Verified Document

Heroic Ideal Greece, Rome An Analysis Of Essay

Heroic Ideal Greece, Rome An Analysis of the Heroic Ideal from Ancient Greece to Roman Empire

The mythopoetic tradition in Greece begins with Homer's Iliad, which balances the heroic figures of Achilles and Hector, two opposing warriors and men of honor, amidst a war on which not even the gods are in agreement. Hector and Achilles mirror one another in nobility and strength and both represent an ideal heroic archetype of citizenry -- men who do battle to honor both their countries and their names. To illustrate, however, the way the ideal of heroic citizenship changes from the Greek mythopoetic tradition through to the late Stoicism of Roman imperialism, it is necessary to leap ahead several centuries and survey the several different bodies of work.

The mythopoetic tradition in Greece somewhat continually dwells on the same themes with regard to heroic citizenship, whether in Homer or in the Golden Age of Theater in Athens, when Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides and Aristophanes dominated the stage. Homer's Iliad (Fitzgerald, 2008) and Aristophanes' Lysistrata (Sommerstein, 1973), for example, are two war-themed works whose tones are dissimilar but whose endings are revealing...

The ending of Homer's Iliad depicts the death of Hector, the abuse of his corpse by Achilles (a man with divine prowess but human flaws), the begging of mercy by Priam, and the burial of Hector's bones following the consummation of his body on the funeral pyre. The ending of Lysistrata is a jubilant celebration of peace in song as Athenians and Spartans end their war thanks in large part to the influence of their women. The common bond is this: both works end with attention focused not on those who begin the work (Lysistrata of Athens, or Achilles of the Argives) but rather on the enemy -- the Spartans in song, and Hector of the Trojans. The sense is that both works are neither pro-war nor anti-war in the extreme, but may be read rather as artistic attempts to understand the enemy through identification and honor. They are, in other words, works of respect. The difference between the two works, however, is that Homer's is an epic dramatic poem, and Aristophanes' is a comedy -- a work which treats a serious matter (war) in a social, comedic way.
The greatest definition of the heroic figure in Greek tragedy, however,…

Sources used in this document:
Reference List

Aristophanes. (1973). Lysistrata/The Acharnians/The Clouds. Trans. Alan Sommerstein. NY: Penguin Classics, 1973.

Homer. (2008). The Iliad. Trans. Robert Fitzgerald. UK: Oxford University Press.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Renaissance and Baroque an Analysis of Two
Words: 936 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Renaissance and Baroque An Analysis of Two Davids The humanism, nobility, and power of the Renaissance are reflected in Michelangelo's David (1504). The emphasis on drama, movement, and action is demonstrated in Bernini's David (1624). Both emphasize the heroic and favorite themes of the High Renaissance, but it is Vasari who gives the greatest compliment to Michelangelo's David, calling it more excellent than all sculpture of ancient Greece and Rome and even

Classical Symphony Music, Like Other Forms of
Words: 4834 Length: 11 Document Type: Essay

Classical Symphony Music, like other forms of art, evolved from numerous traditions that, when taken together, formed a new way of thinking about, and performing, certain types of works. Audiences change over time, and certain musical compositions that sound odd or strange to one audience are often accepted by others (e.g. The rioting during the premier of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring). When people think of classical music, for instance, they tend

Interpersonal Skill of Mesopotamia the
Words: 4344 Length: 14 Document Type: Literature Review

Interpersonal Skill of Islamic Golden Age A prime instance of Islamic leadership skills includes their medical services. The hospital and its peer review, were both innovations that enabled the Islamic culture to lead the West (and East) in to a better world. Arab philosophers also introduced the ancient teachings from India and China to the West. It also believed by some historians that Islamic legal tradition has laid the groundwork for

Real America Interestingly Enough, One of the
Words: 4206 Length: 13 Document Type: Book Review

Real America? Interestingly enough, one of the themes in the post-modernism period of American history has been the reexamination of the "real America," particularly the moral, ethical and sexual changes that have evolved since the turn of the century. This has not been a new theme, nor has it been relegated to non-fiction. At the beginning of the 20th century, American novelists were expanding the role fiction took by examining

Islam and Christianity
Words: 2022 Length: 5 Document Type: Term Paper

belief systems of Christians and Muslim, particularly in how they view angels. Both religions believe angels exist, and that they are an important part of their religious beliefs. They both believe angels can guide and support people here on Earth, and they are messengers of God or Allah. They also believe they can be vengeful and destructive, and angels play an important role in the stories of the Qur'an

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now