QUESTION:


Analyze the character of Achilles as shown in Books 9-11. Are his decisions appropriate for a king like him? Why/ why not? What kind of warrior is he?


Answer:


-Achilles refuses to go back in the front line, instead prefer to play the lyre in his tent, after being insulted by Agamemnon.Agamemnon wanted Achilles to bow down to him every time he (Achilles) is called upon the King's tent, which resulted in some sort of argument between the two self-centered personalities in Iliad. This resulted in the Achaeans to be driven back to the ships by the Trojans. Achilles being known to be a great warrior among the rest of the soldiers, didn't like the way Agamemnon treated him. thus resulting this for Achilles to refuse to go in front of the line with the rest of the soldiers. His action resulted in despair among the soldiers. Agamemnon sent his emissaries with loads of gift to appease Achilles. This didn't impress Achilles, rather told them that he will rather return to his home land and live in peace instead of having a short one if he decides to go to battle with Agamemnon's soldiers. Even in the presence of his ever faithful friend Phoenix who is persuading him to reconsider, Achilles showed his stubbornness and kept his firm decision not to go in front of the line with the soldiers to rally them. His decisions are not appropriate because as a soldier of the Achaean army, he is bound to follow the kings order. Although he knows his strength  is far more superior than anyone on the line, he is bound to fight with  the rest of the Achaean army in the disposed of King Agamemnon.


 Achilles is the kind of warrior far more superior than anyone. Achilles posssess superhuman strength and has a close relationship with the god's. He may strike modern readers as less than heroic. He has all the great mark of a warrior and proves to be the mightiest man among the Achaean army but his deep seated character flaws constantly impede his ability to act with nobility and integrity. He cannot control his pride or the rage that surges up when that pride or the rage that surges up when that pride is injured. This attributes poisons him that he abandons his comrades and even pray that the Trojans will slaughter them, all because he has been slighted at the hands of his commander, Agamemnon. Achilles is driven primarily by the thirst for glory. Part of him yearns to live long, easy life, but he knows that his personal fate forces him to choose between the two. Ultimately he is willing to sacrifice everything else so that his name will be remembered.