The Iliad

Today, we are going to discuss the themes and structure of the Iliad, take notes, and read book 9.

THEMES:

What is heroic behavior?  What motivates heroic behavior?
How best should we mortals live our lives especially in the face of imminent death?
What does an individual owe to society?
Is the human condition one of shared suffering? 
Is the Iliad an anti-war poem?

Characters to know:

GREEKS

Aias
Diomedes
Menelaus
Agammenon
Achilles
Nestor
Briseis
Chryseis
Patroclos

TROY

Hector
Paris
Idaios
Helen
Priam
Hecaba
Andromache

GODS

Thetis
Aphrodite
Zeus
Poseidon
Apollo
Athena
Hera

SYMBOLS: Helen, Walls, the Burial of the Dead, friendship/respect of enemies on the battlefield

Parallelisms: Paris vs Menelaus - Hector vs Aias (1-on-1 combat); Paris/Helen vs. Hector Andromache; Achillis vs. Briseis vs Agammenon/Chryseis; the Death of Patroclos vs. the Death of Hector.  

Achilles movement towards disillusionment and death to reach new clarity about human existence.


READING SCHEDULE:

April 16th - Book 9 and notes
April 17th - Book 10
April 18th - Book 11
April 19th - Book 12
April 20 - Review and Quiz onver 1st half of book
April 23rd - Book 13
April 24th - Book 14
April 25th - Book 15
April 26th - Book 16 and 17
April 27th - Voc quiz, Review Guide
April 30th - Book 18 and individual goals
May 1st - Book 19 and individual goals
May 2nd - Book 20 and individual goals
May 3rd - Book 21
May 4th - Book 22
May 7th - Book 23rd
May 8th - Book 24th
May 9-11 - Projects
May 14th Review
May 15th FINAL