Write a one-two page essay discussing in detail ONE of the following:
i. What role do the gods play in the Illiad?
First, use passages from the text to compare the character of different gods and illustrate their different actions in the story.
Then use passages from the text to support answers to the following questions:
Do the gods know ahead of time what will happen to the human characters in the story?
Can they intervene to change what they have foreseen or what fate has determined will happen?
How powerful are the gods?
To what extent are the gods responsible for what happens to the human characters?
ii. What picture does Homer present of war?
Describe in detail how warfare is presented in the Illiad.
Use specific passages from the text answer the following:
How are battles conducted? What weapons and equipment are used in battle?
How do the various characters behave in battle?
What kinds of character traits do the most successful warriors have?
What kinds of character traits lead to trouble on the battlefield?
What are some ways in which the war affects civilians like the residents of Troy?