Phthia in Homer’s Iliad Achilles longs for … The lesson here appears to be that it is appropriate to demand respect, but that it's equally important to move on when an appropriate apology is offered. While the reader does not have to believe in the gods, they can take away the point that, regardless of their actions, bad things often happen to good people. We see how Achilles' friendship with Patroclus and his hunger for honor guides much of the epic, which lead to both his and Hector's demises. flashcard set{{course.flashcardSetCoun > 1 ? Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. Reflections on Morality, Philosophy, and History Catholic, Orthodox, Jewish and Christian Teachings / Greek, Stoic, and Moral Philosophy / Civil Rights How much electricity does fluorescent lights use? If the Iliad is about strength, the Odyssey is about cunning, a difference that becomes apparent in the very first lines of the epics. Why is the odyssey important to literature. Complete the lesson Exam. He points the moral that mortals may bring evil upon them-selves.5 The gods could not be blamed for Aegisthus' fate, An error occurred trying to load this video. Homer begins The Iliad in the final weeks of the Trojan War, when things have really started to heat up. The moral values in the story include loyalty, compassion, self-control and perseverance. We can look at these more or less in the order that they come up in the epic. Having come to Ithaca, he drove away some of the cattle, and when Odysseus defended them, Telegonus 3 wounded him with the spear he had in his hands, which was barbed with the spine of a stingray, and Odysseus died of the wound. What is the Iliad mainly about? Leaders need to command respect from their soldiers, but they also need to offer respect in return. It puts human faces to the struggle and the suffering. The first text that gives Odysseus a major role is the Iliad. The story opens nine years into the war, which basically started because Paris, son of King Priam of Troy, kidnapped Helen from Menelaus, a Greek and brother of Agamemnon, King of Mycenae. With one exception, which 111 mention later, women appear as either demi-goddesses or chattel. Two characters in particular that showed great morality, despite being enemies, towards the end of the Iliad were Achilles and King Priam. For the Greeks of later centuries, the poem was a history of their ancestors that also revealed moral lessons about heroism, pride, revenge, and honor. What are the greatest lessons we can learn from the Iliad and the Odyssey? Along his journey, Odysseus has the opportunity to be unfaithful to his wife, renounce his country and ignore his beliefs. Similarly one may ask, what is the importance of the Odyssey? It continues to be an. 143 lessons The Iliad, the Odyssey, and the Aeneid are all similar epics in their adventures and their lessons. For instance, the great lesson is that learned by Achilles, that one should be … By way of a brief summary, Agamemnon stole Achilles' war prize, a woman named Briseis, to replace his own, whom he had been forced to return to her father. It is comprised of 24 books containing over 12,00 lines. T he Iliad, Odyssey, and Aeneid are epic poems. All rights reserved. Complete the lesson Memory Work. Hector, however, visits his family from time to time, reminding us that his life and death have significance beyond the battlefield. "This cannot be true, because it is not true; and, that is not true, because it cannot be true." There are not many times in this epic that a lesson is explicitly explained, so it is left to the reader to determine what the moral universe of The Iliad looks like. As Achilles suffers immeasurable grief, he realizes that he should have been in the battle and should not have allowed his pride and arrogance to dictate his behavior. Iliad, Book VIII, lines 245–53, Greek manuscript, late 5th, early 6th centuries AD.. Introduction. Love and friendship, fate and free will, and honor are the main themes of Homer's The Iliad. The Iliad Game This interactive review of the epic provides hints for incorrect answers. This is often seen through the occasionally arbitrary decisions of the gods, who make events on Earth go in the direction they prefer, often regardless of how people have behaved. In literature, a theme is a main idea of a work, and it can be stated directly or indirectly, such as a subtle underlying meaning. 1). The moral I learned from reading is that hubris or overweening pride is destructive in both gods and man,for example;Achilles refusing to fight because Agamemnon took his trophy away,because he lost his trophy and his trophy was returned to her father because the gods say so. They portray Greek gods as powerful yet chaotic, and the human world as one in which valiant behavior and respect for the divine can grant individuals lasting glory. © AskingLot.com LTD 2021 All Rights Reserved. Create your account, 10 chapters | Along with the Odyssey, the Iliad is among the oldest extant works of Western literature, and its written version is usually dated to around the 8th century BC. All other trademarks and copyrights are the property of their respective owners. Enrolling in a course lets you earn progress by passing quizzes and exams. 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Working Scholars® Bringing Tuition-Free College to the Community. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. Catherine has taught History, Literature, and Latin at the university level and holds a PhD in Education. These poems share enough similarities to be considered a trilogy of sorts. {{courseNav.course.mDynamicIntFields.lessonCount}} lessons | {{course.flashcardSetCount}} The Odyssey is a long poem. Needless to say, things start to go badly for the Greeks, and Agamemnon realizes that he needs to make amends. 's' : ''}}. How do I change the string on my grass trimmer? Agamemnon offers an apology to Achilles, understanding that, although Achilles is under his command, it's still important not to disrespect the soldiers who are fighting for him. The Iliad and The Odyssey influenced the world through their formative influence on ancient Greek culture, literature, and religion. https://study.com/academy/lesson/moral-lessons-from-the-iliad.html Lesson Summary The Iliad, the story of the Trojan War, offers several moral lessons to its readers, including the importance of leaders treating their soldiers with respect, the importance of accepting apologies, and the need for respecting family bonds. Perhaps the most influential works in the literary canon, the Iliad and the Odyssey were translated as early as 1488 and continue to influence the narrative style of contemporary literature. Loyalty is an important moral value in The Odyssey because Odysseus is devoted to his family. Fears lays out many, often overlapping, lessons and themes from the book. © copyright 2003-2021 Study.com. | 1 When Agamemnon suggests to his men that they sail home they do not hesitate in agreeing and stream out to their ships. These Homeric epics had a far greater influence on the ancient Greek tongue than even the Bible and Shakespeare influence on the English language. With her divine powers of disguise and strategy, she is the protector of our heroes in “The Odyssey”. Anger, Strife, Alienation, and Reconciliation. The Iliad, the story of the Trojan War, offers several moral lessons to its readers, including the importance of leaders treating their soldiers with respect, the importance of accepting apologies, and the need for respecting family bonds. I’ve listened to the Iliad lectures at least five times now and am still trying to grasp the enormity of it all. The great epic poems of the Iliad and Odyssey were known to all Greeks, thesy would be read at the annual religious festivals. Throughout the poem, we're also reminded that life is often not fair, and that bad things happen to good people. All might have started to go well at this point, except Achilles decides not to accept Agamemnon's apology and his offer of gifts. As we will discuss, there are several themes at work within The Odyssey. 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Beside above, how did Iliad and Odyssey influence the world? Get unlimited access to over 84,000 lessons. The moral lessons we can acquire in the Iliad and Oddysey are bravery, loyalty, politeness, unity and dignity. So it would come natural to read the Iliad first. In the fog of war, it is easy to forget that soldiers in the field are also sons, fathers, brothers, and so on. In many ways, Athena demonstrates several qualities of a hero; strength, wisdom, courage, and the power to lead. The Iliad and Odyssey told powerful moral stories through the characters who faced difficult situations, and it is this that translated valuable lessons to the reader. The Iliad, set in the midst of the ten-year Trojan War, focuses on the quarrel between King Agamemnon and the warrior Achilles. The setting of the poem, the Trojan War, captured the imaginations of the Greek people and became the basis for a new history of a common people brought together by the war. The Odyssey tells the epic tale of the journey of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, after the fall of Troy. Achilles decided to leave the war, taking his men with him. Homer is the name associated since antiquity with the authorship of the Iliad and Odyssey, the so-called Homeric Hymns, and some other poems (mostly not extant).Nothing is recorded of him as a historical person; ancient biographical accounts contain nothing reliable, being compilations from apocryphal stories, competing local claims, and imaginative inferences from the poems. In lesson 01, we studied the four ages of world history, which must always be remembered: 1. - Definition, Types & Example, Arizona Science Standards for High School, Overview of the PTE Academic Reading Section, Tech and Engineering - Questions & Answers, Health and Medicine - Questions & Answers. However, the film is based on the epic poem ‘The Iliad. The Odysseytells of the Greek warrior Odysseus’s adventurous journey home after … In the Odyssey similar subjects are presented on a more personal level. Perhaps the most important lesson of the poem is that life simply isn't fair. Learn how the ancient Greeks of the Classical Age were influenced by the epic poems of traveling bards such as Homer. It continues to be an important influential work in the present day. What few authorities exist on the subject, are summarily dismissed, although the arguments appear to run in a circle. Log in here for access. 1). The Iliad, the story of the Trojan War, offers several moral lessons to its readers, including the importance of leaders treating their soldiers with respect, the importance of accepting apologies, and the need for respecting family bonds. While Achilles continues to sit out the war, his best friend, Patroclus, fights in Achilles's armor and ends up dying at the hands of Hector. The Iliad is the earlier work (it was written first) [1].Also the events in the Odyssey are a direct consequence of what happens in the Iliad and the reader of the Odyssey is assumed to know the summary of the plot in the Iliad and who the main characters are. The main theme of the Iliad is stated in the first line, as Homer asks the Muse to sing of the "wrath of Achilles." At this stage, the dispute between Agamemnon and Achilles ceases to be Agamemnon's fault; the blame shifts to Achilles's shoulders because his pride prevents him from accepting the apology and moving on. Two characters in particular that showed great morality, despite being enemies, towards the end of the Iliad were Achilles and King Priam. To unlock this lesson you must be a Study.com Member. Along with its companion poem, The Iliad, it is one of the great achievements of ancient Greek literature and considered to be one of the foundational works of all Western literature. Achilles is still fuming but responds to Priam's moving discussion of fatherly grief and respectfully returns the body. Faithless Clytemnestra is compared with loyal Penelope, and Orestes' vengeance is held up as a pattern for Telemachus.4 The action of the Odyssey starts with Zeus' comment on the death of Aegisthus. He is determined to return home to his wife despite all of the obstacles in his way. As such, it also had great value as a symbol of Greek unity and culture. Why Does Achilles Return Hector's Body to Priam? Whereas the Iliad tells the story of the rage of Achilles, the strongest hero in the Greek army, the Odyssey focuses on a “man of twists and turns” (1. Homer's epic 'The Iliad' offers various moral lessons about family, respect, leadership, and other topics. It's a bit of an understatement to point out that this insult did not go over terribly well. It tells the story of the return of Odysseus to his home in Ithaca after 20 years of war and wandering. 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