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David Trinh
Demember 3rd 2015
Matthew Duckworth
English 1B
Selfish Hero: Achilles
In the epic, The Iliad, Achilles faces many crucial decision-making situations.
Although, he acts and presents himself as a “hero”, he also shows his human side like
any other person and quite often too. When fate takes over, Achilles goes through
series of changes. The heroic, all-mighty Achilles turns into a whimpering child when his
prize is taken away. His long lasting anger against Agamemnon turns into camaraderie
after his friend as well as comrade, Patroclus is killed in battle by Hector. His wrath
against Hector’s body turns into compassion when King Priam asked for his son’s body
to be returned. Achilles being one of the best Achaean warrior has limits to what he can
withstand when faced with critical decisions; for he is only human.
Many would argue that when something is taken away from a person, that
person will not make it a problem especially when that person is a fearless warrior.
However, Achilles shows a sudden change and it is one that someone would not
particularly do. He throws a fit about his prize, Briseis, taken away from him by
Agamemnon. In some ways it is considered karma and irony because it was Achilles
who proposed the idea of returning Chryseis to her father in hopes of lifting the plague
from the Achaeans. Agamemnon states, “You are nothing to me-you and your
overweening anger! But let this be a warning on your way: Since Apollo insists on taking
Chryseis, I’ll send her back in my own ships with my crew. But I, I will be there in person
at your tents to take Briseis in all her beauty, your own prize-so you can learn just how
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much greater I am than you..”(1:105:214-219) This not only infuriates Achilles but also
humiliates him in front of the Achaeans and his men. Achilles takes a lot of pride in what
he does alone and what he does in this lengthy war against the Trojans. This causes
Achilles to decide on withdrawing from battle from that moment on and to bring his men,
the Myrmidons, back home to Phthia. This foolish act shows that even the brilliant
Achilles can have his selfish moments and not put the war as his best interest. In the
unfair eyes of Achilles who is torn apart, begs his mother, the sea-nymph Thetis to
punish the Achaeans for what they have caused him to lose. This shows that Achilles
cares little for the war and his main concern is to bring himself justice at all costs even if
the Achaeans had to be handicapped from the war. He goes from being seen as the
fearless, heroic warrior to a self-centered person who puts himself in front of the interest
