The section of the Iliad we read had many “universal truths.” They are love, war, greed, immaturity, for lack of a better term “a pissing contest among males,” but the most important themes in this story are the pride and power one fights for. The Trojan War had been going on for nine years already, it all started when Helen of Troy left her husband for Paris. This story is ancient yet we are still reading into it. One probably wonders, why is this story still around and why are we still reading into it? We still read this story because the Iliad is still very important to western literature. It reflects the way people are today and how times have evolved. For example, Agamemnon and Achilleus were fighting over power, just like today with Democrats and Republicans; they all choose to fight over the little things in life, which are easy to compromise. As you know the Iliad is initially about two men fighting over power. The fight between Agamemnon and Achilleus all started when Agamemnon takes Chryses’ daughter and refused to give her back. Though he agreed to give her back if he had to, so his people wouldn’t perish form the plague that Apollo created. Agamemnon then told the Achains he wanted something in return. Achilleus stated, “How shall the great-hearted Achains give you a prize now? There is no great store of things lying about I know of.” Agamemnon then told Achilleus that he would take his girl, Briseis. Achilleus then gets angry and states that Agamemnon does not deserve his great prizes, simply because he does not fight with his people, and Achilleus works hard for his people but does not get anything in return. After that event Achilleus considers killing Agamemnon, then Athene descended from above and states, “Keep clear of fighting, though indeed with words you may abuse him and it will be that way.” So he did just that, Achilleus approached Agamemnon and then said, “You wine sack, with a dog’s eyes, and with a deer’s heart. Never once have you taken courage in your heart to arm with your people for battle.” That is there way of calling one a coward, which is one of the worst things you could possibly say to man then.
One sees the theme of pride and power everywhere, but a really good place to see these themes are in movies and television shows. One example of a movie / play we thought really fit this theme is Romeo and Juliet. One would notice that Romeo and Juliet have a forbidden love, but only because their families were fighting over power, and they kept fighting until their loved ones got hurt. That’s when they realized what they were fighting over was ridiculous and they finally made peace. The song, Louder Than Words, by Jonathan Larson quotes, “why does it take an accident before the truth gets through to us…why do we follow leaders who never lead, why does it take catastrophe to start a revolution.” As you see these examples show how power and pride affect everyone around you. Though one might think they aren’t harming anyone, someone or something always gets destroyed or hurt. -- Written by ENGL 083-36N Group 1
