Eurolit Homework 9/10/18

Read: Iliad Books III & IV

Reading/Listening Quiz

Eurolit Notes

The epic is a long narrative poem. Most of the characters occupy a high position (kings, princes, etc.).

The main character of The Iliad is Achilles, who is the son of the Nereid Thetis and of Peleus, the king of the Myrmidons. 

Characters are always positive or negative examples of the theme. 

To get the the theme of a work, you ask three or four questions. These are:

1. What changes? 

2. What makes it change?

3. In what way does it change?

4. Why does it change in that way? (The answer to this question is the theme.)

Keep your eye on Achilles. Achilles is symbolic of humankind and will lead you to the theme. 

The Iliad is vast in scope and contains the first depiction of a world war in literature. 

The gods are ficelle characters (for comic relief). However, they also have a very important comment on the main message. They underscore the theme that Homer is trying to convey. 

The gods participate in the fighting. Athena, Hera, and Poseidon fight on the side of Athens. Aphrodite and Zeus fight on the side of Troy. 

An epithet an adjectival phrase meant to characterize. Homer often uses epithets in The Iliad. 

The principal characters are all (kind of) negative examples of the theme. The central theme is not “avoid having hubris”. All of the principal characters in The Iliad follow the Homeric Pattern. 

We do not read stories about ordinary human beings. We read stories about extraordinary human beings. How they achieve excellence is by striving to be the best they can be. Why do they strive for excellence? According to Homer, all men fear death. What motivates people more than anything is this fear. Therefore, humans seek a kind of immortality. They seek fame. They strive for excellence in order to become famous. When they get this fame, it makes them too full of themselves. Then, they commit Ate (exceed the bounds meant for them by the gods/universe). 

The Homeric Pattern:

1. Arete (a character strives for excellence)
2. Hubris (a character possesses excessive pride)
3. Ate (a character exceeds the bounds meant for you the the universe)
4. Nemesis (a character pays the price for committing Ate)

To be shamed is the worst thing that can happen to a Homeric hero. This is what happens to Achilles. 

According to the myth, Paris abducts Helen and takes her back to Troy because he chose Aphrodite in a contest to determine who was the most beautiful. This ultimately goes back to the Fates, which are symbolic of the things that we cannot control. Paris’ fate is predetermined. Actually, this chain of events begins even further back, as Agamemnon is the descendant of Tantalus, who was cursed along with his offspring. Agamemnon is Helen’s husband, from whom Helen was stolen away.