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Structural Levels Of The Iliad

Structural Levels of The Iliad


Wars are often very complex in nature and are fought for many diverse
reasons.   The school boy may fight in order to get money for college, the
patriot may fight to bring life, liberty and justice to some poor soul, and a
coward may fight because he was drafted by force.   In the Iliad, powerful gods,
great nations, and heroic people all fight for many different reasons.   This
wide variety of fighting results in unique situations, problems, and structural
levels to the war.   These structural levels are of special interest, because
they help define the consequences and outcomes of the war.   The universal war of
the gods, social war of the Greeks and Trojans, and the private war of Achilles'
honor are structural levels of the Trojan war.   These structural levels seem to
influence and shape each other in many distinct ways.
The universal war between the gods over the apple of discord
consequently lead to the social war between the Greeks and the Trojans. For
example, Aphrodite promised Paris that he could have the most beautiful woman in
the world if he gave the apple of discord to her.   He did so, and decided to go
and get his reward.   Unfortunately, the most beautiful women in the world, Helen,
was the wife of the Greek King Menelaus.   The abduction of Helen by Paris lead
to the Trojan war.   The promise made by Aphrodite to Paris in order to get the
apple of discord resulted in the abduction of Helen and the start of the Trojan
war.   Therefore, Aphrodite, in the universal war, set the stage for the social
war of the Greeks and Trojans. Another time the gods influenced the social war
was when the Greeks and Trojans had a one on one battle to decide the outcome of
the war.   The Greeks chose King Menelaus and the Trojans chose Paris.   Menelaus
and Paris fought, but when Paris was about to be killed he was whisked off by
Aphrodite.   Both sides agreed that the Greeks had won.   Zeus decided to start
the war again, and he sent Athena to...