For example, he is an unbeatable war machine because he possesses armor crafted by the god Hephaestus to protect him in battle against Hector, leader of the Trojans. ... His hubris, or arrogant pride, ends up affecting his destiny, which is to kill his father and marry his mother. ... Since it is his fate to kill his father and marry his mother, he cannot avoid it. After the tragic events of finding out his prophecy is true and that his mother and wife has killed herself, Oedipus ashamed, blinds himself in order to never see his deceased parents again in the afterlife. ... His punishments, the...

• Word Count: 915
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Two of the prevalent figures that possess this attitude are Achilles and Hector. ... Throughout the poem, Achilles is reminded of his destiny to be killed in battle and not return home to Greece. Although he senses his demise, Achilles does not remove himself from the battles because of his notion that he will be killed. ... It seems that according to Achilles" version of the Heroic Code, this revenge appears to correspond, although it seems that he possesses coldhearted rage to modern readers. ... Although his mother and father beg for him to come back inside, Hector refuses. ...

• Word Count: 1289
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

The ability to lift his father's spear that "No other Achaean fighter could heft [ and that] only Achilles had the skill to wield" exemplifies his strength above all men (171). ... For example, as he discovers the women of Ithaka to be servicing the suitors that raid his home, rather than kill them, Odysseus remembers his loss with the Kyklops and says to himself "Down; be steady. ... When his mother Thetis reveals to him his two fates, "hold out and lay siege to Troy, [and] glory never dies [or] voyage back to the fatherland [and] glory dies," Achilles chooses death. ... Achilles also p...

• Word Count: 1444
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

An epic hero is someone who does not possess supernatural powers, embodies the goals and virtues of an entire nation or culture, is faithful to family, country, and gods and goddesses, is brave, intelligent, and physically strong. ... My name is Nohbdy: mother, father, and friends, Everyone calls me Nohbdy (903). ... If they did, they would seek him out and kill him before he had a chance to return home to his faithful wife. ...

• Word Count: 1091
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

The epic revolves around the story of Achilleus's plight, and the manner in which Zeus executes his promises to Thetis, the goddess/mother of Achilleus. ... Deeply hurt, Achilleus calls on his mother, the goddess Thetis, to bring his plight to Zeus and ask for a kind of "moral recompensation" from the mighty god. ... The analogy here is quiet obvious : a weeping child whose "toy" is taken away by a neighborhood bully pleads to his mother. ... The father weighs his choices, and decides upon the best course of action. ... Homer depicts the gods as possessing many of the least attracti...

• Word Count: 2271
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

In the second half of the epic the climax is when Turnus kills Pallas, inciting the lethal vengeance of Aeneas. In the first half of the epic, the falling action is when Aeneas leaves Carthage for Italy at Mercury's prodding, causing the heartbroken Dido to kill herself. ... Aeneas wins, and, after considering sparing his enemy's life, he decides to kill Turnus to avenge Pallas's death. ... Also, when Turnus kills Pallas, Virgil foreshadows Turnus's own death. ... Their goddess-mothers didn't want them harmed, and often they fragmented the rules of war to save their s...

• Word Count: 8864
• Approx Pages: 35
• Grade Level: High School