Achilles Essays (Examples)

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Essay
Beowulf and Achilles as Hero-Figures
Pages: 3 Words: 842


This is perhaps a significant difference between the two characters. While on one hand, Beowulf is undisputedly the leader of his kingdom, Achilles is an unofficial leader, unrecognized in function, but perceived so on the battlefield.

Achilles is also more human in reactions and the relations he ties with the other individuals than Beowulf. There is no mention of any close companion in Beowulf and the reader doesn't perceive that Beowulf has any friends. Part of Achilles' legend, on the other hand, is based on the legendary friendship with Patroclus. The relationship with his friend humanizes Achilles even more, along with the suffering he feels as Patroclus dies in battle.

The heroes' death is also significant in crayoning the two characters. Since we have already discuss the fact that Beowulf seems to transpose the human realm and become a mythological figure himself, it seems natural that his death cannot come from a…...

Essay
How Muhammad Ali and Achilles are Similar
Pages: 1 Words: 347

Mythology and the Historic Person An historic person whose personality seems to mimic the character of Achilles from Homer’s Iliad in Greek mythology is Muhammad Ali. Ali was the world heavyweight boxing champion when he was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War. Ali refused to go, just as Achilles refused to leave his tent to go fight the Trojans. Achilles was angry that he had been disrespected by Agamemnon, the leader of the Greeks. So too was Ali angry that he and his people had been disrespected by Uncle Sam, i.e., the US government. Ali cited the racial injustices in the US and all that the American government had done over the decades and centuries to oppress black people—and now the US government wanted to make black people go kill brown people on the other side of the world for a reason that no one could explain. Ali was incensed…...

Essay
Achilles Tendon Rupture Every Time
Pages: 3 Words: 949

To verify this diagnosis, a doctor may then order either an X-ray of the area, or more likely, an MRI, which is better at imaging tears in soft tissues. hen surgery is required, these symptoms persist for several weeks after surgery.
Surgery is a common treatment for a rupture to the Achilles tendon; and most often consists of making an incision to the back of the lower leg and stitching together the torn section of the tendon. ("Surgery for an Achilles Tendon Rupture") if the rupture is complete, then the repair may be reinforced by connecting the torn tendon to other nearby muscles. hile the surgery is often performed through an open surgery procedure, if a patient has heart, circulatory, or poor healing risk factors, a percutaneous surgery will be performed. This surgical procedure differs in that it requires a number of small incisions instead of a single large one.…...

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Works Cited

"Everything About Achilles Tendons." AchillesTendon.com. Web. 26 Mar. 2012.

 http://www.achillestendon.com/ 

rupture

Essay
Achilles the Hero Without Doubt
Pages: 4 Words: 1625

He is described as being of gigantic size and of tremendous emotion. Always Achilles is described with the most exaggerated terms, shining like the sun or falling in the most absolute wretchedness. In a moment of sublimity oddly precognizant of gothic writers like E.A. Poe, Achilles refuses to bury his beloved Patrocles' body because "since I'm journeying under the earth after you, I'll postpone your burial...Till that time, you'll lie like this with me..." (book 18, 330-338) Achilles is perfect and heroic in the extremity of his nature. A more archetypal approach would say that he was heroic because, more than any other character, he represented the purity of war. Archtypically, he represents a purity of action and emotion than can drive men to battle, the pure warrior who is at once filled with the strength of emotion and will and yet resigned to perfect destiny, faithful towards the…...

Essay
Achilles and Hector Are Depicted
Pages: 5 Words: 1396

It is rather like a feud in this respect -- the one who commits the final act of revenge is declared the winner.
Hector is the Trojan warrior whose character differs greatly from that of Achilles and who has very different reasons for fighting. here Achilles fights for glory, Hector sacrifices himself or his family, his country, and his ideals. His dedication to family is apparent as he visits his wife and children while delivering a message away from the battlefield, a clear contrast with the way Achilles ignores family obligations. Hector places himself in harm's way knowingly in service to his city, a contrast with Achilles, who sulks in his tent because of his own pride and not because of any concern for his country. At the same time, both men tend to be reckless, as seen in hector when he is advised by Polydamus to retire from the…...

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Works Cited

Benjamin, S.G.W. Troy: Its Legend, History and Literature. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1880.

Fagles, Robert (tr.). The Iliad. New York: Viking, 1990.

Scott, John a. The Unity of Homer. New York: Biblo and Tannen, 1965.

Essay
Achilles Tendon Broken Wrist I Have
Pages: 6 Words: 2312

When I went home, I made a sandwich for dinner and ate it with an apple and some chips. I did not feel that I even wanted to try to cook anything or do dishes afterward.
Taking a shower that night was challenging. I thought I would just stand in the shower with my left leg resting on the floor outside the tub, but then I realized I had a "cast" on my right arm that I could not get wet. I ended up wrapping both simulated casts with plastic trash bags so I wouldn't get them wet. I still ended up getting a considerable amount of water on the bathroom floor. Just before going to bed, I removed the elastic bandages. Being disabled for one day was enough.

What surprised me most about the experience was the difficulty of even the simplest tasks. I had not realized how often I…...

Essay
Achilles and the Search for Immortality Achilles
Pages: 5 Words: 1450

Achilles and the Search for Immortality
Achilles, as a heroic and mythical figure, is representative of the Western search for immortality and truth in a world of temporality and illusion. The figure of Achilles expresses the desire within all men for a transcendence of the world in the search for truth and permanence through the quest for immortality.

This paper attempts to address the question of myth and immortality through the study of Achilles in the Iliad. The central thesis is that Achilles has a choice between human life and immortality through death. He chooses death and immortality over a mundane comfortable life. This choice makes him a heroic figure as he represents the archetypal desire of humanity to escape the finite and temporal world.

Another aspect that is explored is the realization that total transcendence of the world and Godlike immortality is not humanly possible. This paper attempts to place the Homeric…...

Essay
Achilles and Thetis Coming of
Pages: 1 Words: 373

Thetis' procurement of new armor, in a more simplistic tale, might be read as a mother letting go of a son from her apron-springs. But in the wisdom of the "Iliad," an epic that does not glorify death and war, Thetis' emotional sacrifice is full of sadness for both son and mother because both of them know that Achilles' death will follow the death of Hector.
As a mortal, and also simply as a young man, Achilles does not know the full horror of death. His ability to fully apprehend the knowledge his mother already possesses as age-old immortal comes afterwards, as Book 11 of the "Odyssey," when Achilles' old compatriot from the war comes seeking knowledge in the land of the dead. Achilles, even though he lives in the Elysian Fields where all of the heroes are celebrated, mourns his current state. He is greeted by Odysseus as happy…...

Essay
Achilles' Speech Agamemnon's Embassy Book 9
Pages: 4 Words: 1281

Achilles' speech Agamemnon's embassy Book 9 " Illiad" it Achilles reflects codes behavior heroes
The Right to Pride

The Trojan ar was fought for a variety of reasons, the most fundamental of which was because Helen was abducted from Sparta and delivered to Paris of Troy. Yet for many of the individual combatants, and particularly for those who were regarded as heroes, the war was fought for far more personal and lasting reasons. As many of the heroes within this epic indicate via their speech and actions, the Trojan ar was ultimately a chance for glory everlasting, and the opportunity to claim a renown and fame for deeds done and opponents conquered that would not present itself for quite some time, if ever again. Achilles, the hero of the epic and one of its most unequivocal champions, personified this desire for glory that drove most of the heroes in the conflict,…...

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Works Cited

Homer. The Iliad. www.poetryintranslation.com. Web.http://www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Greek/Iliad9.htm.

life.

Essay
Achilles a Sympathetic Character Achilles the Grandson
Pages: 4 Words: 1660

Achilles a Sympathetic Character
Achilles, the grandson of Aeacus was regarded as the greatest and primal character in Homer's Iliad, the ancient epic of Greek mythology. Even though Achilles is the central character of the epic, he is considered to be an unsympathetic character. Achilles was the son of the king of Meymidouns in Phthia, Pelues, and sea nymph Thetis. As the legend goes, Achilles made invincible by his mother Thetis by dipping him in the river Styx, however, ignored to wet his heel she held him by and made him vulnerable to be killed by a blow to that heel. (Achilles [Categories: LGBT mythology, People who fought in the Trojan ar]) Homer's Iliad, develops around the Trojan ar that spans for ten years between Greeks and the Trojans. Illiad depicts the involvement of gods and goddesses in the lives of mortal beings. (Troy Movie Review: arner Bros. Troy vs.…...

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Works Cited

Achilles [Categories: LGBT mythology, People who fought in the Trojan War]. Retrieved

from http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/encyclopedia/a/ac/achilles.htm

Accessed 26 October, 2005

Eadon, Jim. Troy: Directed by Wolfgang Petersen. 2004. Retrieved from   Accessed 26 October, 2005http://www.eadon.com/movies/troy.php 

Essay
Priam and Achilles Journal Entry
Pages: 2 Words: 696

It was not enough to kill Hektor and then return him to his family for proper burial, dishonoring the body added additional insult to his actions. This act shows Achilles as an angry young man. However, when he comes to his senses and realizes that a family has been hurt, he demonstrates a greater maturity in his actions. The transition from a raging boy to a mourning man represents spiritual growth on the part of Achilles.
Disrespecting the body of Hektor also had another affect. Achilles may have felt that the death of Patroklos took away some of his power. y disrespecting the body of Hektor, he may have had an underlying motivation of attempting to regain his sense of power that was lost by diminishing the power of the opposition. Disrespecting the body of Hektor was also disrespectful to Hektor's family, who happened to be the king of Troy.…...

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Bibliography

Lawall, Sarah., et. al. (eds.), the Illiad. Norton Anthology of World Literature, 2nd ed., Vols. a-C. New York: W.W. Norton and Company. 2002.

Essay
Hector vs Achilles the Noblest
Pages: 3 Words: 1043

War is a fact of life, a terrible fact of life, but when it is willed by the gods it cannot be ignored.
Achilles does have some positive moral characteristics: although he spends much of the Iliad retreating from the fighting, he is clearly not a coward, in contrast to the Trojan Paris. He wants to fight, but his honor is too bruised. Furthermore, Achilles harbors a deep and abiding affection for his friend Patroclus, and the Greeks idealized this type of male friendship often more than husband-wife relationships. When Hector kills Patroclus in battle, because he believes him to be Achilles, Achilles is thrown into a frenzy of grief. He puts aside the slight done to him by Agamemnon, and vows to kill Hector.

Still, unlike Hector, who is repeatedly shown rallying the Trojans to fight in more glorious ways through his wise leadership, Achilles' bravery is often emotional, rather…...

Essay
Comparing the Speech of Achilles to Agamemnon to the Speech of Hector to Andromache
Pages: 6 Words: 2200

speech of Achilles to Agamemnon to the Speech of Hector to Andromache
The two speeches, of Achilles to Agamemnon and the one of Hector to Andromache, represent two different types of ethics in regards to rhetoric; this can be seen within the context of the speeches as well as the events. The speech of Achilles to Agamemnon is seen as a type base rhetoric, and the speech of Hector to Andromache is seen as philosophical rhetoric.

The base rhetoric is something which follows a direction of evil; it ends in exploitation and is something condemning. This type of rhetoric hates all which oppose it, and would rather that it were greater than everything else -- it despises anything equal or greater than it. The base rhetoric is something which tries to keep anything from achieving or receiving any types of support which can be seen in the form of noble association,…...

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References

Homer, Robert Fagles, and Bernard Knox. "The Iliad." (New York: Penguin, 1991). Print.

Essay
Odysseus Achilles and Aeneas Is
Pages: 1 Words: 321

For this reason, I think Aeneas is different than the other heroes. His sad story has made him think more about fate and the future.
Out of all the stories of heroes, Marvel Comics and otherwise, I have to say that Spiderman is the ultimate American heroes. Spiderman incorporates the American dream. Peter Parker was a sad, artistic guy who didn't quite have the girl and was a little bit of a nerd, but then he became Spiderman, a beloved celebrity. This shows other Americans that they can do anything. Also, the Spiderman story shows that those who we think are our friends can be our enemies, that integrity is key, and that we must always fight for good, not for evil or for revenge. Spiderman faces real struggles like every American faces. In the end, though, he's always able to pull through. That's why I think he is our…...

Essay
Odyssey Journal Throughout the Iliad
Pages: 1 Words: 375

I believe both "great" mean got what they deserved in the afterlife.
Journal Part Two

In the Greek world, heroism, valor, and bravery were the greatest of all characteristics, so it is fitting that the Greeks' idea of hell is people walking around without unmotivated, unable to be brave. Americans' version of hell would be a different one, filled with all of the little frustrations of life. Some people would be caught in endless lines in department stores. Others, would be forever in a traffic jam. Still others would he stuck on the line with an infuriating member of customer service forever. Maybe some would get the mail each day, constantly finding letters about matters that they had resolved, and they would have to spend every day talking to the same companies and telling the same stories over and over again. These seem to be the little things that bother Americans…...

Q/A
How has Greek mythology been reinterpreted and incorporated into modern storytelling mediums?
Words: 540

Reimagining Greek Mythology in Modern Storytelling

Throughout history, Greek mythology has captivated imaginations and instilled profound cultural influences. In modern times, it continues to inspire and permeate various storytelling mediums, offering a rich tapestry for contemporary narratives to explore.

Film and Television

Greek mythology has found a vibrant home in film and television, with adaptations ranging from classic tales to contemporary reimaginings. The 1959 epic "Ben-Hur" depicts the trials of a Jewish prince during the Roman occupation of Judea, weaving in elements of Greek tragedy. More recently, the "Percy Jackson" franchise follows a modern-day demigod navigating the dangers of the underworld. Television shows....

Q/A
How has Greek mythology influenced modern pop culture and literature?
Words: 493

1. Characters and stories from Greek mythology are often referenced in modern pop culture, such as in movies, television shows, and video games. For example, the character of Achilles from the Trojan War is frequently mentioned in popular media.

2. Many modern books and novels draw inspiration from Greek mythology, incorporating elements such as gods, heroes, and monsters into their plots. Authors such as Rick Riordan and Madeline Miller have gained popularity for their retellings of Greek myths.

3. The themes and moral lessons found in Greek mythology continue to resonate with audiences today, and are often explored in contemporary literature. These....

Q/A
How has Greek mythology influenced modern pop culture and literature?
Words: 649

The Enduring Legacy of Greek Mythology in Pop Culture and Literature

Greek mythology, a tapestry of epic tales, legendary heroes, and divine interventions, has left an enduring imprint on modern pop culture and literature. Its archetypal characters, timeless themes, and evocative imagery continue to inspire and shape artistic expressions across various mediums.

Characters as Archetypes:

Greek mythological figures have become archetypal representations of human traits and experiences. Achilles symbolizes the warrior's pride and vulnerability; Odysseus embodies the cunning strategist; and Aphrodite stands for the power and allure of love. These archetypes resonate with audiences of all ages, providing relatable and universally recognizable symbols.

Literary....

Q/A
How do feminist perspectives transform ancient myths in contemporary poetry titles?
Words: 439

Feminist Transformations of Ancient Myths in Contemporary Poetry Titles
Introduction
Ancient myths have served as a rich source of inspiration for poets throughout history. However, in recent decades, feminist perspectives have challenged the traditional interpretations and representations of these myths, leading to transformative reimaginings in contemporary poetry titles. By subverting, recontextualizing, and reclaiming these mythological narratives, feminist poets empower women and critique patriarchal structures.
Subverting Traditional Interpretations
Traditionally, ancient myths have often perpetuated patriarchal values and depicted women as passive objects or victims. Feminist poets challenge this by inverting power dynamics and giving marginalized characters a voice. For example, in the title of her....

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