Iliad Essay Topics
1. At the end of Homer’s Iliad Achilles goes down into the dust with Priam in order
to comfort the old king for the loss of his son. Does this action prove Achilles to
have reached a level of maturity greater than that at the beginning of the epic?
Why or why not?
2. Is Hector a hero? If so, why does he lose his nerve at the end of the work? What
is Homer trying to show through Hector?
3. Is the work a tragedy? Why or why not? What does the element of tragedy in the
work achieve?
4. What does one make of this goober, Paris? What kind of man is he? Is he noble,
honorable, much to be admired? If not, what is Homer trying to show through
him?
5. The epic is filled with contrasting characters. Examine the nature of two or more
similar characters. What are their similarities? What are their differences? What
is Homer revealing through them?