The Heroic Code Of Honor For A Hero - 1228 Words

Warriors of ancient Greece were considered heroes by following the Heroic Code of excellence. They achieved this by acquiring a kleos; establishing fame, glory and a positive reputation. It was not an easy task to become a Grecian hero. Building and maintaining kleos meant that a warrior must be brave and strong, be â€Å"a speaker of words and a doer of deeds.† The solider had to protect his friends and harm his enemies, respect the gods and his elders, and most of all value his honor over his life. To die in battle, and be spoken of after death was the most important act of honor for a hero. The Greek tragedy, Iliad, attributed to Homer, portrays Achilles as the most gallant hero of the Athenian army. The story tells of Achilles, who develops into the greatest hero of the Trojan War. While the end of the end of the poem does portray Achilles as the solider that the story foretells throughout the poem he does not act like that. Many times in the story Achilles actions are pe rceived as unheroic but ultimately they shape the course of the few weeks of the Trojan Wars described in the Iliad, the Achaean’s final victory at Troy and his emergence as a hero. The poem in Book 1 lauds Achilles as the finest warrior of the Athenian army. Nonetheless, when his commanding general, Agamemnon refuses to return to return the captive Chryseis to her father, the priest of Apollo, and a plague ensues, Achilles becomes an insubordinate (disrespecting his commander) by demanding that he returnShow MoreRelatedThe Iliad: Literary Analysis1552 Words   |  7 Pagesvalor. The heroic code was a strict morality that dealt with matters relating to honor and integrity in battle. Seeing as the code was focused around honor during war, it was taken very seriously by the Greeks of Homer’s time, since honor was essential to Homer’s heroes. One hero in The Iliad best represented the heroic code through his actions and his mentality; this character is â€Å"swift-footed† Achilles, though Hector could also be considered as the man that is the epitome of the heroic code. It couldRead MoreThe Code Of Honor In The Iliad And The Odyssey1684 Words   |  7 PagesIn Webster’s Dictionary, a hero is defined as a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of purpose, especially if this individual has risked or sacrificed his life. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, the code which administers the conduct of the Homeric heroes is a straightforward idea. The aim of every hero is to achieve honor. Throughout the Iliad and the Odyssey, different characters take on the role of a hero. Honor is essential to the Homeric heroes, so much that life would be meaningless withoutRead MoreEssay about Heroic Code in the Iliad and the Odyssey979 Words   |  4 PagesHeroic Code in the Iliad and the Odyssey In Websters Dictionary, a hero is defined as a person noted for courageous acts or nobility of purpose, especially if this individual has risked or sacrificed his life. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, the code which administers the conduct of the Homeric heroes is a straightforward idea. The aim of every hero is to achieve honor. Throughout the Iliad and the Odyssey, different characters take on the role of a hero. Honor is essential to the HomericRead MoreThe Hero Of A Hero926 Words   |  4 Pagesvalues on what it meant to be a hero in their society. Individuals who wanted to be seen as a hero had to follow this standard in order to become and be seen as a hero. Being a skilled warrior was not the only requirement, one had to respect authorizes, both governmental and religious. This code even goes on to state that hero’s mind must not be prideful and arrogant. These men had to be modest and humble. Honor of course also played an important role in the homeric code. A hero ’s duty was to fight andRead MoreThe Heroic Code1182 Words   |  5 PagesSamantha Budd 01/30/2013 Honors World Literature Ms. Iverson The Heroic Code The life of a warrior is not always filled with glamour and glory. Warriors cannot simply waltz through a tough battle, shedding blood left and right and taking all the glory and credit for themselves. There are often tough decisions to be made. Warriors also cannot just think of themselves, for their decisions often affect the lives of others as well. They need the heroic code to guide them in their decision makingRead MoreEssay on Honor and Glory in Homers Iliad1402 Words   |  6 PagesHonor and Glory in Homers Iliad      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Mortality, by its very nature, causes mens lives to be cut short at their primes.The Fates cut our lives short at any time, so the Greeks must have an example, a model mortal, to follow so as to make the most of their lives.A model mortal is one who lives his life accumulating the most honor and glory: he pressed for battle now where men win glory (4: 259).By strictly adhering to the honor/heroic code, a mortal can raise himself to become theRead More The Iliad of Homer Essay711 Words   |  3 Pages When analyzing the Greek work the Iliad, Homer procures an idealistic hero with an internal conflict, which questions the values of his society and the Greek Heroic Code. The Greek Heroic Code includes respect, honor, and requirements to procure an exorbitant image. To be considered a Greek hero you must meet the perquisites and fulfill all of the aspects of the code. Achilleus was deemed a hero, he was the strongest and swiftest of the Achieans. Achilleus lived up to all of these aspects untilRead MoreHonor Code, The Tain, And Gantz s Early Irish Myths And Sagas1047 Words   |  5 PagesChristopher Kramer English 319U 03/22/2017 Honor To The Hero The honor code that can be found in the Mabinogi, The Tain, and Gantz’s Early Irish Myths and Sagas drives the characters towards the ideal Celtic hero. The following of the honor code could be better seen as a way of serving the identity and reputation of the hero rather than a deeper code of morality as it might suggest. The gae bolga, Efnisien, Mider’s love for Etain, and Rhiannon’s magic bag are all instruments of unworldly power,Read MoreHeroes Are The People In The Society That We Admire For1048 Words   |  5 Pagescommunity, anyone who attains the hero status, he/she creates ideals and ideas that the community creates and strives for. Heroes are individuals who assist in shaping the culture of the community they are associated with in the literature, the community also shapes the heroes too. The motivation and zeal of the heroes to attain more are always shaped by their culture (Heroes and The Homeric Iliad). Social conditions and culture create the ess ence of the hero in which the people need at the timeRead MoreThe Heroic Code Of Homer s Iliad1208 Words   |  5 Pagesby the heroic code, which is the ultimate desire of each hero in the epic poem. The heroic code, according to Homer, focuses on the simple premise of a hero achieving honor, which is also understood to be peer-received esteem. Homer depicts this important value as what most humans would seek to achieve, because this important value would indicate the selflessness of a person. This selflessness is widely signified as an important human trait for an ideal person. Primarily, the sense of honor being