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ENGL 201 University of Massachusetts The Illiad Essay

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Vanessa Brown
Professor C. Norman
English 201
12 June 2020
Homer, the author of The Iliad, was a Greek poet that was born around 750 BC. He wrote
poems based on events that he witnessed and encountered during his life. It is difficult to know
exactly when or where Homer was born since there was no way to document things during that
time frame of life (Homer, 2020).
There were two sides during The Iliad, there was the Greeks and the Trojans. It is
questionable about who was or was not considered the better group of people due to how they act
and decided to go about doing things throughout the play. The main point of this play is to
discuss the war that occurs. The Trojan War was between the Greeks and Trojans and begun
when the Queen of Sparta, Helen, was abducted by Paris. There were several main characters
that were focused on throughout the play but some that stood out include; Achilles, Patroclus,
Hector, and Helen.
Achilles was the king of the Myrmidons who was known for being prideful, strong, loyal,
and caring. Although he was caring for the ones he loved, he was not caring enough. His pride
would get in the way many times and hold him back from accomplishing tasks that should have
been done properly. One main example of a time his pride stepped before his loyalty and care for
loved ones is when the Trojan War began. He decided to sit out and not participate with the
Greeks that were fighting to try and get Helen back. During the time that Achilles sits out of the
war, one of his good friends, Patroclus is killed by a Trojan fighter, Hector. When this happens,
Achilles becomes very hurt and angry and seeks out revenge on Hector (Homer, The Iliad,

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1955). The way that Achilles reacts about losing Patroclus during the war can be related to a
global issue that we are currently facing about racism.
Although it was not a racial issue that was being fought over during the Trojan War, the
two topics can be related about the way that people have been peacefully protesting. Both people
of today’s society and both sides of the Trojan War are fighting for something they both cared
about and want to stand up for. For those who are protesting or even fighting for their race, it
relates to the war because both sides are suffering from losing loved ones while simply trying to
get their point across and be listened to while they explain how they feel. The Trojans did not
want to go to war with the Greeks but that is what it led to when Helen would not return. This is
similar to the African Americans that are standing up for their race and trying to be heard about
the things they go through. They do not want to fight or have any issues but instead, no one will
listen to them therefore they are trying to do anything and everything in their power in order to
be heard and understood. War was unnecessary during The Iliad but that is what it come to, if we
are not cautious, the same thing can and will happen if not careful about the racial issues that are
happening during today’s time. Some people believe that wars, fighting, and violence is the
answer to issues that they face, when actually, things can be settled if people would simply listen
and take into consideration how another person is feeling or what they go through on a day to
day basis. The white people of today might think they know what the African Americans are
facing but we don’t. It is said that everyone is treated fair and equal but are we really? If we were
all equal, then African American’s wouldn’t feel as if they have to question whether or not they
can or are allowed to do some of the same things that a white person does (Held, 2016). Either
way, whether violence is involved or not, people will always fight for the things and the people
they love and care about, no matter what the consequences are.

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Vanessa Brown Professor C. Norman English 201 12 June 2020 Homer, the author of The Iliad, was a Greek poet that was born around 750 BC. He wrote poems based on events that he witnessed and encountered during his life. It is difficult to know exactly when or where Homer was born since there was no way to document things during that time frame of life (Homer, 2020). There were two sides during The Iliad, there was the Greeks and the Trojans. It is questionable about who was or was not considered the better group of people due to how they act and decided to go about doing things throughout the play. The main point of this play is to discuss the war that occurs. The Trojan War was between the Greeks and Trojans and begun when the Queen of Sparta, Helen, was abducted by Paris. There were several main characters that were focused on throughout the play but some that stood out include; Achille ...
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