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They are All Toddlers – Clabo

 

Honestly, the fact that Paris started the war by stealing Helen from Menelaus could cause one to think that he would be prepared to continue to fight for her. At first, he even seems confident when he openly and arrogantly challenges the Achaean men to a one-on-one battle. However, his courage and arrogance quickly fade when Menelaus is the warrior who steps up to fight him. I don’t understand how someone can turn from a hero to a coward so quickly. Not only did Menelaus not get the revenge he deserved in the battle, but Paris still had the audacity to try and hide from the war in book 6 after he had been saved by Aphrodite and been given Helen once again. The entire time I read these sections I pictured them being acted out by children on a playground. So many of the events in this story I just feel as if they are extremely childish. I guess in this case one could relate Paris to the teacher’s kid who never gets in trouble.

Also, I know we were not directly assigned books 4 and 5, but as I skimmed through them for context, I once again felt as if the events that occurred were that of toddlers playing with toy soldiers or action figures. It’s almost as if Zeus is the parent figure and the other gods and goddesses are the kids running up to him and saying, “Ooh, can I go play now?!” As serious and warlike as these books may seem, I found it so much more amusing to look back and view it from the perspective that they were all children.

P.S. - I commented on Caroline Tucker's and Rachael Gregson's posts. 

 

 

Comments

  1. Braylan StringfellowAugust 24, 2020 at 4:59 PM

    I agree with your post. I saw how childish these characters can be. I saw it in Menelaus when he was insulting Paris. That's what I would do to someone I was mad at back in elementary school.

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  2. Jackson RiddleAugust 24, 2020 at 8:46 PM

    I appreciate your perspective on this, I had sensed this attitude from characters like Paris but didn't know how to put it into words. I would like to add that a similar situation commonly occurs between Hector and Paris, where Hector scolds his brother for doing something wrong or not acting at all.

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  3. Logan TurnerAugust 24, 2020 at 8:53 PM

    Your point of view is rather interesting. Instead of seeing them as children, I saw them as puppet masters controlling marionettes in a children's play. In all honesty, I don't know which one is more amusing. Also, calling Paris the teacher's kid is kind of funny to me because I actually was a teacher's kid, so I can actually relate to not getting in trouble. Although, that was because I tried my best to avoid drama and not get involved in it.

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