The Role of Armor in Epics (Term Paper Sample)

The Role of Armor in Epics Name Professor Course Date The Role of Armor in epics Introduction In the ancient times, the armor was a vital tool of defense in war, especially because it was the soldiers' only source of protection from arrows, hammers and other weapons of the time. However, it is worth noting that the armor is used in most epics to signify number of other aspects of life and war. Arguably, the armor is a symbol that signifies several aspects of life such as war (vigor, spirit of fighting and victory), personal identity and existence of a conflict and its solution. The Armor as a Symbol in battles A good example of using the armor as a symbol in battles and wars exists in Homer's "The Iliad”. In his poem, Homer has extensively used the armor as a protective gear worn by soldiers in the warfront. In epics, the armor as a war equipment shows that it predicts an occurrence of a war and victory at one point in life. For example, in ‘The Iliad', Homer attempts to show that the armor was considered a permanent proof of victory in a war. For instance, Achilles receives an armor that was made in a special way by Hephastos, the Greek god of fire. According to Homer, the armor had special powers, making its protection different from those provided by fabricated armors (Armstrong 337). For instance, at first, the poet says that the armor glared and scared such that "…no one dared to look straight at it…" which made every soldier "…shrink away" (Edwards 43). However, Achilles was not affected, and he was the only person with the powers to handle and use the armor. In fact, Homer says that Achilles' look at the armor increased his anger, vigor and spirit of fighting. This is an indication that the armor provides enough proof that Achilles remains a soldier throughout his life and is destined to win many wars. In addition, it is a symbol of victory for the city-state, which means that Achilles will lead his city to victory as long as he is wearing it. Secondly, the armor is a symbol of anointment (Leaf 66). The fact that it is a special object obtained from the gods implies that it is not jots a protective gear, but also an indication that Achilles has a special personality in his community. It signifies the presence of the gods in any war that Achilles participates. This implies that Achilles is anointed by the gods and filled with special spirits that drive his vigor in a war. In addition to its symbolic use, the armor in The Iliad is also a motif. It is used as a motif when the rightful person wears it. For instance, when Patroclus wears Achilles' armor as a strategy of scaring the Trojan troops, Hector and Apollo realizes the trick within a short period, which makes it useless as long as the right person does not wear it. It is also evident that the armor does not die when a soldier dies. In fact, it separates from the body once a soldier is killed in battle. For instance, when Patroclus is killed, his body and armor separate- they fall in different directions after the soldiers fight over his body. When Hector uses the armor, it betrays rather than protect him because it was not meant for him right from its creation. The armor is also a sign of life and death in the battle. For instance, when Achilles is given the special armor, he obtains a lot of knowledge about war and the vulnerabilities of the armor. This makes it easy for him to kill Hector with his sword. Herphaestus's armor seems to have a life of its own because the poem keeps reminding the reader that Achilles will die in battle, but the armor will certainly live forever. In fact, Homer presents Achilles armor as impervious to assault and death. The Armor as a symbol of identity In the ancient Mesopotamia, the armor is a symbol of identity in "Gilgamesh”. For instance, Gilgamesh's status as a noble person is signified by a heavy armor he wears, which distinguishes him from other persons. Similarly, the armor signifies the identities of soldiers in the ancient Greece. A person's identity is either revealed or concealed when he is wearing the armor. For instance, Achilles has two identities- a loving man and a person who is ready to kill any person who comes in his way in a battle. By wearing the special armor from the god of fire, Achilles changes his identity from that of a loving man to a real soldier. According to Homer, the armor's aura changes Achilles' identity, increasing his anger, vigor and "…turning his eyes as red as fire”. Since the armor was specially crafted by the god of fire, it signifies an identity that reflects passion and cruelty (Wilson 385). The identity of Achilles changes from his natural self to a violent and dangerous person when he is in his armor. In addition, the armor can conceal the actual identity of an individual. For instance, Hector's armor conceals his identity, which makes people fail to know him. For example, prior to his death, Hector wears the armor and visits his lovely wife and son, but his son cannot recognize him. According to the poet, the boy recoils and clings against the breasts of his nurse. He screams out at the sight of Hector, despite being fond of him. He is frightened of the flashing bronze used to make the armor. However, the child recognizes his father immediately Hector removes his armor. This is an indication that the armor changes the identity of Hector from that of a loving family man to a scaring soldier whose intention is to kill any enemy (Scott 683). Homer's poem also indicates that the armor is a sign of glory, which means that the soldier's identity as a hero is associated with the armor he wears in battle. Once a person dies, his glory cannot fade because it is meant for the society. Perhaps this is the rationale behind the separation of the body and the armor once a soldier is killed in battle. In fact, the armor has a special identity of its own and is different from the identity of a person. While the identity of a person is likely to fade once he is dead, the identity of the armor as an object of glory does not die. The armor lives past the lifespan of its wearer because it is indestructible. It is also evident that the identity of the armor and its effect on personal identity is specific to a person. Once a soldier wears the armor meant for him, his identity changes and assumes the identity of a brave and courageous individual. However, if the wrong person wears the armor, the two identities are in conflict and the soldier is likely to face negative consequences. The wrong person cannot get the right identity of a soldier; neither can it be his glory. This is seen when Patroculus takes the armor of Achilles, thinking that it will confer the same identity and protection it gave to the rightful owner. However, he is cheated because the armor fails to glare or scare the enemy from their ships, which leads to his death. Similarly, the identity of the wrong armor leads to the death of Hector. Hector's real identity in the war is that of a strong and wise soldier because he is able to recognize the weak points of his enemy. However, on wearing Achilles' armor, he thinks that it will provide the same protection it provided the right owner. He charges with fury and pride, but the wrong armor gives him the wrong idea of Achilles' weak points. On the other hand, Achilles is able to recognize the actual areas of weakness in Hector. This allows Achilles to kill Hector within a short time. Noteworthy, the identity provided by the armor is also a sign o...