The Iliad
Outline &explain the qualities of a "Homeric Hero". Who best fits the bill? Why?
The Homeric hero strives to be the best among his peers. His goal is to achieve
the greatest glory in order to earn the highest honor from his peers, his commander, and
finally from his warrior society. He strives for excellence in particular areas of human
behavior, such behaviors are strength, skill, and determination. These are necessary on
the both the athletic and battlefields, it is known as the idea of arete.
The Homeric hero judges his own arete by what his warrior society thinks of him.
How well the Homeric hero will be remembered and honored is determined upon how
well he fights, how his heroic adversity is, and how well he faces death. He feels that
society's attitude towards him is more important than is own attitude. He chooses to act
in a way that will make him acquire public approval that he needs in order to have self-......
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Approximate Word Count: 1498
Approximate Pages: 6 (260 words per double-spaced page) |