Bibliography

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Troy_(film)

http://www.articlemyriad.com/masculinity-warrior-culture-iliad-homer/

http://www.enotes.com/iliad/history-culture-troy

http://www.iliadtranslation.com/themes.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agamemnon_(play)#Agamemnon

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Trojan_Women

http://www.shmoop.com/iliad/

http://www.theoi.com/Text/HomerIliad1.html

http://classics.mit.edu/Homer/iliad.html

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_are_differences_in_Achilles'_character_in_Troy_and_Iliad

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0332452/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BiLCJxpqi4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLKZ0Adi70c&list=PL1E255C6B8055954A

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2ucpHgHo1g&list=PL1E255C6B8055954A

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/iliad/

http://www.shmoop.com/iliad/summary.html

http://uk.ask.com/beauty/Helen-of-Troy-Character-Analysis

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110411110626AAL6D3f

http://www.finestquotes.com/movie_quotes/movie/Troy/page/0.htm

http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/iliad/quotes.html

The influence of Homer’s Iliad on the film Troy and Reason for differences

The Iliad had a big impact on Troy manly because Peterson used The Iliad to base his movie around. Both the book and the film had the same theme which was Achilles wrath but the film portrayed Achilles wrath differently than the Iliad. Take for example in the film when Achilles kills Hektor because Hektor killed his cousin Patroclus. Achilles in a vicious rage goes to Troy to kill Hektor. once Achilles kills Hektor  he ties his feet around and attaches him to his chariot and leaves will Hektors body is being dragged in the dirt.

Homer shows it differently But yet still the same. As before Achilles goes to fight Hektor but instead Hektor runs away from Achilles and the Gods Zeus and stop Hektor and make him battle Achilles wins and pierced Hector's tendons to his chariot and dragged him back to his camp. As you can see the iliad shows a more brutal way when Achilles drags his body back to camp. Homer has showed that the Greeks are vicious but Peterson shows more remorse by just tying Hektor up and piercing him so Peterson has influenced some of the Iliad but not the whole thing. This maybe because Peterson wanted Achilles to act more dignified Greek hero not a man killing God.

The Iliad influenced Troy because has re made the Iliad in a film but making it a lot more even sided. What I mean by this is Homer made it look like the Greeks were warriors and the Trojans cowards, Peterson made it look as it was even sided, but without some aspects of the Iliad Peterson could not of made his movie. Take the Gods for example Peterson barely mentions the Gods but the iliad is all about the Gods so Peterson had to mention the Gods he uses Apollo for the Trojans because King Priam praises Apollo for curing his son Hektor. So yes the Iliad had a big influence on the film Troy.

There are many different reasons for the differences between Troy and the Iliad. One major factor is Homer favoured the Greeks because he was Greek so he made it seem like the Trojans were cowards. This had a big impact on the Iliad, yet Peterson did not make it look like this he favoured neither of them so it was more of a fair and exciting movie.  A similarite betwwen the poem and film is the theme Achilles they both based it around Achilles wrath this helped the film because then it could base everything about what Achilles did. Another major difference is the Gods Homer mentions the Gods regally and Peterson doesn’t I think Peterson did this because he did not belive in Gods he thought it was impossible for Gods to come and intervene with the story. A contributing factor in the book is, the Iliad ends with Hektors burial but the film ends with Achilles dying and The Trojans walking into the hills Homer may have ended the book like this because he wanted everyone to know that Achilles was unbeatable and cannot be stopped, But Peterson wanted to show that even the greatest of warriors are not immortal this why Achilles had a choice weather to stay in Greece or fight and die but be remembered for ever.

These similarities and differences show that both homer and Peterson are two different people and they both show contributing points and factors to what happened at Troy.

  

Cultural Aspects in the Iliad and Troy

In the Iliad there is a lot of culture. But comparing it to the film Troy the cultural aspects are different, mainly because Troy is 21^st century and the Iliad is written in 1488 BC. This has a big impact on each other’s cultural differences.

The Iliad the most important aspect is warfare. Because in the Iliad there is constant war, Homer portrays there word Masculinity, Masculinity means the characteristics of man, Homer uses Masculinity in the Iliad by showing that each Greek man is a warrior and not a coward. The culture for the Iliad is that each Greek is a warrior. The warrior culture in the Iliad is showed as the idea of honour, duty, and bravery. This is the society for the Greeks, and there is no greater glory than if a man dies in battle will fighting for his life or a noble cause.

The Iliad quotes that “I know only cowards depart from battle. A real warrior stands his ground whether he is hit or hits another”. This quote from the Iliad shows that the warrior culture is a big part of the Iliad and living in the time of the Iliad, it was not an option to be a coward. The idea of being a warrior is a big aspect for the men in the Iliad.

The society they lived in you had to be a warrior and bravery beats the idea of coward. This warrior culture reflects in the Iliad when Achilles is due to fight Hektor the Prince of Troy, and Hektor runs around the walls of Troy from Achilles. Hektor was acting cowardly. Homer has shown that the Greek had the warrior culture and the Trojans were cowards.

However the film Troy promotes there culture differently. As the film is 21^st century so everything has evolved from When the Iliad is written.  The culture for Troy is every man is equal, no one is a coward. Wolf Gang Peterson uses this culture of every man being equal because of the society we live in today. In the Iliad Homer makes Hektor run from Achilles to show he is a coward. But Peterson portrays this culture by showing the audience that every man is equal when Achilles is about to fight Hektor, Hektor does not run he stays and shows everyone that he is the same as Achilles. Peterson has demonstrated that the culture of Trot is that every man is equal to each other.

 

The Cultural expectations are different because of when the Iliad is written and when the film Troy was made. Homer has written every Greek is has the warrior culture yet Petersons culture is that every man is equal, both Peterson and Homer have their different cultural aspects this is why they are different.
  

Character Analysis - Achilles

Intro To The Character Achilles

Achilles is the son of Peleus and the sea-nymph Thetis. The most powerful warrior in the the Iliad and in Troy. Achilles commands the Myrmidons, soldiers from his homeland of Phthia in Greece, his wrath at Agamemnon for taking his war prize, Briseis, turns into the the main subject in the Iliad. In the film Troy Achilles has the choice of either living a simple happy life with a wife and kids. Or has the chance of being remembered for all of eternity, but doing so he will die and never see his homeland or his mother again.

Achilles

In both the book and film the character Achilles is the main character. But Wolf Gang Peterson portrays the character differently than the Iliad written by Homer. Achilles in both the film and the poem is the main character for fighting, and is shown as a legendary warrior. But both the Homer and Peterson see Achilles differently.

Iliad

From the start of the Iliad Achilles becomes one of the major characters in the story. Homer portrays Achilles as a God like figure, who is immortal and cannot be killed. Achilles is also shown as warrior with no emotions what so ever. Homer demonstrates this in the Iliad when Achilles says, that Hektors Body is for the dogs and the bird, to feed on. This shows us that Achilles has no emotions or remorse for Hektor. King Priam offered a ransom, for Hektors body which was Hektors weight in gold and one on Priams own Daughters hand in marriage.

                                 

 

 

This painting shows Priam begging for Hektor at Achilles feet. By offering him gold and one of Priams own daughters hand in marriage.

 

 

This vase shows the dominance and God like figure of Achilles, as he is easily betting Hector in his battle as you can see by the vase Hector is no where as strong as Achilles is to big and intimidating for Hektor.

Homers has shown that Achilles is a warrior that has no regret for anything thing it also shows that Achilles cares for no one but himself.

 

Film

The film Troy demonstrates a big difference with the character Achilles. Achilles in the film is portrayed as still a warrior and God like figure that is immortal, but is shown to have “Human like emotions”.

 Peterson demonstrates human like emotions with Achilles in the film when Priam King of Troy, goes to Achilles at the Greek War camp and asks for Hektors Dead Body back. Priam is begging to Achilles for Hektors body. Achilles shows great emotion toward Priam, and cried over Hektors body while wrapping Hectors body for Priam to Take back to Troy for His burial.

http://www.videodetective.com/movies/troy-scene-let-me-wash-his-body/72611

This movie clip shows Priam begging to Achilles for Hektor, Achilles shows real emotions for Priam and gives him Hektor.

The character Achilles is shown in two different ways in the Iliad he has no emotion and in Troy he shows emotion. In Troy Peterson has put emotion in Achilles because he wanted the audience to know that Achilles is still a human and has human like feelings not just some great warrior that killed Hektor the prince of Troy. Yet Homer wanted everyone to know that Achilles disliked extremely the Greeks, and shows no emotion towards them or anyone. Homer saw Achilles as a God that was powerful and brutalised the Greeks this why in the Iliad Achilles shows no emotion.

 

 

 

Themes And Patterns

There are many themes and patterns  in Troy & The Iliad. The main Theme for Troy is Fate, Morality and love. But the one that stood out the most is The Theme Pride and being remembered for all of eternity. This theme consist for a lot of characters but mainly for Achilles. Achilles has the choice of being remembered for ever or living a normal life with a wife and kids. This takes place when Achilles is talking with his mother(Thetis).

(Thetis) “Your glory walks hand-in-hand with your doom” To Achilles.

(Achilles) “We men are wretched things”.

(Thetis) ” If you stay in Larissa, you will find peace. You will find a wonderful woman, and you will have sons and daughters, who will have children. And they'll all love you and remember your name. But when your children are dead, and their children after them, your name will be lost. If you go to Troy, glory will be yours. They will write stories about your victories for thousands of years and the world will honour your name. But if you go to Troy, you will never come back, for your glory walks hand-in-hand with your doom. And I shall never see you again”.

This conversation shows us that Achilles has a choice of being remembered for ever or living a simple happy life.

In the Iliad the theme that I would see is important is Fate everyone’s fate is decided by the Gods. Some characters, like Achilles, know their own fate, while others, like Hektor fate was decided by the Gods. Before Hektor dies Zeus considers rescuing Hektor, but Athene convinces him to allow her to help Achilles instead. Zeus weighs the destinies of both men in the scales, and Hektor’s is heavier; his death is therefore at hand.

This has shown that Zeus has decided the fate of Hektor, Hektor has no choice on whether he survives or not. Once again This maybe because Wolf Gang Peterson favor’s the Greeks and hates the Trojans.  

Messages Conveyed in Troy & The Iliad

In both the Iliad and Troy there were lots of messages conveyed to the reader and or the audience.

Troy

Take the film Troy The main message that stood out to me was that, no human is immortal even the the strongest of people are not immortal. Peterson demonstrates this in the film when Achilles group comes out of the Trojan horse and flees through Troy killing everyone in sight But Achilles only seeks Briseis . Will the Greeks are storming through Briseis is at the top of the palace praying to the god Apollo, When Agamemnon grabs Briseis and say’s that he will use her as a salve for eternity.

But Briseis pulls out a knife and stabs Agamemnon and kills him then as the guards of Agamemmnon approach Briseis Achilles appears and kills the two guards and saves Briseis. While Achilles holds Briseis in his arms, Paris appears with his arrow and shots his arrow straight into Achilles heel. Achilles takes a deep breath and falls.

The Peterson throughout the whole movie shows the audience that Achilles is immortal but Paris shooting his arrow into Achilles heel, shows us that even the greatest of warriors are not immortal.

Iliad

The main message conveyed in the Iliad is that the Greeks are more superior then the Trojans. Homer demonstrates this in the Iliad when Achilles is to fight Hector. Hektor wishfully imagining that it might be possible to make terms with Achilleus but in the end resolved to stand up to him. But when Achilleus draws near, Hector is scared for Achilleus  and by fear he runs away, with Achilleus close behind.

Homer makes it look the Trojans (Hektor) is weak and scared of the Geeks (Achilles). This also shows that Homer favours the Greeks a lot more than the Trojans.

Summary  

Both messages are different, in Troy it shows the audience that no one warrior is immortal Peterson chose this main message for his film because he make it look like the main character Achilles immortal till the end of the film when he dies. He wanted to have a big impact for the end of his film by making the main character die.

But for the Iliad’s main message Homer wants everyone to know that the Greeks are the best fighters ever and the Trojans are all cowards. Homer does this because he is a Greek himself.

Introduction To Troy v Iliad

The Film Troy was directed by Wolf gang Peterson, and was inspired by the classic epic poem, The Iliad Which was written by Greek poet Homer. Wolf Gang use the Iliad to base his movie on. But only uses some aspects of the Iliad. Take the start of the film Troy. At the start of the film Troy. Agamemnon has his army on Triopases land and will not move. Then Agamemnon suggest Triopas best fighter against Agamemnon best fighter. And if Triopas man wins Agamemnon will leave for good. Triopas calls out “Boagrius” . Agamemnon calls out “Achilles” but Achilles does not appear. A messenger boy goes to Achilles and says “  The Thessalonian you’re fighting – he is the biggest man I have ever seen. I wouldn’t want to fight him”. Achilles says “ that’s why no one will remember you”. Then Achilles jumps on his horse and goes to battle Boagrius. Achilles arrives and defeats Boagrius. Then Agamemnon says” Tomorrow we will batter down the gates of Troy. Achilles then says “Be careful, King of Kings. First you need the victory”.

However then start of the Iliad is very different then the start of the film, The Iliad begins with the poet calling on the Muse to sing of the wrath of Achillues and its consequences. Apollo’s priest Chryses goes to the Achaian camp and ask for his daughter Chryseis.Who had been captured. Later Kalchas secures Achillues’ promise that he will protect him from reprisals, Agamemnon angrily denounces Kalchas. But Agamemnon agrees to give up Chryseis, But he wants a “prize” to replace her. Achilleus ansewrs that another prize will come when Troy is destroyed. Further in book 1 Thetis meets with Zeus and explains the situation. So he agrees to give glory to the Trojans on the Achilleus behalf. Hera, who strongly likes the Greeks, does not like this plan, but Zeus silences her and soon all the gods are at peace again.

Already this shows that there are major differences in the start of the film Troy and the start of the book the Iliad. For one thing the Iliad does not start with Agamemnon and his army on Triopases land the Iliad starts with Muse singing the warth of Achillues. This maybe because Peterson wanted to have an impact at the start of the film with Achilles killing Boagruis to show that Achilles is dominate and the Film will be based more about him.