Summary

Summary The Iliad - the social, cultural and religious context

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Module
The Iliad

Institution
OCR

Looking at the contexts seen within the Iliad, including notes on: the power of fate, the role of immortals and the relationship between immortals and mortals, family and friendship, hospitality and guest friendship (xenia), the relationships between men and women, parents and children, the part pl...

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Which chapters are summarized? 1.3
Uploaded on April 9, 2024
Number of pages 7
Written in 2023/2024
Type Summary

clempitrat Member since 11 months 2 documents sold

Social, cultural and religious context

Power of fate

- Fate – what will happen as determined by a supernatural power and overseen by Zeus
- Fate in Iliad often refers to a time at which a man is going to die & can be said to predetermine certain
events (like the fall of troy)
- Zeus seems responsible for ensuring that fated events occur
 Still toys with idea of saving Sarpedon – to change fate would upset the balance of things so he
has to let his son die
- Deaths of Patroclus and hector are fated – heroes contribute to their fate
 Had Patroclus not swayed from Achilles’ orders he would have saved himself from death
- Agamemnon says fate made him take Briseis – sounds like a lame excuse & an attempt to shift
responsibility
- Power of fate felt in its emotional impact
 Hecabe lamenting hector in b3
- Thetis knows fate of Achilles – turns story of a warrior’s death into a tragedy
 Achilles made the choice to die in troy – seems to have choice in time of death
 Focus of decision is of the consequences of his decision and – not inevitability of external destiny
- Achilles earns respect from audience since he is aware of what will happen
 Knows he will die young and accepts his destiny
- Impact of fate on Thetis – loves her son but is resigned to his fate
 B18 – scene of pathos of a mother admitting her child has a terminal illness and acknowledging
that she is powerless to prevent the death
 Thetis being an immortal makes it more unbearable – she will never escape the agony of having
seen her son die

Role of the immortals

- Olympians reside on Olympus where they eat, drink and enjoy sacrifices made to them
- Anthropomorphic – in human form
- Gods take an interest in human affairs – support their favourites by intervening in events
- Olympians who play a part – Aphrodite, apollo, Athene, Hephaestus, Hera, Hermes & Zeus
- Achilles mother Thetis – important nymph & crucial link between Achilles and the gods of Olympus
- Iris – used as a messenger
- Individual gods support particular individual mortals/causes

Immortals intervene in the action

- Gods have power over humans – can take the story anywhere
 Paris removed from battle before he gets killed by Aphrodite

Interventions of gods gives Iliad dramatic interest

- Gods change the course of the action in very specific ways at moments of tension
 Athene persuading hector to leave the walls and expose himself to the wrath of Achilles
- Gods can provide an effect which colours the whole scene
 Athene making a flame burn from Achilles’ head and putting a golden cloud around him

Gods’ relationships with mortals

- Gods display human characteristics & are motivated by some of the same considerations as the mortal
heroes
- Timē of gods is very important to them – god who feels insulted will seek vengeance
 Hera and Athene bear a grudge against Paris for his decision in the golden apple contest
- Apollo’s punishment for Agamemnon is a case of divine anger
- Mortal is powerless when faced with the anger of a god – humans live in fear of the gods

,  Emphasis of worship is trying to secure the gods’ support & ensure they have no reason to use
their divine wrath
- Mortals communicate with the gods through prayers and oaths & accompanied by libations and
sacrifices
 Relationship contractual by nature – sacrificial offerings used as bargaining tools
- Immortals communicate with signs – usually from the sky
 Used to affirm their consent or disapproval
 B24 – Priam asks Zeus for a bird of omen
- Picture of gods on Olympus is self-indulgence

Zeus

- Most powerful god
- Frequently called upon by heroes – recognise that he knows when they must do
 B22 Achilles – ‘I welcome death whenever Zeus wants’
- Has the power to change fate & does intervene at points in action – ultimately he follows fate
- Sometimes hear Zeus’ thoughts when he witnesses the inevitable
 Shows concern for Patroclus’ body & rouses the Greeks to defend it
- Zeus’ approval is important – libations poured to try gain it
- The god whom heroes swear solemn oaths
- Dreams are sent by Zeus & heralds are sacred to him
- Power summed up by image of 2 jars in b24 – a one with evils and one with blessings
- Zeus is the supreme power on Olympus – domestic setting displays familiar human doubts and
weaknesses

Aphrodite

- Rarely intervenes in the prescribed books
 Rescues Paris from the duel & preserves hector’s body
- Could be held responsible for the war – offered Paris the fatal bribe of Helen for the golden apple
- Responsible for giving Paris his lust for women
- Manipulates Helen and Paris
- Swift to threaten Helen with punishment when she feels challenged by her

Apollo

- Frames the Iliad
- Acts in parallel to Achilles in b1 & b24
 B1 – his rage against Agamemnon causes him to deliver a plague to the Greeks
 B24 – condemns the gods for their cruelty & argues that hector’s body should be released
- God of prophecy
 Warns Patroclus that troy is not destined to be captured by him
- Allows hector to strike the fatal blow on Patroclus – knocks Patroclus’ helmet off & undoes his armour
- Supports the trojans & intervenes on their behalf
 Deserts hector when he knows the time for him to die has come

Athene

- Intervenes to support the Greeks
 Engineered the breaking of the truce
- Can be counted responsible for the fighting
- Lures hector away from the walls to deliver him to Achilles’ & death

Hephaestus

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