John Yowan
Honors English 11
Hour 3
Mr. Coate
Writing Assignment Number 3
The Iliad reflects stereotypical characters in society today in many ways. Characters and ideas in The Iliad can be compared to people and ideas in modern times. The Iliad and other works of literature in the ancient world have greatly affected modern culture, literature, and ideas.
One way the Iliad reflects Stereotypical characters in society today is how Nestor, the old man, acts. Like the stereotype of many old people today Nestor is wise and likes to talk about when he was young and how things were better than they are now. Nestor does not fight like the rest of the troops; instead he talks to them and tries to spread his wisdom. This is also like the stereotype of some old people today; they try to help others with decision-making and spread their wisdom.
Another way the Iliad reflects Stereotypical characters in society today is how Agamemnon is like Hitler in certain ways. Agamemnon knows that in order to keep his power as the king he has to get the people to like him. When Hitler started to gain power he had to get the people of Germany on his side so they would support him and help him rise to power.
Agamemnon is also comparable to General George S.
Patton. Durring World War II, General
Patton attacked German weak spots in
France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany,
Austria and Czechoslovakia, covering over 600 miles in a short period of time. General Patton was able to rally
his troops to a weak point in the
Allied lines located in Bastogne. Patton and his troops travled 150
miles under heavy-fire in nineteen hours in the middle of one of Europe’s worst winters and relieved Bastogne.
Patton’s men were sleep deprived and had little supplies. Agamemnon like Patton
was able to rally his troops. He got them to fight and gained their support
even though they did not want to. At one point in The Iliad Agamemnon was
successful in pushing the Trojans back from his boats all the way to Troy’s
walls after his men were sure they had lost the war.
The Iliad
also shows examples of how Greece was a male dominated society, the men ran the
country. Women were considered more like posesions than people, and they had no
rights. Helen, the woman the
Greeks and Trojans are fighting over does not even get a chance to choose where
she wants to be. Another example is how Achilles considered the slave girl,
Briseis, who he captured and considered his prize. Up until just recently women
still didn’t have very many rights. In the United States women did not even
have the right to vote until August 24,
1920. In other countries and cultures women still have fewer rights than men or
no rights at all.
The way people in The Iliad care more about themselves than others is another way The Iliad reflects stereotypical characters in society today. Achilles sends out Patroklos in his Armor so he would look like Achilles because Achilles cared more about himself than Patroklos. Achilles did not want to go out and help the Greeks so instead he sent Patroklos out, because of this Patroklos died. Most people today care more about themselves than others, and if they were in the same situation Achilles was in they probably would have made the same decision he made. One example of this is how many people would not risk their own life to save someone else unless that other person has some connection to them.
In conclusion ancient literature including The Iliad has influenced modern culture, literature, and ideas. Characters and ideas from The Iliad reflect people and ideas of more modern times. This can be seen in how Agamemnon is comparable to both Hitler and Patton, The way Nestor reflects the stereotype of the elderly, how women are treated less equal then men in both the Iliad and modern times, and how people care more for themselves than others.