variables such as income, gender, age, number of children and voting preference.…

    • 896 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics