Theme 2- reconciliation Flashcards
reconciliations in the lliad
Book 1: resolution of the quarrel amongst the gods.
Book 9: Agamemnon’s attempt to make peace with Achilles.
Book 19: Achilles’ reconciliation with Agamemnon.
Book 24: Achilles’ reconciliation with Priam (and himself).
Other reconciliations include:
Book 6: Glaucus and Diomedes (after the Bellerophon digression).
Book 23: the heroes after the controversial chariot-race.
failed. half hearted reconciliations
The great failed reconciliation is in Book 9. This fails because of Achilles’ unreasonable, excessive anger.
YET he is still angry in Book 19. So why does he accept Agamemnon’s offer here and not in Book 9?
His anger has changed object. Reconciliation with Agamemnon now helps Achilles to serve his anger. Notice it’s this practicality that causes him to make the reconciliation. He shows no interest in reconciliation for its own sake.
While Achilles remains angry, reconciliation either fails entirely or succeeds only superficially. His anger prevents heartfelt reconciliation
satisfying reconciliation uproots anger
The Book 9 attempt failed, confirming Achilles in his anger. The Book 19 reconciliation is only perfunctionary, leaving Achilles’ anger intact.
The Book 24 reconciliation is different. It uproots anger, replacing it with compassion and sympathy. How does Priam achieve this, succeeding where Agamemnon failed in Book 9?
Agamemnon and the embassy used reason. Anger does not respond to this.
Priam targets the emotions instead, confronting like with like. He appeals to the other great emotional impulse in Achilles, his love for his father. Getting him to expand that idea to others is the key to Priam’s success.
Notice also that Priam impresses Achilles with his courage, causing him to pay attention. In Book 9, he despised Agamemnon for his failure to appear.
does reconciliation contain a message
GRIFFIN (1980) suggests an alternative: the ending allows great opponents to meet at a level from which they see ‘the fundamental condition of the life of man’: to suffer and die. Priam and Achilles each gazing at the beauty of the other (Book 24) is an encoding of the idea that ‘it is out of suffering and disaster that beauty emerges
does reconciliation bring resolution
It does resolve the problems raised by the development of the plot:
The Book 19 reconciliation resolves the quarrel started in Book 1.
The Book 24 reconciliation resolves Achilles’ thirst for vengeance. It also brings an end to Achilles’ anger, which has been relentless since Book 1, despite the change of direction caused by Patroclus’ death.
The Book 24 reconciliation brings closure to the Trojans, especially Hector’s family. It also assures the hero a fitting funeral.
However, it doesn’t put everything right:
The war goes on. The anger of Achilles may be over, but the fundamental tragedy persists. Even after the final reconciliation, the Trojans keep watch, in case the Greeks attack during Hector’s funeral.
the role of divine reconciliation
To serve as a foil for the human action? This is one powerful way to interpret the reconciliation of Book 1, against which the human fall-out between Agamemnon and Achilles is shown up for all its unnecessariness and tragedy.
To serve as a foil for humanity in general? Looking beyond the immediate circumstances, does divine reconciliation serve to remind us how weak human beings can be, and how destructive our emotions can be?
To conclude the plot? The implied reconciliation among the gods in Book 24 helps to round off the story by emphasising the theme of reconciliation
key passage (book 9 achillies anger is unreasonable)
Ajax, godlike son of Telamon, then spoke: ‘Odysseus of many wiles, Zeus-born son of Laertes, we should go, since we achieve nothing by staying here. We must hasten to give the news to the Greeks, who no doubt await us, bad though it is. Achilles’ proud heart has raised him to such a pitch of fury he forgets, harsh man that he is, his comrades’ love, with which we in the fleet honoured him above all others. He shows no pity! Yet a man accepts blood-money even from his brother’s or his son’s killer, and the killer is not expelled from the land if he pays the price to the next of kin, whose pride and feelings are appeased by such compensation. Achilles, the gods have hardened and poisoned your heart, all because of a girl, while we offer you seven, the best there are by far, and a host of gifts besides. So be gracious and show respect for your house, since we represent the Danaans here, and are keen to remain your closest and dearest friends of all the Achaeans.’
Swift-footed Achilles quickly replied: ‘Zeus-born Ajax, son of Telamon, what you last said my own heart echoes, yet it swells with anger when I recall how the son of Atreus shamed me before the Argives, as though I were some wanderer without rights. You must go and give my answer. I will think no more of war and bloodshed, till noble Hector, Priam’s warrior son, comes here slaughtering Greeks and setting the fleet aflame, and reaches the huts and ships of my Myrmidons. Only here, by my hut, by my black ship, will Hector be stopped, however inspired he is in battle.’
key passage (book 19 achillies disinterest in restoring his honour)
Fleet-footed Achilles replied: ‘Agamemnon, king of men, glorious son of Atreus, grant me your gifts if you wish, as is right, or keep them, it is up to you. But for now let us think of war, it is wrong to waste time in talking, and delay the great work still to do. Let Achilles then be your example as you face the enemy, fighting at the front and slaughtering the ranks of Trojans with his bronze spear.’
key passage (book 24 priam achieves reconciliation by appealing to achillies love for peleus)
But Priam was already entreating Achilles: ‘Godlike Achilles, think of your own father, who is of my generation, and so is likewise on the sad threshold of old age. Perhaps his neighbours are troubling him, and there is no one to protect him from harm, or ward off ruin. But he at least can rejoice in the knowledge that you live, and each day brings the hope of seeing you return from Troy. While I, I am a victim of sad fate. Of the best of my sons, the best in all of Troy, not one is left. Fifty sons I had, when you Achaeans landed, nineteen by the one wife, and the rest by other ladies of my court. Most of them have fallen in furious battle, and the defender of the city and its people, my prime recourse, Hector, you have killed, as he fought for his country. I come now to the ships to beg his corpse from you, bringing a princely ransom. Respect the gods, Achilles, and show mercy towards me, remembering your own father, for I am more to be pitied than he, since I have brought myself to do what no other man on earth would do, I have lifted to my lips the hand of the man who killed my sons.’
His words had moved Achilles to tears at the thought of his own father, and taking the old man’s hands he set him gently from him, while both were lost in memory. Priam remembered man-killing Hector, and wept aloud, at Achilles’ feet, while Achilles wept for his father Peleus and for Patroclus once more, and the sound of their lament filled the hut.
But when Achilles was sated with weeping, and the force of grief was spent, he rose instantly from his chair, and raising the old king by his arm, he took pity on his grey beard and hair, and spoke eloquently to him: ‘You are indeed unfortunate, and your heart has endured much sorrow.…’
key passage (book 24 achillias and priam gaze at each other)
Swift Achilles sprang to his feet, and went and slaughtered a white-fleeced sheep, which his men flayed and prepared. They chopped it deftly, spitted the pieces, roasted them carefully, and then drew them from the spits. Automedon set out bread in neat baskets, while Achilles served the meat, and they helped themselves to the good things placed before them.
When they had sated their hunger and thirst, Dardanian Priam contemplated Achilles and how marvellously tall and handsome he was, the very image of a god. Achilles too marvelled, at Priam’s nobility and eloquence. When they had gazed at each other to their heart’s content, godlike king Priam said: ‘Beloved of Zeus, show me to my bed now, so that, lulled by sweet sleep, we may find ease in rest. My eyes have not closed since my son lost his life at your hands. Then I lamented and brooded over my endless sorrows, and grovelled in the dirt in my courtyard. Now I have tasted food and wetted my throat with red wine, who until now tasted nothing.’
