Achilles' Fate

Achilles is the hero of the Iliad, the hope of the Greeks and was hailed as an all-powerful demi-god, despite being second-in-command to Agamemnon. No one could best him, however as with almost every hero, his weakness was a loved one he held dear to his heart; the loss of that propelled Achilles for vengeance. He defeats his arch-nemesis, Hector, saves his comrades, and paves the way for Victory.

The reason Achilles chose to fight and end his life was the low sense of self-worth as a result of Patroclus' death. It is agonizing to see a man of such pride, tumble so easily. It's not as if Achilles was pure arrogance, he lived up to the greatness he was destined for. For his heroic status, Achilles was immortalized and his legend was passed on, as was the tradition of the Greeks: achieve through strength and bravery and your legacy will inspire.

Achilles' regret in the aftermath does spurn some questions though. Is a glorious death really as desirable and romantic as it sounds? Looking at it, from a modern perspective, Achilles was extremely depressed, vulnerable, and hastily decided to throw away his life. Great for the readers and the Greeks, but not the individual psyche. Also, Achilles was killed by Paris, a coward and a cause of the war. Was Homer trying to redeem the cowardly Paris or was he subtly trying to contradict the romantic notions of dying in combat?

Scene from the Odyssey

The Odyssey, in general, didn't engross me nearly as much as the Iliad, probably because of the stilted translation. However, I loved the scene between Achilles and Odysseus, which I read about in the intro to the World Literature textbook about Homer. I got really excited about it and looked forward to it as a highlight of the story.

I was disappointed that the scene happened much, much too briefly. However, it holds so much meaning, contrasting the Greek values and beliefs presented in the Iliad. I never expected there to be a contradiction about a glorious demise, especially by Achilles or Homer. Odysseus, praising Achilles' fate, while condemning his own, is a classic example of the cliche: the grass is always greener on the other side.

I loved Achilles in the Iliad. However, in the Odyssey, he is shown in a very different light. Despite his great power, I thought it was unfair that Achilles was relied on so much, to the point where he was the main and only hope for the Greeks. He knew his fate would mean the end for him, his colleagues probably knew it, yet they try to force Achilles into fighting, and berate him for refusing. Even though Achilles admitted his guilt for not saving Patroclus and avenged his death, he humbly regrets his death and would rather give up glory for life. It is surprisingly more realistic than a lot of the "noble" heroes who are presented, ex: Batman. Batman is a great, complex character, but Achilles is actually relatable, as a man fighting his fate, then ultimately, succumbing to it.