There is so much I could say about the women in The Iliad. Not only are they seen as mere prizes, their significance is judged by, you guessed it, their beauty. How they look is typically all we learn about them. For example, in Book 1 line 15, Chryseis is described as "the girl with sparkling eyes." Later, line 168 says "Chryseis herself, in all her beauty." This becomes very common throughout The Iliad. When a character talks about a woman we are reminded of that woman's beauty or lack thereof.
Later in Book 1, Thetis goes to Zeus with a request. Maybe it's just me, but does it not seem as though Thetis seduces Zeus in order to get what she wants? Line 596 says: "And crouching down at his feet, quickly grasping his knees with her left hand, her right hand holding him underneath the chin, she prayed to the lord god Zeus". Zeus himself mutters about how fulfilling this request would cause trouble with his wife, Hera, and later we see that it does. While Hera is confronting Zeus about what she has witnessed, she describes Thetis as one with "glistening feet". This is a strange description, but it is obviously significant as it is quoted more than once. Is it not possible that Thetis' beauty plays a part in her achievement?
Beauty and lack thereof is also significant in Book 2. We are introduced to a man named Thersites. We quickly discover that not only is this man notorious, he is seen as "the ugliest man who ever came to Troy". Lines 250-255 are dedicated to helping the reader understand just how ugly Thersites is. Now, I understand that Thersites is not the best at controlling what he says, but I do wonder if his appearance plays any part in how he is treated.
Not a sermon, just a thought... 😉
Wow, Haley! You make a very good point of beauty and ugliness within the Iliad. It seems that anything concerning Greek mythology and Greek epics, like the Iliad, always describe people in terms of their physical beauty. Aphrodite is considered to be the perfect woman, while Hephaestus is considered the ugliest of all the gods on Mount Olympus.
ReplyDeleteHaley, I think your post really hits the nail on the head! The term "evil beauty" appears several times in The Iliad, which alludes to the fact that the Greeks considered beautiful women to be able to bewitch even the strongest men just with their appearance. Honestly, that's goals! Overall I think that your post really encapsulates the meaning of beauty in The Iliad.
ReplyDeleteHaley, you make a very good point about beauty controlling emotions, and I definitely thought the same thing regarding Thetis seducing Zeus. Whether mortal or immortal, individuals are swayed and motivated heavily by the beauty of a woman. I find it very odd that the Greeks worship gods who are moved and make life altering decisions based on mere appearances.
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