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Essay / The Role of Fate in Homer's Iliad
Fate has been a constant theme for authors, poets, playwrights and playwrights since time immemorial. The idea of fate has been incorporated into many novels and plays. Human beings have always been intrigued by the power of moira and its ability to dominate the course of human action. The question of who and what controls human lives has always been a controversial subject. The soldiers of Homer's Iliad know that their moira is immutable but that their fate, which is death, is inevitable. In fact, even the gods don't have direct control over Moira (Brugger). They are the performers of the moira. Men have the free will to adhere to the rules of destiny or to make their own choices. In the Iliad, the moira plays an important role in determining the ultimate outcome of man's destiny. Thomas Hardy called destiny the “immanent will” that directs the lives of all men, while Shakespeare said of the moira that men are masters of their own destiny. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayThe thread of moira ties the lives of the characters in Iliad together. No one can escape Moira, neither dead nor alive, “neither brave nor cowardly” (Homer&Butler). Mortals depend on prophets who believe that a person's destiny is predestined. Calchas, who is the greatest of all seers, predicts that the frightened city of Troy is doomed to imminent catastrophe. While many view Providence as a motivator for waging war, others hope to overcome their destiny through wisdom and courage. Regardless of what they believe in, everyone wants to live a life of honor and leave behind a legacy of value (Beck). Zeus, the king of the gods, sides with the Trojans and helps them. Even though he does everything in his power to help the Trojans, he cannot change the course of their moira. Zeus fails to save his own son, Sarpendon, from the death of Patroclus. No one knows whether or not the Gods can modify the moira, but the Three Moirai decide the destiny of man is a long-known truth (Homer & Butler). The gods, in the Iliad, are predisposed towards the characters of the epic, which makes them deceptive and immoral. They are involved in unscrupulous acts like lying, raping, flirting, and using innocent mortals as pawns for their entertainment. Hera, the wife of Zeus, is favorable to the Achaeans and, with her daughter, Athena plots against the Trojans whom she hates. Thus, the gods attempt to indirectly manipulate the course of the moira. The gods act as facilitators and enforcers of destiny (Mueller). On the other hand, mortals use their skills and qualities to meet their predestined moira. While some use it to escape the consequences of their actions, others use it to seek revenge. After seeing the losses suffered by the Greeks, Agamemnon, instead of apologizing for his destructive anger, accuses Moire and Zeus of being the cause of all the upheavals and troubles (Stanley). What he does not understand is that even if the moira controls the lives of men, it can only impose its power if the man submits to it voluntarily. Human free will may sometimes be restricted, but it does not disappear completely. Every human being can act according to their free will, whether this goes for or against their destiny is difficult to understand. Likewise, Achilles is aware of his inevitable providence but he chooses to do whatever will lead to his damnation. He has the choice of withdrawing from the war front with his glory lost or dying fighting with his honor intact (Beck). Achilles chooses to face.