Iliad Lesson Plan

Consider the way in which Achilles conducts himself on the battlefield. Can he truly be considered a "hero", in your view? Why or why not?

In classical mythology, the word "hero" did not mean what it did today: instead of an extraordinary virtuous character who strives for a greater good, it referred instead to someone who overcame tremendous obstacles and won wealth or renown for themselves. Achilles's aristeia ("moment of excellence") in this section of The Iliad shows why he is considered a "hero" in this ancient Greek sense of the word. He kills brutally and inhumanly, but in so doing he single-handedly turns the tide of the war back in favor of the Greeks – a...