Greek Mythology and Achilles Introduction Essay Example for Free

Greek Mythology and Achilles Introduction Essay Introduction Once upon a time, long ago there was a marvelous battle called the Trojan War, but before hand, there lived a Greek god named Peleus who extracted love for the Sea goddess Thetis. As time passed, they became one, so they thought why not form our love in to a child. When their child was born, Thetis dipped him into the river styx which was in the underworld (Achilles). Thus made him immortal and his name was Achilles. When Thetis dipped Achilles in to the underworld, she held him from his heel, this spot remained vulnerable, (Achilles). Meaning it was the only spot in his body that remained mortal. Achilles’ parents knew that he would become the greatest fighter ever lived, (Gill). So Achilles knew that he would end up fighting in the Trojan War. Personal Qualities Achilles was a great warrior who possessed many unique qualities; for one, he was immortal. He was a man who was known for his incredible strength, fighting ability and his intimidating armor. Some of his other main qualities were that he was part human, past super natural, (Achilles). He was very courageous, brave, and also strong. He used his strength and bravery to kill Hector, king of the Trojans, (Achilles 1). Achilles was also very well known for his helmet, which was gold with red horse tips above it. His armor would always be recognized in battle. Achilles had many weapons, but his two main battle pieces were his short sword and spere, (Gill). When fighting, Achilles showed no mercy. When he killed Hector, king of Troy, he tied Troy’s king to the back of his chariot and dragged his corpse around the city walls for twelve days, (Gill). Achilles is unique, and the qualities he possessed are too. Personal Struggles and Achievements Achilles was a great man, he seemed perfect, but every great fighter has a  weakness and for Achilles it was his heel, (Achilles 1). Although Achilles has weaknesses, that did not stop him from his many achievements that were successful. Prophecies said, â€Å"Troy would only win if Achilles was on his side†, (Gill). Achilles was sent to kill Hector in the Trojan Warm so he did and came out successful. Sadly, in the war an arrow that was shot from the brother of Hector, Paris, landed in Achilles’ heel. Being the only vulnerable spot in his body, he died at Troy while still a young man, (Gill). Conclusion Achilles was a great leader and always led in battle. He was born and became one of the best fighters ever lived, (Achilles). Achilles was and will be remembered as â€Å"A hero with a weakness†, (Achilles 1). He was an immortal man with a great fighting ability, also a leader who showed courage and left his footprint, literally. Works Cited â€Å"Achilles†. Myth Encyclopedia.J rank.Web. March 20, 2011 Gill, N.S. â€Å"Achilles- Trojan War Hero Achilles† About.com.2011.INT.Friday, 08 April 2011. â€Å"Achilles†.GreekMythology Edition.Search, 2011.web.7Mar.2011.

The Relation between Seneca’s Hercules Furens and Aristotle’s Poetics E

The Relation between Seneca’s Hercules Furens and Aristotle’s Poetics The intent of this paper is to discuss Seneca’s Hercules Furens in relation to Aristotle’s description of tragedy as outlined in the Poetics. It begins by discussing character, and attempts to determine the nature of Hercules’ error (a(marti/a).1[1] The paper then discusses matters of plot (mu~qoj), attempting to determine the degree to which Hercules Furens meets Aristotle’s requirements for good tragedy in this regard. According to Aristotle, the best tragedy evokes feelings of fear and pity.2[2] Since characters in a tragedy must perform action (pra~cij), it follows that the best tragedy must contain some action that is repugnant (mia&ron) or terrible, so as to inspire pity and fear.3[3] In Hercules Furens this action is Hercules’ murder of his wife and children. Here, as a result of his madness, Hercules commits a repulsive act in ignorance of what he does, which according to Aristotle is better than to act with knowledge of the wickedness of the act (he gives Medea’s murder of her children as an example). The very best tragedy, however, is one in which the character is ignorant of the repulsive act he is about to commit, yet becomes aware of that act just in time to refrain from committing it. Obviously this last is not the case with Hercules, and therefore Aristotle would count Seneca’s tragedy as belonging to the second best type (like Sophocles’ Oedipus). However, there is a second action of this sort that occurs at end of the play, when Hercules intends to kill himself. It occurs just as Hercules is about to carry out the act of suicide. Here Amphitrion also threatens to kill himself should Hercules die: aut vivis aut occidis (1308), â€Å"eithe... ... 10. [10] Poet. 1452a25-30. [11] Poet. 1452a20-25. [12] Poet. 1452a30. [13] Poet. 1452a25. [14] Lawall (1983) 10 argues that the final act, not the madness, is â€Å"the true dramatic climax of the play.† Works Cited Aristotle’s Poetics. Trans. Apostle, H. G., E. A. Dobbs, and M. A. Parslow. Grinell, IA: The Peripatetic Press: 1990. Lawall, Gibert. â€Å"Virtus and Pietas in Seneca’s Hercules Furens.† Senecan Tragedy. Spec. issue of Ramus 12.1-2 (1983): 6-26. Motto, A. L. and J. R. Clark. â€Å"Maxima Virtus in Seneca’s Hercules Furens.† Classical Philology 76 (1981): 101-17. Additional Works Consulted Motto, A. L. and J. R. Clark. â€Å"The Monster in Seneca’s Hercules Furens 926-939.† Classical Philology 89 (1994): 269-72. Rose, A. R. â€Å"Seneca’s Dawn Song (Hercules Furens, 125-58) and the Imagery of Cosmic Disruption.† Latomus 44.1 (1985): 101-23.

The Assault – Memory

Memory is defined as â€Å"The faculty of the mind by which it retains the knowledge of previous thoughts, impressions, or events. † Memories are units of information that have impacted one’s life and are stored in the brain for years. In some cases, dramatic events may not let the brain register every single detail about a situation. This is much like Anton’s case of the winter of 1945 of the novel The Assault by Harry Mulisch. The events of that winter affected him like no other would. The loss of his mother, father and brother and the burning of his house left an impact on him but the events were so grave his brain did not allow him to remember the smaller details. As he meets important people from his past, he begins to remember the smaller things he has experienced. Throughout the whole novel memories begin to slowly flow back to Anton. Every person he meets allows his memories to develop. First, he sees his former neighbours, the Beumers’, who not only jog his memory but allow him to learn new things about that night. Although the memories should have been vivid in his mind, Anton had forgotten some of the events of that night. Simply seeing the Beumers’, and being in their presence helped jog his memories. They had him over for supper while he was in the neighbourhood for a friends’ birthday. It had been evident that Mrs. Beumer’s memories were certainly more vivid than Anton’s. Next had been his meeting with Fake Ploeg junior, the son of the Nazi who had been killed that terrible night. Ploeg had not been over his father’s death, He and Anton both had arguments defending their fathers, and why that night may have happened. This allowed Anton to open his mind to new ideas, and question his theories as if they had not been thought out correctly. Another happens later when Anton meets Takes, a friend of his father-in-law’s. In the first episode Anton is thrown in a cell with an older woman whom he cannot identify. He has an emotional conversation with her about what had happened the night of Ploeg’s death and became extremely friendly with the woman. She becomes some sort of a mother figure to Anton. Although Anton felt as if he could remember every word, every feeling and every scent that night in the cell, he drew a blank. Takes explains that the woman in the cell with him was one of Ploeg’s killers. This was one of those important moments in your life that is so grave you can’t allow yourself to remember. It may have been due to the fact that Anton didn’t remember, or didn’t want to remember the details that remind him of the death of his family members. After he meets Takes he meets Karen Kortweg one of the more important characters in the plot. The Kortweg’s were the ones who took Fake Ploeg’s body and dragged it in front of Anton’s family’s house, the Steenwijk residence. When meeting Karen, she finally explains the reasoning behind why she left the body in front of the Steenwijk’s house and not any of the other two neighbour’s houses. Once she goes into detail about the families and her and her father’s reasoning’s Anton begins to understand and remember the neighbourhood he grew up in and the events of that night. It is amazing how memories can be jogged by a single person, object, sound or scent. The people Anton has met and the places he revisits allow him to remember the events of his torturous past, which permit him to determine his future. Without memories people would not be able to be happy and reminisce on all the great moments in their lives. They wouldn’t be able to learn from their mistakes to better their future. With all these memory lapses Anton was having, he was stuck. There was nothing to learn from, no pain harboured inside of him, and all the happy moments he shared with his family were gone. Once he began to remember certain events his mind had been open to new and old feelings. Ones he hadn’t felt since he was twelve years old living peacefully in Holland with his family. He also began to create a direction for himself. The only question he was left with was who was guilty and who had been innocent? In the end memories are extremely important. They help form a person and guide them through life. As well as learn from their mistakes and prepare them for the future. Memories are like a dream you can’t remember. Once it’s over, you forget completely. But that one feeling, smell or sound lets it all come back to you and you are finally able to allow yourself to experience the state of euphoria we call remembering.

Is America A Post Racial Society - 1431 Words

Many individuals have argued that America is a post-racial society. However, as a nation that as yet to be achieved. Even though, we have a biracial president does not mean that we have yet to achieve the status of all races being equal. We still live in a system that contains one superior group while other racial groups remain inferior. The United states have yet to understand why we have two nations in America. In addition, examining how to combat and prevent those issues that are place by barriers. There needs to be an understanding on how race and culture are complex issues that remain a barrier for African American. In addition, we must understand the role that social institutions have on issues pertaining to African American. African American were granted freedom; however, equality was never the deal. There are many factors associated with the problem of inequality confronting America in the 21stcentury. Race is one of the central theme in America; however, their must be a look at how class, status, gender, culture, and power may be a construction of reality for African Americans. In the 21st Century, as a society we have to knows how different social factors can be a problem of inequality. There can be a focus on race and culture when it come to the challenges of African Americans because each aspect plays apart in the construction of reality. Race can not be exclusive because there are other factors to take in account when it pertains to the problems of inequalityShow MoreRelatedIs America A Post Racial Society? Essay2105 Words   |  9 PagesIs America a Post-Racial Society? Post-racial is an adjective that denotes or relates to a period of society in which racial prejudice and discrimination no longer exist. Many believe this is a term applicable to the current state of America. 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