The Transformation of Achilles

Homer’s Iliad is one of the most popular poems from the ancient world, and it sought to ensure that it promoted the achievements of the various heroes. Among the heroes that are mentioned in the poem, perhaps even one of its most significant subjects is Achilles. Achilles is an individual that undergoes a considerable transformation from being one full of godly pride to one that is essentially human. This paper seeks to document the transformation that Achilles undergoes through an analysis of his pride and honor, his rage, and finally, his humanization.

Among the most significant factors that guide the life Achilles in the Iliad are his pride and honor. These are considered essential traits, especially by the author of the poem, who seeks to enhance them through his characters. Achilles’ pride and honor are what dictate his actions and this is especially the case where he feels that his honor has been betrayed by Agamemnon because the latter, who is the commander of the Achaeans, has essentially taken his mistress, Briseis, away from him. Achilles does not seem to really love Briseis because despite constantly professing his love for her, he does not do anything to stop Agamemnon’s agents from taking her away from him. Achilles therefore is driven by his pride not to undertake any action to protect his mistress, while at the same time also seeking to ensure that his displeasure is shown through his decision not to help the Achaeans in the war effort against Troy.

In addition, Achilles is driven by his rage as seen in the line “Rage – Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles,” (1, 1). The situation essentially leads to significant losses in men during the Trojan War. This is especially the case considering that because of his rage against Agamemnon, Achilles refuses to support his fellow Achaeans in the war to such an extent that the conflict continues to drag on for longer than would otherwise have been the case. His rage, coupled with pride, leads Achilles to focus all his attention on a single individual rather than considering the plight of his countrymen. However, all this changes when Achilles’ best friend, Patroclus, is killed by Hector, the Trojan hero. The result is that Achilles’ rage is shifted from Agamemnon and directed at Hector, on who he wants to exact revenge. This situation changes the tide of the Trojan War to such an extent that Achilles ends up leading the Achaeans to victory while at the same time ending up killing Hector.

Following the death of Hector at the hands of Achilles, the latter’s rage abates and he ended up becoming a more human character. Achilles becomes more capable of showing human emotions, as seen in his joyousness and fairness when he distributes prizes to his colleagues during the funeral games held in honor of Patroclus. In addition, he professes his love for Briseis, who has been restored to him; is a sign of his essentially being happy following the satisfaction of his rage. Moreover, he also agrees to give back Hector’s body to his father King Priam, who desires to give his son an honorable funeral as befits a prince of Troy. Therefore, Achilles’ transformation leads him from a proud individual who believes himself to be superior to all other to being one that is essentially more human with feelings that can be associated with the latter personality.

In conclusion, Achilles is shown to be an individual that throughout most of the Iliad has a building rage. The intervention of the gods prevent him from killing Agamemnon when they have an argument, but it is only after the death of Patroclus that Achilles’ rage becomes of service to the Achaeans. Hector’s death transforms Achilles into a more human character because all the rage that is in him is expended.