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Are we all just pawns??

This post will be about book 6 of the Illiad, which I found particularly interesting. 

While reading the Illiad, I couldn't help but feel powerless. It seemed as though all actions and events were done by the gods in some way. For example, in book 6, Diomedes in wounded and prays to Athena for revenge. Athena then grants him SUPERHUMAN STRENGTH. He then goes around slaughtering everyone including the man who hurt him prior, Pandarus. Later, he wounds Aphrodite and then Apollo! This was a big uh-oh. Apollo shows Diomedes mercy but then out of retaliation urges the God of war Ares to fight on the Trojan side. Which leads me to my next talking point, are any mortals worthy of wielding the power of a god without messing things up? 

Later Hera and Athena go to Zeus to get permission to intervene on the side of the Archaens. 

This book truly made me wonder if this extremely long and taxing war is just a playground for the gods. It almost seems like a form of entertainment for them, like a play. Although humans have free will, they almost always ask/sacrifice to the gods for advice and help. Even when a human decides to do something, it seems as though a God can shut it down with the snap of a finger; all while able to be wooed, wounded and tricked by the mortals! This back and forth of power by Homer is intriguing to me. Let me know your thoughts!

(Also, I apologize for the tardy post. I added this class late and the permission email to enter this blog found its way into my spam folder) Also enjoy this horrible graphic I made with powerpoint haha

Storytelling: Better than Reading?

      

I used to think that reading was amazing, and I often preferred it to listening or watching. However, I have learned that we lose so much when we communicate alone. Books, films, and online communication are useful, but I think they only give us a glimpse of what it is like to interact face-to-face. As I read The Iliad, I found a few characteristics that seemed a bit odd to find in a written text. But they made more sense when I considered them in light of a face-to-face storytelling culture.

Practical detail: Often, Homer thoroughly describes what the characters are physically doing. In Book 16 there is more than ample description of the battles. In Book 24 there is a section that describes step-by-step how Priam’s sons prepare his cargo wagon for the trip. This detail seems excessive and boring for a written narrative, but from the perspective of storytelling, it appears to have more purpose. What would it be like to experience these (seemingly boring) descriptions through a real person, one we can see, hear, and respond to? 

Metaphors and similes: As we have discussed in class, there are many comparisons throughout the text. Homer compares characters and events to stars, snakes, eagles, hawks, hounds, trees, and war events. He even commands us (in second person) to think about the strokes of woodcutters as a metaphor. Some of these metaphors take a large chunk of text to describe. They slow down the pace of the reading, allowing listeners to slowly and fully experience the tale. There seems to be less an emphasis on plot and more on an attempt to feel and understand each small event, something a storyteller would prioritize. It’s slower, descriptive, and more life-like.

Clarification of identity: Another odd characteristic is Homer’s constant reminders of characters’ identities and relationships. When first reading, I tried to write down all of the names and relationships in order to keep them straight, but I soon realized that Homer often repeats these details for us. With multiple reminders, a reader – and even more importantly, a listener – doesn’t have to work too hard to remember the core relationships. The Homeric epithets add to this too. By the end of even just a couple of The Iliad’s books, we can have no doubt that Athena has white arms and Achilles is a fast runner. Perhaps this clarification is a tool that storytellers used for themselves and their listeners as they performed. 

What purpose do these characteristics serve in The Iliad? If you were to tell a story orally (even a short one), would you find that these characteristics make more sense when there is an active audience in mind?

The Iliad

For my blog post I am going to be focusing on the last part that we read, which would be book 24.

We begin this book with Achilles crying over the loss of his friend. Achilles in in such a rage that he takes Hector's dead body and attaches it to the back of his chariot. Now not only does he attach Hector's body to his chariot, he proceeds to drag it around. To me that set off some red flags for me that he may be a little crazy. The gods were obviously very upset over this, so they put a spell like thing on his body so it would not be damaged during Achilles little outburst.

For me I think there is something wrong in the head with Achilles. I know we all get upset and grieve in our different ways when we lose someone close to us. I think what Achilles did was a bit extreme in my opinion. The fact that he attached a dead body to the back of a chariot just shows that obviously this guy has some mental Issues going on.

 I hope I am not the only one in this class that thinks something is wrong with him. Also I do not think that what he did was socially acceptable back then either, considering that the Gods were very upset with him trying to ruin Hector’s body.