The rage of Achilles is a dispute over the girl Briseis, (Achilles’ prize) with King Agamemnon who took the girl away from Achilles in rage of losing his own girl Chryseis. Achilles argues that the maid Briseis belongs to him, a prize he won fair in war “That girl-the sons of Achaea picked her as my prize” (414.64). The girl becomes an excuse to quarrel with Agamemnon whom Achilles sees as an unfit ruler “you lack the courage…King who devours his people” (85.267-9). This dispute seems to be extremely overpowering to Achilles who finds it necessary to summon his mother, the immortal Thetis and convinces her to persuade King Zeus to “grant the Trojans victory after victory till the Achaean armies pay my dear son back, building higher the honor he deserves!”(94.606). Achilles holds the grudge between him and King Agamemnon over the girl until Trojan troops storm the rampart. Then, in sight of the destruction the Trojans bring and knowing King Zeus has granted him the glory to win in battle, Achilles commands his friend Patroclust to battle, to win glory for his mane. Achilles particularly urges Patroclust to “stride from the slaughter so we could bring Troy’s hallowed crown of towers toppling down around us-you and I alone!”(415.117-9).
Was Achilles intention to get the girl Briseis, “his prize” back, or did Achilles intend to keep his troops in one piece until the Argive troops were so reduced by the Trojans, that only Myrmidons troops were left to bring Troy to ruins and gain a glorious victory to Achilles’ name i.e. “The honor he deserves”?
Your question raises another question: if Achilles' motivation is to bring the girl back, then we have to consider that Achilles may be capable of love. Does he love Briseis?
ReplyDeleteI find it interesting that Achilles seems to have foreknowledge of his death, as he has been fated to both achieve great glory and die at a young age. Though he does refrain from the initial conflict due to the insult against him, he is clearly "itching for battle," so to speak. I would say that, to Achilles, the taking of Briseis was more as a trophy than anything else. Everyone else had a prize, so why shouldn't he? He knows any immortality he finds will be in name and deed only and he is loath to be remembered as "that guy whose spoils were claimed by another."
ReplyDeleteThe producers/directors of the movie Troy interpreted Achilles as a person capable of love and passion. His instructions to Patroclus when first arriving on the Trojan shore were to stay aboard the ship and protect it because he was too young to be fighting. When he agreed to allow Patroclus to wear his own armor and lead the Myrmidones in book XVI, Achilles specifically tells Patroclus to not do anything more than rescue the ships because he may be killed if he attacks Troy. Achilles refusal to fight until Patroclus' death may be partially out of hatred and revenge. But I think he is upset and possibly hates himself that he allowed Patroclus to be in the war scene and that sense of revenge stems from his fondness of Patroclus. Whether or not Achilles loved Briseis is a much more complicated situation, but I do believe he is completely capable of love.
ReplyDeleteIn the book Achilles is potrayed as selfish and arrogant, so problem seems to be less about Briseis and more about his wounded pride. While I believe that he might have loved her, he seemed to be more angered that an object of his was taken away than the fact that the girl he was in love with was taken from him. He went to this war knowing he would die but still held out because of a grudge. It seems to me that the most important person in Achilles life was Achilles. I think he believes that glory is owed to him and, while he knows he will die, he also knows that his name will always be remembered. This seems to be Achilles ultimate goal. I believe he was more than ready to fight when he was given a reason to do so. I don't think he was waiting for the Trojans to be depleted, but was just looking out for his own selfish intentions.
ReplyDeleteI think that Achilles was so enraged that Agamemnon took Briseis from him that he wanted revenge. And the revenge that he wanted was for the Argive troops to be pinned against the ships by the Trojan's so that Agamemnon would have to beg Achilles and his myrmidons to fight for him. Agamemnon told Achilles in "Troy" that kings do not bow down to Achilles, its the other way around, and I think Achilles out of vengeance wanted to make Agamemnon eat his own words.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for Achilles being capable of love or loving Briseis??? In "Troy" Odysseus says women have a way of complicating things. He says that Achilles has Briseis back but still doesn't want to fight...when I noticed Odysseus say that the second time I watched the movie it made me think, maybe Achilles was torn between the decision of fame and death or having a family with the woman he loved now that he had found her. I do believe that Achilles LOVED Briseis especially because on page 498 it said Briseis was planned to go back home with Achilles and they were to be married.