Iliad and Grief, Miscellaneous, College Term Papers.com


		Data Bases
		• Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism?

		Links
		• Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com

		Free Essays
		• Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers

Search Lots of Essays

Back to Subjects - Miscellaneous

Iliad and Grief

Iliad and Grief There are many lessons that can be learned from reading Homer’s The Iliad. One of which is understanding the stages of grief. One can literally watch Achilles go through all five stages when he morns the death of his comrade Patroclus. Achilles moves through Denial and Isolation, Depression, Anger, Bargaining and Acceptance in the short time after his close friends death. “Sheltered under his curving, beaked ships he found him, foreboding, deep down, all that had come to pass” (18.3-4). In this sentence, Achilles is trying to avoid learning about his friend’s death. He has isolated himself in hopes that it is not true. He knows that it is so but feels that if he can keep from hearing the truth that it will not be. In the first stage of denial and isolation one tends to deny the loss has taken place, and may withdraw from their usual behavior. Following denial and isolation Achilles experienced great depression. Depression is the stage that Achilles experiences for the greatest amount of time. Depression marks the breakdown of one’s defenses in times of grief. The reality of the loss sinks in deeply and it dominates the grieving person much as it did Achilles. “A black cloud of grief came shrouding over Achilles. Both hands clawing the ground for soot and filth, he poured it over his head, fouled his handsome face and black ashes settled onto his fresh clean war-shirt. Overpowered in all his power, sprawled in the dust, Achilles lay there, fallen…tearing his hair, defiling it with his own hands” (18.25-30). In this passage Achilles is acting out some of the classic symptoms of depression such as sadness and hopelessness. Another symptom of depression is suicide. Homer demonstrates this well in the following passage, “Antilochus kneeling near, weeping uncontrollably, clutched Achilles’ hands as he wept his proud heart out—for fear he would slash his throat with an iron blade” (18. 36-38). Achilles once again speaks of killing himself as he passes from depression into the stage of anger. “My spirit rebels—I’ve lost the will to live, to take my stand in the world of men—unless, before all else, Hector’s battered down by my spear and gasps away his life, the blood-price for Patroclus, Menoetius’ gallant son he’s killed and stripped!” (18.105-109). In anger the grieving person may be furious at the person who inflicted the hurt, much as Achilles was towards Hector. Achilles also briefly passes through the stage of bargaining when he is having a conversation with his mother, Thetis. “ ‘You’re doomed to a short life, my son, from all you say! For hard on the heals of Hector’s death your death must come at once—‘ ‘Then let me die at once’—Achilles burst out, despairing” (18. 111-115). In this passage Achilles is bargaining for the revenge of Hector and willing to offer his own life for this revenge. Once Achilles passes through the stage of bargaining he then again passes into the stage of Anger. He now begins to blame himself for what has occurred. “ since it was not my fate to save my dearest comrade from his death! Look, a world away from his fatherland he’s perished, lacking me, my fighting strength, to defend him” (18.115-118). And finally, Achilles begins to accept what has happened when he states, “Enough. Let bygones be bygones. Done is done. Despite my anguish I will beat it down” (18.132-134). The anger, sadness and mourning has tapered off and Achilles briefly accepts the fact that his dear friend is gone and he can not bring him back. Homer demonstrates each stage of grief when Achilles looses Patroclus. This is amazing when you think about the fact that this was first written in the late eighth century B.C. and it still holds true today. This proves that much can be taught and learned from the works of Homer. Bibliography:

Word Count: 647