The Iliad And The Aeneid Fate Analysis - 1679 Words

The gods and goddesses played a pivotal role in the decisions made by the mortals they watched over in the Iliad and the Aeneid, but many of the questionable moral choices were made by the characters’ own free will. During these stories, the characters were manipulated in different ways depending on how it would benefit each god or their deaths were sealed by â€Å"fate† and unchangeable. Even though the gods interfered with the lives of mortals, they had choices about honor and integrity and chose to act on them accordingly. Today, people are held accountable for their actions and everyone is given a choice and moral compass about what is right or wrong. Free will allows people to live happily and unrestricted, but in terms of social†¦show more content†¦Even though the Gods frequently interfered with the lives of mortals, the humans still made debatable choices. Before Hector was fated to die in the Iliad, he made a vow to Achilles that he would not dishonor his body in death and asked that Achilles make the same promise to him. â€Å"I will not dishonor your corpse, only strip the armor and give the body back to the Greeks. Promise you’ll do the same† (Norton 265). Regrettably, Achilles did not extend the same honor to Hector. His soldiers continued to stab him, secured his body to a horse, and dragged it through the city. For 12 days, Hector’s lifeless body was dragged on the horse while the Gods used enchantments to keep away rot and bugs. Upon seeing this heartless cruelty, Apollo begs Zeus to let Hector’s body be ransomed and he finally agrees. Thetis delivers the message to her son and Zeus sends a bird to protect Hector’s father, Praim. Filled with rage and loss from the death of his friend, Patroclus, Achilles may have continued to mutilate and torture Hector’s body had there not been an intervention from the gods. Achilles’ choice was a dishonorable one, but because he was a demi -god, he frequently received help from the gods without judgement. Achilles redeemed himself at the end of the poem when Praim travels to the Achaean camp, guided by Hermes, to pay the ransomShow MoreRelatedComparative Analysis of the Aeneid, Odyssey, and Iliad Essay962 Words   |  4 PagesComparative Analysis of the Aeneid, Odyssey, and Iliad The Iliad and the Odyssey are two of the best Greek epics written by Homer. Despite their popularity, almost nothing is known about the author beyond the existence of his masterpieces. Surprisingly enough no concrete evidence of his existence is available; not even to confirm the same person created the two works. The authorship of the Iliad and the Odyssey were debated even in the times of the ancient Greeks. Many scholars have arguedRead MoreAeneid Analysis789 Words   |  4 PagesAeneid By Virgil Written 19 B.C.E Translated by John Dryden Analysis Jazymn Talley SNHU Analysis The intention of Virgil s poem, Aeneid, is to romanticize the origins of the Roman Empire. Aeneid shares many characteristic to Grecian writer Homer s Epic poems the Iliad and the Odyssey. Much of Roman culture is modeled after or inspired by the Greeks, especially the arts. Roman art, writings, religion, and celebrations were on the rise as they experienced a time of rest, enabling themRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost2283 Words   |  10 PagesHundreds of Epics have been written, and among them, many stand out, especially Virgil’s The Aeneid, Beowulf, and John Milton’s Paradise Lost, as they prove to be impactful and useful in the analysis of changes in the relationship between divinity, defined as of or relating to a god, celestial, religious, or sacred (dictionary.com), and mankind, as well as the idea of fate as it relates to mankind. The Aeneid, being a classical Greco-Roman Epic, shows an earlier age of humanity, one vastly differentRead MoreAlexander Pope Essay6204 Words   |  25 Pageswhich she attempts to recover the severed curl. The lock is lost in the confusion of this mock battle, however; the poet consoles the bereft Belinda with the suggestion that it has been taken up into the heavens and immortalized as a constellation. Analysis: Themes and Form The Rape of the Lock is a humorous indictment of the vanities and idleness of 18th-century high society. Basing his poem on a real incident among families of his acquaintance, Pope intended his verses to cool hot tempers and toRead MoreAmerican Literature11652 Words   |  47 Pagesutopia Genre/Style: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · sermons, diaries personal narratives captivity narratives jeremiads written in plain style Effect: ï‚ · ï‚ · instructive reinforces authority of the Bible and church Historical Context: ï‚ · ï‚ · a person s fate is determined by God all people are corrupt and must be saved by Christ Rationalism / Age of Enlightenment period of American Literature - 1750-1800 Content: ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · ï‚ · national mission and American character democratic utopia use of reason history