Honor And Glory Greek Character And Way Of Life

Honor and glory are central to Greek character and way of life. Heroes are the essence of the nation and society that they come from. Because of this, they lead their lives according to this code of honor and glory. This need for honor erupts in the Trojan war and shapes the outcomes of every decision made in this war. Every Greek warrior strives for the legacy of their fame in battle to resound, even after their demise. The concepts of honor guide the outcomes of the illustrations in this epic. The honor of the individual warrior, kin, and nation effect the decisions of every individual within this epic. The glorification of war is a central theme within the epic. An important aspect of this glorification is given by Homer’s account of how honor is given to the individual. Homer describes gaining honor as an individual in two related ways: through winning in battle and through death in battle. â€Å"out on the battle lines where men win glory (Homer, 7.131)†. Both pro cesses involve the courage in battle and the honor gained by being courageous. The decisions of the characters are affected by this need for glorification in battle. The first way to gain honor and glory through battle is by winning in battle. Achilles is revered throughout the Achaean camp as â€Å"the sift runner (Homer, 1.142)† because he has gained great glory by winning battles. Achilles is the main character to this epic, and the background information about his prowess attests to the notion that Achilles isShow MoreRelatedHonor And Glory By Homer1574 Words   |  7 PagesOctober 5, 2015 Honor and Glory The idea of obtaining honor and glory are what Greek characters dedicate their lives to. The Greeks lived by a heroic code, which shaped their society. Being remembered, as a great warrior, is one of the highest honors a Greek soldier can obtain. Honor and glory are the cause of the Trojan War, which takes the lives of many men. Honor and Glory are what define the hero in the epic poem, The Iliad, written by Homer. Throughout the Iliad, honor and glory is the motivationRead MoreHonor, Glory, Legacy Of The Iliad1735 Words   |  7 PagesHonor, Glory, Legacy How important is it to be honored? To gain glory in this life? To secure a lasting legacy? To the Greeks and Trojans in Homer’s famous epic, The Iliad, these were the most important things in life. The Greeks of Homer’s time believed that personal honor and glory was just that, personal. Honor and glory belonged to the individual who was skilled and accomplished enough to obtain it for himself. This honor and glory was held in the highest regard, and the worldview that honorRead MoreExamples Of Glory And Glory In The Iliad1054 Words   |  5 Pages4, 2017 Glory and Honor in Homer’s Iliad Thesis: Great honor comes with great responsibility. Glory should come with wisdom. Homer presents this idea in various ways. This theme is woven through The Iliad showing the foundation of dignified heroes and self-glorification. Introduction: I. Honor and glory A. Heroic actions B. God-like glory II. Social Status A. Greek Society B. Recognition and influences III. Mortality and immortality A. Glory after death B. Ongoing honor ConclusionRead MoreThe Iliad : Greeks And Their Love For War1568 Words   |  7 PagesJosef Affourtit Affourtit.2 February 10th, 2017 CLAS1101 The Iliad: Greeks and Their Love for ‘War’ It has long been a popular scholarly opinion that the Greeks in the Iliad were lovers of war and violence. The Greeks were most definitely primal beasts, and blood shedders, a fact made abundantly clear in the Iliad. However, I think that the Greeks were not lovers of war, furthermore I think this interpretation is shortsighted. The amount of violence in the Iliad seems to be evidence for their loveRead MoreEssay on The Iliad of Homer and Greek Heroes1495 Words   |  6 Pagesis an epic tale of war and hero’s within the Greek way of life. A predominant and consistent theme of honor and glory reside throughout the poem. The motivation for any Homeric Greek is glory, or â€Å"Kleos†, that is to be honored and respected among their people. Emphasis is put on living by the heroic code. Honor is essential to the Greeks and life would not be worth living without it. When a warrior or hero is advised to avoid risking their life in battle it almost drives them even furtherRead MoreThe Iliad and Greek Heroes1500 Words   |  6 Pagesepic tale of war and heros within the Greek way of life. A predominant and consistent theme of honor and glory reside throughout the poem. The motivation for any Homeric Greek is glory, or Kleos, that is to be honored and respected among their people. Emphasis is put on living by the heroic code. Honor is essential to the Greeks and life would not be worth living without it. When a warrior or hero is advised to avoid risking their life in battle it almost drives them even furtherRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Trojan War 1318 Words   |  6 Pagesexplore the interpretation of honor as something extrinsic without associating it with intrinsic moral values. In the seventeenth century, â€Å"honour† was used in four different ways: fame, renown, glory; credit, good name, reputation; noble rank, position of dignity, title of renown; source of distinction. Fame and reputation are the most common uses of honor throughout the play. Therefore, to avoid confusion and redundancy, fame and reputation will be synonymous to honor for this analysis. CuriouslyRead MoreEssay about Heroic Code in the Iliad and the Odyssey979 Words   |  4 Pageshas risked or sacrificed his life. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, the code which administers the conduct of the Homeric heroes is a straightforward idea. The aim of every hero is to achieve honor. Throughout the Iliad and the Odyss ey, different characters take on the role of a hero. Honor is essential to the Homeric heroes, so much that life would be meaningless without it. Thus, honor is more important than life itself. Throughout the Iliad, heroic characters make decisions based on a specificRead MoreTheme Of Gender In The Epic Of Gilgamesh And The Mahabharata1051 Words   |  5 Pagesturn shows that her sexual prowess can be transformative, for he had gained reason and expanded his understanding (104). Despite Ekidus upbringing and treatment as an animal, Shamhat alone, humanized him, which allowed this progression in his character. To be accepted and revered, rather than seen as a problem and feared. If it wasnt for Shamhat, Ekidu would never have been placed on the path that he was meant for and Gilgamesh would still be alone and not kept accountable. In this epic, womenRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book The Iliad 965 Words   |  4 Pagescinematic look not only on Achilles, but on other scenes and situations, providing missing character depth, and asking questions The Iliad might not have. The perspective we got from Achilles in The Iliad is one of a great warrior, but in his rage abandons his comrades because his pride got hurt. His actions make him selfish and petty to the readers, but on pages 9-15 in War Music we get more character depth and perspective. In those few pages we see a man, one of history’s greatest heroes acting