The Breaking of the Truce in Iliad by Homer Research (Essay Sample)

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The Breaking of the Truce in Iliad by Homer
The Breaking of the Truce is an extract from Iliad, an epic poem composed about three thousand years ago. This literary work is among the earliest works in the history of western literary tradition. An ancient Greek poet Homer composed the work. It is not certain whether Homer was a responsible for the work as a single person or the work entailed a group of ancient poets. The composition of the Iliad masterpiece was a cornerstone of Greek ancient civilization (Parry, Milman, and Adam 88). The piece had the significance of representing the history and aspirations of the old Greek civilization in a superior and pretentious manner. The piece recounts significant events in the final week of the Trojan warfare and the Greeks siege of Troy city.
Parry, Milman, and Adam (88), acknowledge that Homer stands out as the composer of this epic poem, besides, the influence of the work spreading throughout Greece. Homer, a perceived famous character to the culture of the Greeks; his works were a manifestation of refined pieces with the aptitude to move its targeted audience, in addition to inspiring the Greek populace in the warfare. The presumed composition of the work was in the mid-8th century, despite the fact that; the linguistic, archeological and historical proofs propose that the composition of the epic poem was between 750 and 650 B.C, the time of Bronze Age. The Bronze Age was a period the modern Greeks believe to be an inspiring age. The period was a manifestation of gods being universal on the earth as well as godlike mortals that were herculean in nature. A poem whose composition was in the times of the warfare between the Greeks and the Trojans results in the author, Homer, narrating the unfolding of events in the warfare between the Trojan and Tory cities. Homer brings out the events that precede the war through different characters in the literary work (Homer and Rodney 127).
The translation of Homer’s epic poems into the English language was shaped by reactions to early translations by Dryden, Chapman, Cowper, and Pope. In addition, the increased interest in the historical and social concerns surrounding the Homeric poems was an issue for the need of translation. These social and historical concerns entailed questions of historical realism, religion, morality as well as the influence of the Homeric models on the Greek society. Moreover, it was apparent that the Homeric poems were written targeting the male fraternity particularly the boys that were about to join the armies of their society. For this reason, Homer wrote the extract of The Breaking of the Truce for the male persons in the ancient Greek society. These were men in the armies, leaders and young boys preparing to join these armies. The writing of this epic poem received immense praise, besides, being assumed the blueprint of the literary works during the period (Winkler 108).
The Breaking of the Truce details the time when a council of gods in an assembly is consulting on whether the war between the cities of Trojan and Troy should be concluded or be sustained. It is evident that the council of the gods concludes that the war shall go on evident from Minerva orchestrating the break of the truce. While in the council an argument ensues resulting in Zeus mocking Hera and Athena regarding the likelihood of ending the war immediately because Paris already lost the contest with Menelaos. The depiction of the two formal duels in the literary works, neither of them decisive, on the same day, presents the audience with a prima facie structural dilemma in the earliest bit of the piece. Nowhere else in the epic poem does such a formal duel recur as well as it is obvious that the main composer in these instances slightly overplayed the doublet method of composition in his desire to set up diversions and delays before the march out of the two armies to the war. Pandarus breaks the truce to execute Menelaos using an arrow. Corresponding scenes amongst the Greeks immediately follow the two scenarios, which is the argument and the attack. Agamemnon accesses his warriors, admiring or taunting the troop according to his thinking (Homer and Rodney 127).
Agamemnon’s attitude towards his troop is similar to Zeus’ approach towards the other gods. Agamemnon’s remarks gear towards attaining a premeditated response. Agamemnon similarly praises or criticizes based on his evaluation of the warriors’ individuality. The major comparison amid the scenes concerning the gods and those between Agamemnon and the troops is evident from the decisions of the gods being more or less of puns. The assertion attributes to the instance of Zeus mocking Hera and Athena while he is aware of the fact that he will send Athena to Pandarus, in addition to, the fighting continuing. In contrast to the mocking, to Agamemnon and the warriors, the ridiculing and fighting are critical issues of life and death or a combined continued existence. Homer and Rodney (128), however, assert that the importance of Pandora's shot at Melelaos is crucial. For this reason, any instance of failure to shot the arrow would signify the eventual end of the war. Homer underscores the importance of this moment. The instance results in Agamemnon being in a state of emotional instability because he presumes that his brother has been severely hurt resulting to his distorted statements lamenting on the manner Zeus will discipline the truce breaker. Moreover, he laments that if Menelaus dies the Trojans will overpower the Achaeans. The Breaking of the Truce, which is book three in the Iliad, presents a consistent, plain and straightforward context evident in its brilliant and picturesque narration. After the pompous description of the march out of the two armies after the council comes to a decision that the war shall continue, it is certainly astonishing that no sooner had the two armies meet that a truce is made contrary to the general engagement that the audience is made to expect. A proposition of a single combat is evident to settle the imminent war (Fenik 19).
According to Baumbach, Manuel, Silvio, and Nicola (154), the piece’s significance is apparent from its lack of clear villains. Although the masterpiece is from the Greek point of view, it still does not demoralize the Trojan by Homer fashioning them as villains. The assertion is evident from the fact that the Trojans and the Achaeans were friends in wars that transpired before the start of this short extract. A compelling instance is in the struggle evident in the wars that preceded the start of this epic poem. The struggle was in opposing the Amazons. The second significance Homer brings out in the short extract is the theme of war and peace. The entire epic poem is an account of the war. In the presentation of Homer, Heiden (42) claims that Homer details the events in the sense of dreadfulness and pointlessness. In addition, Heiden acknowledges that in spite of Homer detailing the events in this sense he masquerades against brutality. For this reason, peace prevails over war. There is a sense of glory and heroism that adds appeal to the fighting. Homer takes a neutral stand by glorifying and abhorring war. Use of similes and metaphors in this extract validates the importance of peacemaking efforts in the ancient Greek community as well as serving as contrasts to war. By assuming this neutral stance, Homer is in a position to underscore the essence of human values that are ...