Pride The Fatal Flaw Of A Warrior - 909 Words

Pride: The Fatal Flaw of a Warrior Pride is a reoccurring theme throughout The Iliad and plays a tremendous role in the poem. Despite the common belief of pride as the motivation of a great warrior, Homer depicts pride as an evil characteristic that clouds a warriors judgement. Pride is responsible for the two major conflicts in the book, and it is directly responsible for the deaths of two major characters. The Trojans and Achaeans are at war because of the pride of both Menelaos and Paris, and Achilleus refuses to fight in the war because of his pride, as well as the pride of Agamemnon. Hektor and Patroklos, beloved warriors of the Trojans and Achaeans, respectively, were both skilled in battle and crucial in the advances made by their nations. Unfortunately, they fall in battle because they let pride control their actions. The Iliad takes place in the area around Troy, nine years after the beginning of the Trojan War. The whole war is fought â€Å"for the sake of Helen and all he r possessions† (3.70). Helen was the wife of Menelaos before the war started. Paris, the son of the Trojan King, Priam, stole Helen to be his wife, thereby causing Menelaos and the Achaeans to wage war on Troy in hopes of returning Helen to her rightful husband. Although it is a noble reason to fight, the whole conflict is due to the injured pride of Menelaos. Although the war has been going on for nine years, there is an opportunity to end the war in book seven, when Priam proposes that the TrojansShow MoreRelatedThe Tragic Hero Of Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1453 Words   |  6 Pageshas greatness. The character must have high status position, but must also have nobility and virtue. In the book, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo, the great warrior who is well known in his tribe Umuofia, fits the category of a tragic hero. 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