Literature Studies: “The Iliad” by Homer Essay

Introduction

The literature is the reflection of the people’s history, feelings, and thoughts. The Iliad by Homer, the Ancient Greek author, is one of the outstanding works in the world literature. It is devoted to the period of the Greek-Trojan War and narrates about the heroic battles between the Greeks and the Trojans. The aim of this essay is to summarize the plot of The Iliad and to analyze it.

The Historical Background Of The Work

The Iliad is the masterpiece of the Antique literature. Homer, the legendary Greek author write it. According to the legend, Homer was blind. However, he is considered to be the author of the greatest literary works of Ancient Time. The Iliad is the oldest literature masterpiece on Earth.

It is written in the genre of the epic poem and narrates about the period of the Bronze Age. The theme of the Greek-Trojan War is the central one in the poem. According to the legend, the war started around 1200 BC, when Helen, the wife of the Greek king Menelaus, ran away to her lover Paris, a son of the Trojan king (“The Trojan War” n.pag.).

The Summary Of The Book

The Iliad is based on Greek mythology. “Many of the Iliad’s themes center around war, warriors, and their characteristics such as valor and duty, but there are abundant other rich threads including humor, aging, love, and lust” (Jordan n.pag.).

The poem narrates the Greek military campaign to conquer Troy. The unfaithfulness of Helen, the wife of Menelaus, becomes the casus belli and the Greek army led by Agamemnon makes their way to Troy. Achilles is the bravest and the most violent among the Greeks. The Trojan army is led by Hector, a son of the Trojan king Priam. In one of the battles, Patroclus, the best friend of Achilles, dies.

Achilles convenes regiment to avenge on Trojans. He kills Hector in the battle. He ties the body of Hector to his chariot and carries it across the field several times. Priam goes to Achilles to ask him to humble his anger and to give back the body of his son for burial. In the end, Achilles thinks about his father and makes the concessions.

The Critical Analysis

It is the epic poem not only about the Gods, but it is about the heroes, the sons of the ordinary people. Undoubtedly, this fact makes The Iliad stand out among the Ancient Greek legends. It has influenced my perception of Ancient history, essentially.

I will recommend reading the poem to everyone eager to know more about Antique mythology and history. “The Iliad is essential to read and understand for any student of the classics, and the book has many fine qualities: poetic language, brave warriors, interfering immortals, strong and caring friendships, and exciting battle scenes” (“The Iliad” n.pag.).

Conclusion

To sum up, all the above mentioned, it should be said that The Iliad by Homer is the outstanding literary work of the Antique period. It represents the genre of the epic poem and describes the events of the Greek-Trojan war. The poem is also interesting from the standpoint of Greek mythology and culture. It is one of the greatest masterpieces of world literature, which is worthy of reading for everyone.

Works Cited

Jordan, Herbert. “The Major Themes in The Iliad”. Iliadtranslation.com. 2012. Web. 7 Dec. 2013.

“The Iliad”. Commonsensemedia.org. 2013. Web. 7 Dec. 2013.

“The Troyan War”. Stanford.edu. n.d. Web. 7 Dec. 2013.