Iliad STUDY QUESTIONS
1)
What is the main conflict of Book 1? Who is it between? What does it include and how is it resolved?
2)
What is Achilles Tragic Flaw? How does it suggest the downfall of those
close to him? How does it work in the
overall meaning of the book as a whole?
3)
What God protects Aineias? How do they do this in the book?
4)
Outline the plot of Iliad according to the six
elements of plot.
5)
Who is compared to a lion in the Iliad? Why is this comparison important in the
meaning of the overall book (think Themes here)?
6)
Exactly why does the Trojan War start? Give the backstory of the war here. Who is at fault? Explain your answer.
7)
How does Patroclos represent “Honor” in this
book? Explain your answer.
8)
Who brings up the idea of “Balancing the needs
of country with the needs of family”?
Why is this important?
9)
How does Athena trick Hector in this book? Why is this important?
10)
Discuss
the relationship of the following characters and how they fit into the overall
meaning of the book: Helen/Paris,
Hector/Andromache, Zeus/Hera.
11)
What dream does Zeus sent to Agamemnon?
12)
Discuss the significance of the following 1-1
fights: Paris/Menelaus, Achilles/Hector, and Hector/Ajax?
13)
How does
Hera trick Zeus? Why?
14)
Discuss
and outline the spying episode of Diomedes and Odysseus. What happens?
Why is it important? What themes
does it reinforce?
15)
How does
Agamemnon try and make peace with Achilles?
Why does it fell?
16)
What is Polydamos’ omen to Hector that Hector
ignores?
17)
List Athena’s favorite warriors?
18)
Why is
the fight over Hector’s body important?
What theme does it reinforce?
19)
Discuss
the symbolic meaning of Achilles’ shield.
20)
Discuss Achilles and the River Scamandros
episode? What happens? Why is this episode important? What mean ideas does it reinforce?
21)
Outline
the funeral games.
22)
Discuss
the significance of Book 24.
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.
