This a story about the Trojan war nine years later after the Greek army sacks Chryse a town which was believed to be an ally of Troy. In the Iliad, the male characters show their heroic traits which are consistent with the brave warrior policy of the ancient Greece. All the great warriors try to win glory on the battlefield. Both of them portrayed strength and weaknesses which are proven on many occasions as shown in the conflicts described in the Iliad. Examples of characters that are depicted in the Iliad are Achilles and Hector (Michelakis, 2012).
One of the themes discussed in this poem is the wrath, which is established as the Iliad’s principal theme. The wrath of Achilles is shown through his individual rage and the theme which is propelled through the number of wounded soldiers in the story. Achilles wrath is first seen in his convoked meeting which took place between the kings of Greece and the seer Calchas. In the meeting, Agamemnon was accused by Achilles of being greedy, and Agamemnon replied: “here is my threat to you.” The wrath of Achilles has seen again when he decides to revenge his cousin’s death Patroclus who was killed by Hector (Sutcliff, 2015). Thetis comforts herself as she grieves her son’s death through these words “so it was here that the Lord of men Agamemnon angered me.” As Achilles was fighting Hector, he said to him “I shall feed you to the birds.” (Michelakis,2012).
Achilles was the son Peleus, and the mother was the sea-nymph Thetis. He was the most powerful warrior who commanded Myrmidons who were soldiers from his homeland. Achilles is a proud and a headstrong character who could be easily offended, and he perceived the owner that he had had been slighted from him. He showed his wrath on Agamemnon who took his war prize the maiden Briseis. Another incidence where he showed his wrath was when he killed Hector in broad daylight for killing his cousin Patroclus. “No more entreating, dog,” he said this to Hector as he kills him, he further says to him “I only wish my fury would compel me.” Achilles in most occasions would not agree with the Trojans; he questioned the reason for the war in most occasions, for instance, he said: “But why must the Argives fight?” (Michelakis,2012).
The literature can be used in the modern society to warn about the lust for revenge. The traits about Hector for the love of his family and country and his willingness to die is a symbol of courage, bravery, and being a true hero. When analyzing the traits of Hector and Achilles, it is said that a common misunderstanding between enemies can help students to understand different ways on how to handle conflicts (Sutcliff, 2015).
In conclusion from this poem, Christians can learn that there is all powerful God who sometimes view things and situations differently from men’s point of view. Christians need to learn that God might sometimes choose to see things and fail to react to them. The Bible states that God is all powerful in that he has control over all things that is according to the book of Mathews. Another lesson that Christians can learn from the literature is that no other god is more powerful than the almighty God. In the book of Genesis, he gave commandments to Moses warning them that they should not put any other god before him. The Trojans fell because they had faith in their gods who never helped them to achieve victory during the war.
References
Michelakis, P. (2012). Achilles in Greek tragedy. Cambridge University Press.
Sutcliff, R. (2015). Black ships before Troy: The story of the Iliad. New York: Laurel-Leaf Books.