The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research Volume 16 Article 7 2015 The Natures of Monsters and Heroes Vanessa Nikolovska [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur Part of the Ancient History, Greek and Roman through Late Antiquity Commons, and the English Language and Literature Commons How has open access to Fisher Digital Publications benefited ou?y Recommended Citation Nikolovska, Vanessa. "The Natures of Monsters and Heroes." The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research 16 (2015): 26-35. Web. [date of access]. <https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol16/iss1/7>. This document is posted at https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol16/iss1/7 and is brought to you for free and open access by Fisher Digital Publications at St. John Fisher College. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Natures of Monsters and Heroes Abstract Around the late eighth or early seventh century B.C., a poet, known to later ages as Homer, composed two epic poems that tell the tales of the Trojan War, The Iliad and The Odyssey. The Iliad tells the story of the rage of Achilles, the great Greek warrior, while The Odyssey tells the story of the coming home of Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, from the Trojan War. A study of both epics reveals that constructs portraying various values, such as the characteristics of heroes, have remained the same from the times of ancient Greece to the present day. However, modern interpretations of ancient Greek epics also portray new/ altered constructs of values in their creation of heroes, such as equality. The topics of fate, mortality, and religion in the epics are reviewed and debated. The character of Achilles, as to whether or not he is a true hero, is also subject to debate. Homer’s epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey argue that heroes possess the qualities of pride, selflessness, glory, and bravery; both text and film adaptations of these original works exhibit the same characteristic of heroes, while the monsters of these ancient Greek epics represent the adverse, innate qualities that we flawed humans possess. Keywords Heroes, Homer, Iliad, Odyssey, Monsters This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: https://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/ vol16/iss1/7 Nikolovska: The Natures of Monsters and Heroes The Natures of Monsters and Heroes Vanessa Nikolovska Abstract army and travel to Troy; the ensuing war Around the late eighth or early seventh results in many deaths and the fall of Troy. century B.C., a poet, known to later ages as Achilles, considered the greatest Greek Homer, composed two epic poems that tell warrior, fights for the Greek army. the tales of the Trojan War, The Iliad and However, Achilles is against Agamemnon’s The Odyssey. The Iliad tells the story of the rule, for he recognizes that Agamemnon is a rage of Achilles, the great Greek warrior, greedy king who cares only for himself. while The Odyssey tells the story of the One common theme throughout the coming home of Odysseus, the King of scholarship regarding Homer’s The Iliad and Ithaca, from the Trojan War. A study of The Odyssey is that characteristics of heroes both epics reveals that constructs portraying include selflessness, honor, glory, divinity various values, such as the characteristics of and that they are unique in comparison to heroes, have remained the same from the common people. In the article “The times of ancient Greece to the present day. Independent Heroes of The Iliad,” P.V. However, modern interpretations of ancient Jones writes that heroes in The Iliad are Greek epics also portray new/ altered portrayed as being on the same level as the constructs of values in their creation of gods. Jones argues, “the heroes in The Iliad heroes, such as equality. The topics of fate, never talk in terms of divine mystery and mortality, and religion in the epics are numinosity” (113). The scene of the epic reviewed and debated. The character of where Aphrodite rescues Paris from death at Achilles, as to whether or not he is a true the hands of Menelaus exemplifies this idea: hero, is also subject to debate. Homer’s epic “[Aphrodite] carries [Paris] off to deposit poems The Iliad and The Odyssey argue that him in Helen’s bedroom. Aphrodite then heroes possess the qualities of pride, summons Helen to join him. Menelaus selflessness, glory, and bravery; both text searches in vain for his vanished opponent” and film adaptations of these original works (Jones 111). Paris makes no response to this exhibit the same characteristic of heroes, supernatural event, because for heroes there while the monsters of these ancient Greek is nothing mysterious about the supernatural. epics represent the adverse, innate qualities The heroes take their miracles and good luck that we flawed humans possess. for granted. Jones also discusses ways in which heroes are unique in comparison to others. He states, “in Achilles, however, In the mythological story of the Homer chooses to create a character who Trojan War, Paris, the Prince of Troy, sparks has, through his mother, unique and the war by taking Helen of Sparta, the most privileged access to the will of Zeus and beautiful woman of the time, from King knows his fate from the very start of The Menelaus. Menelaus seeks assistance from Iliad,” supporting the claim that heroes are his brother, King Agamemnon of Mycenae, unique and set apart from regular people in order to exact revenge. Agamemnon (Jones 115). This is also seen in the modern helps his brother not out of love but out of a adaptation of The Iliad, 2004 film Troy, desire to acquire Troy and rule the city. directed by Wolfgang Petersen, when the They assemble a large Greek (Achaean) hero Achilles was set apart from the other Published by Fisher Digital Publications, 2015 1 The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research, Vol. 16 [2015], Art. 7 warriors during battle, making him appear through the trouble to create a mist to extend god-like while watching over the fight. over the body of Hector signifies that Hector During battle the death of warriors is was deserving of such protection after dying a common occurrence, but when heroes die, for fighting to protect his brother and his they are typically given more glorious city. deaths. In her article “Craft Similes and the The role of the gods is lessened in Construction of Heroes in The Iliad,” Naomi the lives of heroes compared to in the lives Rood argues that epic poetry portrays the of the common people. To what extent do hero’s death as beautiful because the heroes the myths allow heroes to shape their own die honorably fighting for their people. destiny? One example is the hero Achilles, Rood introduces many similes from the epic who was born knowing his fate, through his that illustrate “undying glory, kleos mother, and had access to the will of Zeus. aphthiton” of heroes (20). These similes Achilles thus already knew how his story serve as praise for the fallen heroes. would end, thereby allowing him to be more Examples include the similes of falling like independent of the gods since he already trees, which praise the Trojan heroes knew what would become of him. Later in Euphorbus, Imbrius, and Hector. Menelaus this paper it will be explained that Odysseus kills Euphorbus after Euphorbus inflicted is another example; he was able to redirect the first wound on Patroclus’ body fate, something thought capable only by the (Menelaus and Patroclus are Spartans/ gods, when he blinds Poseidon’s son, the Myrmidons, who were allies). Euphorbus Cyclops. However, he would continue to “is compared to a beautiful, blooming olive confront numerous challenges before sapling nurtured by a man in a well-watered ultimately prevailing. pasture...But then a sudden tempest uproots The death of Imbrius, a Trojan ally and lays it low on the Earth” (Rood 25). married to King Priam of Troy’s daughter, is Euphorbus is evidently praised as a also likened to the simile of a fallen tree. flourishing, beautiful youth while losing his “He falls like an ash tree which is cut down life in battle. on the peak of a mountain seen from afar on Hector is also praised as a hero all sides and whose tender leaves fall to the through similes. Hector is Paris’ brother; ground” (Rood 25). The fact that the tree is they are both princes of Troy. Ajax, a Greek seen on a distant, prominent mountain top warrior, throws a rock at Hector, causing matches Imbrius’ prominent honor at Troy. him to fall “like an oak tree uprooted by a The “tender leaves” symbolize the fragility blow from Zeus” (Rood 25). Homer of young, mortal life and the beautiful death compares Hector to an oak tree that requires that compensates for that lost life (Rood 25). a blow from Zeus to make it fall, praising The death of Imbrius is beautiful because he his strength, which is another common died defending Troy, which was the highest characteristic of heroes. Jonathan Fenno’s honor for a warrior. article “The Mist Shed by Zeus in Iliad Great pride, notable achievements, Xvii” makes note of the mist the sun god, and high honor are synonymous to glory. Apollo, extends over the deceased Hector, When one thinks of heroes from the ancient which functions to prevent the corpse’s epics, one most likely thinks of a glorious, degradation. This illustrates that since a god selfless fighter who would die for his is doing something to honor the corpse of a people.