The plots of the famous works “Iliad” and “Odyssey” are taken from a general collection of epic tales about the Trojan War. And each of these two poems represents a small sketch from a larger cycle. The main element in which the characters of the work “Iliad” operate is war, which is depicted not as a clash of the masses, but as the actions of individual characters.
Achilles
The main character of the Iliad is Achilles, a young hero, the son of Peleus and the goddess of the sea, Thetis. The word "Achilles" is translated as "swift-footed, like a god." Achilles is the central character of the work. He has an integral and noble character, which personifies real valor, as the Greeks then understood it. For Achilles there is nothing higher than duty and honor. He is ready to avenge the death of his friend by sacrificing his own life. At the same time, duplicity and cunning are alien to Achilles. Despite his honesty and sincerity, he acts as an impatient and very hot-tempered hero. He is sensitive in matters of honor - despite the serious consequences for the army, he refuses to continue the battle because of the insult caused to him. In the life of Achilles, the dictates of heaven and the passions of his own existence coincide. The hero dreams of fame, and for this he is also ready to sacrifice his own life.
The main characters of the Iliad
The Iliad is full of descriptions of the heroic exploits of the Spartan kings Menelaus and his brother Agamemnon, who led the Achaeans, as well as the former suitors of Helen the Beautiful, bound to Menelaus by an oath of fidelity. Many other Achaean rulers, such as Odysseus, also took part in the war. An active role in it was played by Achilles (Achilles), the son of the already mentioned Peleus and the goddess Thetis, whom his mother bathed in infancy in the waters of the underground river Styx, holding him by the heel (thanks to this, Achilles’ body became invulnerable to enemy weapons, and his weak point only his heel remained - the “Achilles heel”), as well as his friend and brother-in-arms Patroclus.
The long war with the Trojans reached its climax in the tenth year of the siege. It was then that the main intrigues began to unfold. Achilles, offended by Agamemnon (his captive was taken from him), refused to fight.
After the death of Troy, strife began in the Achaean camp, which led to the death of many of them. Severe winds and storms sent by the angry gods raged, in which the ships of the Achaeans disappeared. The leader of the Achaeans, Agamemnon, who brought Cassandra as booty, became a victim of his jealous wife Clytaemestra. Odysseus, who was returning home, was punished with long and sometimes deadly adventures.
Confrontation in the soul of the main character
Achilles, the main character of the Iliad, is used to commanding and managing, as he is aware of his strength. He is ready to destroy Agamemnon on the spot, who dared to insult him. And Achilles' anger manifests itself in a variety of forms. When he takes revenge on his enemies for Patroclus, he turns into a real demon-destroyer. Having filled the entire bank of the river with the corpses of his enemies, Achilles enters into battle with the god of this river himself. However, it is very interesting to see how Achilles' heart softens when he sees his father asking for his son's body. The old man reminds him of his own father, and the cruel warrior softens. Achilles also bitterly misses his friend and sobs at his mother. Nobility and the desire for revenge fight in the heart of Achilles.
Hector
Continuing to characterize the main characters of Homer's Iliad, it is worth dwelling in particular detail on the figure of Hector. The bravery and courage of this hero are the result of the good will prevailing in his consciousness. He knows the feeling of fear, like any other warrior. However, despite this, Hector learned to show courage in battles and overcome cowardice. With sadness in his heart, he leaves his parents, son and wife, as he is faithful to his duty - to protect the city of Troy.
Hector is deprived of the help of the gods, so he is forced to give his own life for his city. He is also depicted as humane - he never reproaches Elena and forgives his brother. Hector does not hate them, despite the fact that they were the ones responsible for the outbreak of the Trojan War. There is no disdain for other people in the hero’s words; he does not express his superiority. The main difference between Hector and Achilles is humanity. This quality is contrasted with the excessive aggressiveness of the protagonist of the poem.
Achilles and Hector: comparison
A frequent task is also a comparative description of the main characters of the Iliad - Achilles and Hector. Homer gives the son of Priam more positive, humane traits than the main character. Hector knows what social responsibility is. He does not put his experiences above the lives of other people. In contrast, Achilles is the true personification of individualism. He elevates his conflict with Agamemnon to truly cosmic proportions. In Hector, the reader does not observe the bloodthirstiness that is inherent in Achilles. He is an opponent of war, he understands what a terrible disaster it turns out to be for people. The whole disgusting and terrible side of the war is clear to Hector. It is this hero who proposes not to fight with whole troops, but to field separate representatives from each side.
Hector is helped by the gods Apollo and Artemis. However, he is very different from Achilles, who is the son of the goddess Thetis. Achilles is not exposed to weapons; his only weak point is the heel. In fact, he is a half-demon. When preparing for battle, he puts on the armor of Hephaestus himself. And Hector is a simple man who faces a terrible test. He realizes that he can only answer the challenge, because the goddess Athena is helping his enemy. The images of these characters are very different. The Iliad begins with the name of Achilles, and ends with the name of Hector.
Element of heroes
A description of the main characters of Homer's poem "Iliad" would be incomplete without characterizing the environment in which the action of the poem takes place. As already indicated, such an environment is war. In many places in the poem, the exploits of individual characters are mentioned: Menelaus, Diomedes. However, the most significant feat is still the victory of Achilles over his opponent Hector.
The warrior also wants to know for sure who exactly he is dealing with. In some cases, the confrontation stops for a while, and to ensure freedom for the warriors, as well as non-interference by outsiders, the truce is consecrated with sacrifices. Homer, who lived in an environment of war and constant murder, expressively depicts the dying torment of the dying. The cruelty of the victors is no less vividly depicted in the poem.
Element of characters
The description of the main characters of Homer's poem "Iliad" will not be complete enough if we do not consider the element in which everything happens. We are talking about war. Periodically, the poem mentions the exploits of certain characters. And yet, the central place is given to the battle between Achilles and Hector, who plays the role of his opponent. A warrior wants to understand who he has to deal with. From time to time the confrontation pauses. A truce reigns and sacrifices take place.
The author of the work himself, who lived in a constant atmosphere of murder and war, very accurately conveys the torment of people who die. This can also be said about the cruelty of the soldiers participating in the battle, especially those who win. There are several other characters in this poem that are worth considering in more detail.
Menelaus and Agamemnon
Some of the main characters of the Iliad are the Mycenaean king Agamemnon, as well as the Spartan ruler Menelaus. Homer portrays both as not the most attractive characters - both do not miss the opportunity to abuse their position, especially Agamemnon. It was his selfishness that caused the death of Achilles. And Menelaus’s interest in the attack was the reason that the war broke out.
Menelaus, whom the Achaeans supported in battles, was supposed to take the place of the Mycenaean ruler. However, he turns out to be unsuitable for this role, and this place turns out to be occupied by Agamemnon. Fighting with Paris, he gives vent to his anger, which has accumulated against his offender. However, as a warrior he is significantly inferior to the other heroes of the poem. His actions prove significant only in the process of saving the body of Patroclus.
Kings Menelaus and Agagemnon
Menelaus is the king of Sparta, and Agamemnon is the king of the Achaeans. These are two strong rulers who, after the abduction of Helen, unite and attack Troy. The kidnapping of Elena for them was only a pretext for starting the war that they love so much.
Both men are very brave and strong warriors, as well as good strategists and rulers
, so their people are ready to make any sacrifices for them.
In a duel with Paris, Agagemnon failed, but at the hands of Hector, after which he moderated his ardor a little. And Menelaus only became more furious.
These characters act as the injured party, but are not positive heroes.
Other heroes
One of the most charming main characters of the Iliad is the old man Nestor, who loves to constantly remember the years of his youth and give his instructions to young warriors. Also attractive is Ajax, who with his courage and strength surpasses everyone except Achilles. Patroclus, Achilles’s closest friend, who was raised with him under the same roof, also evokes admiration. While performing his exploits, he became too carried away by the dream of capturing Troy and died at the merciless hand of Hector.
An elderly Trojan ruler named Priam is not the main character of Homer's Iliad, but he has attractive features. He is a true patriarch who is surrounded by a large family. Having grown old, Priam cedes the right to command the army to his son, Hector. On behalf of all his people, the elder makes sacrifices to the gods. Priam is distinguished by such character traits as gentleness and courtesy. He even treats Elena, whom everyone hates, well. However, the old man is haunted by misfortune. All his sons die in battle at the hands of Achilles.
Minor characters
Elena the beautiful
The most beautiful of women, she is popular with men, but basically everyone hates her.
Odysseus
The most resourceful, cunning and intelligent king of Ithaca. It was Odysseus who invented the wooden horse, thanks to which Troy fell. He is a cunning and eloquent hero, reasonable and practical, Odysseus is an inspired speaker and a brave leader. An unsurpassed master of adapting to any prevailing circumstances, he has the gift of persuasion, and is talented in dealing with people.
Paris
Descendant of Hecuba and Priam. Paris's parents were predicted that their son would be responsible for the fall of Troy, and to avoid this, Priam and Hecuba threw Paris to be devoured by wild animals on Mount Ida. But Paris remained alive and was raised by a shepherd. Aphrodite was destined to seize the most beautiful of women. Paris returned to Troy, where his parents recognized him. After staying with Menelaus in Greece, he kidnapped the king's wife Helen, and became the instigator of the Trojan War. Philoctetes, the best of the archers, killed him with a well-aimed bow shot.
Patroclus
Achilles's closest friend. Patroclus was very worried about the death of the Achaeans, who were killed by the Trojans, and tearfully begs to be sent with his squad to battle with the Trojan soldiers. Achilles knows the prediction about Patroclus's unfortunate fate, but, after Lyax was unable to defeat Hector, he lets him go. Patroclus bravely fights his enemies, but the god Apollo deprives him of his weapon and gives it to Hector, at whose hands he dies. Achilles avenged his friend's death by killing Hector.
Nestor
A gray-haired old man, the wisest king of Pylos. A keeper of traditions and a direct participant in real events. His role is invaluable as an adviser, whose opinion is listened to by the powers that be.
This is a brief description of some of the characters in the Iliad, for a reader's diary.
Andromache
The main characters of the poem “Iliad” are warriors, but in the work you can also find many female characters. This is Hector’s wife named Andromache, his mother Hecuba, as well as Helen and the captive Briseis. The reader first meets Andromache in the sixth canto, which tells of her meeting with her husband, who returned from the battlefield. Already at that moment, she intuitively senses Hector’s death and persuades him not to leave the city. But Hector does not heed her words.
Andromache is a faithful and loving wife who is forced to live in constant worry for her husband. The fate of this woman is filled with tragedy. When her hometown of Thebes was sacked, Andromache's mother and brothers were killed by enemies. After this event, her mother also dies, Andromache is left alone. Now the whole meaning of her existence is in her beloved husband. After she says goodbye to him, she mourns him along with the maids as if he had already died. After this, Andromache does not appear on the pages of the poem until the death of the hero. Sorrow is the main mood of the heroine. She foresees her bitter lot in advance. When Andromache hears screams on the wall and runs to find out what happened, she sees: Achilles dragging Hector’s body along the ground. She falls unconscious.
Heroes of the Odyssey
A common question that students are asked in literature classes is to name the main characters of the Iliad and the Odyssey. The poem “The Odyssey,” along with the “Iliad,” is considered to be the most important monument of the entire era of transition from the communal clan to the slave system.
The Odyssey describes even more mythological creatures than the Iliad. Gods, people, fairy-tale creatures - Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey are full of a variety of characters. The main characters of the works are both people and gods. Moreover, the gods take an active part in the lives of mere mortals, helping them or taking away their power. The main character of the Odyssey is the Greek king Odysseus, who returns home after a battle. Among other characters, his patron, the goddess of wisdom Athena, stands out. Opposing the main character is the sea god Poseidon. An important figure is the faithful Penelope, the wife of Odysseus.
Formation of the heroic epic
Oral epic creativity forms the folk heroic epic. The peculiarity of such works is improvisation. The performer never repeats identical text several times, but has ready examples of word usage that are suitable for several songs at once. These samples come in different sizes. This can be a simple combination of frequently used words or entire sentences.
The folklore epic is characterized by the sequence of actions taking place, the characterization of the heroes as completely bad or as completely good, and they are depicted unchanged from the beginning of the song until the very end.
Homer adheres to all the principles soon called the "law of chronological incompatibility." In his work “Iliad” and “Odyssey” the author also uses the word formations mentioned above. For example, the God Apollo is often described as “silver-bowed”, and Achilles as “swift-footed”, although according to the meaning of the described actions, Achilles’ ability to move quickly has nothing to do with it.
