Iliad Group

Question:

ernestina
ernestina
Student
College - Senior

What is the significance of the quarrel in Book 1?

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Posted by ernestina on Tuesday October 6, 2009 at 2:54 AM and tagged with book 1, iliad, quarrel.

Answers:

  1. kponeil
    kponeil Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    The quarrel sets the stage for the rest of the epic. It actually creates the main theme of the epic. Many people feel that this epic is about the Trojan War, but in actuality this is an epic poem about the wrath of Achilles. When Agamemnon takes away his war prize (a woman named Briseis) Achilles decides to sit out of the Trojan War. This sets forth a chain of events that ultimately leads to death of the great Trojan warrior Hektor.

    Since Achilles, the greatest warrior in the Greek army, was sitting out, the Trojans were able to take the upper hand in the war. However, once Hektor killed Achilles' best friend, Patroclos, Achilles decides to seek revenge and re-enter the fray. Achilles' becomes blood drunk and almost single handedly drives the Trojans back within the walls of their city. Achilles kills Hektor on the battlefield, thus seeking revenge and ending his rage.

    The quarell in Book I begins his rage, and it is this rage that ultimately leads to the defeat of the Trojans by the Greek army.

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    Posted by kponeil on Tuesday October 20, 2009 at 3:13 PM