Hero
Throughout literature and life there are several people that fit one or more of the characteristics of a hero. More than not, in literature you can find a character whose central identity can be looked upon as a hero. A hero is best defined as a person that can exude any of the qualities such as honor and nobility, selflessness or should possess some sort of superhuman ability. There are several examples of heroes recorded in the Norton Anthology, but the most apparent are of those recorded about Achilles from the Iliad. At one time or another, throughout the Iliad there is evidence of Achilles' hero like attributes being displayed. In Achilles, one would notice that he illustrates the qualities of an honorable and noble person. He also displays superhuman ability through his accolades in war. What finally avails him as a hero is a single act of selflessness in the end. First, as the aspect of Achilles' hero status is explored the reader will see that during this time Achilles was revered by many only because of his parentage and closeness to the gods. With all of his shortcomings it is almost difficult to think of him as a hero, but if closely examined his nobility and honor is seen within the realm of his friendship t
Apollo heard him and cast out a plague over all the Achaeans. Notwithstanding, evidence of his nobility is seen when, at the advice of a counselor he allows his best friend, Patroclus, to use his armor to fight in his place. Achilles' final act of heroism is recognized when he defeated Hector and was faced with a choice of denying him a proper burial or giving up the body of Hector, to his father Priam. He is first seen as a selfish person because of his reaction to releasing Briseis to Agamemnon. His wrath stands in the way of his duty to his country. In the end Achilles made the choice to give Hector to Priam so that a father could bury a son and move on into peace. Chryses was so upset he prayed to his god Apollo. Since he had to give up his prize from war he refused to help Agamemnon and the other soldiers fighting on his side in the war. For the sake of his people, Agamemnon agreed and liberated Chryseis, but not without demanding that Achilles give up his spoils of war, Briseis, to him. In a sense, Achilles could also be viewed a hero because of his super-human ability. He abruptly returned to his camp and refused to fight. It is noble and honorable of him because he could have continued being angry with Agamemnon and cared less about what happened to Patroclus. Calchas told Agamemnon that Apollo was angry because Chryseis had not been returned to her father and that the only way to appease the angry god would be to give her up. At the beginning of the Iliad, the reader is told that the Achaeans have just completed part of an intense battle in which the rewards were the two maidens, Briseis and Chryseis. This act in itself is one of the highest of honor and of nobility because he did not put his own personal feelings ahead of what was the right thing to do.
Common topics in this essay:
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Achilles Iliad,
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Chryseis Chryseis',
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Noticeably Achilles,
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reader achilles,
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Acceptance Essays
