Heroism in Iliad?

The pursuit of glory is a consuming occupation for Homeric heroes. A Homeric hero wins glory by performing great deeds, the memory of which will outlive him. There is no comforting afterlife in Homer. Shades go down to the gloomy world of Hades. Emphasis is on the deeds of this life for the sake of this life, and a hero must win glory that will be remembered always by the living even after he is gone.

Homer has never been surpassed in his ability to portray both the beauty and horror of war. War brings out the best in his heroes, as they tap previously unknown reserves of strength, courage, and loyalty. But war also can bring out the worst in men. The endless carnage and cruelty of the poem dehumanizes many of the men of the Iliad, and Homer never shirks from depicting the brutality of battle. Although Homer glorifies warriors, the Iliad is full of an unmistakable love for peace.

Achilles of The Iliad embodies the conventional idea of the hero: physically strong, warlike, and honor-loving. Achilles’s love of honor and his version of justice categorize him as the Timocratic soul type: better suited for war than for ruling, lower than the Aristocratic soul type, but nevertheless possessing many admirable abilities. He can be qualified as a hero in his embodiment of physical excellence and desire for glory. However, his heroism ends with his identity as a warlord. His heroism could not resolve the dilemma of avenging his besmirched honor at the cost of the lives of his fellow soldiers. The justice of the Timocratic soul is only capable of fulfilling self-serving life.

You might also want to check out the essay, Achilles as Sympathetic Hero and Egotistical Bully in The Iliad, in the essay section of the Study Guide for this unit.