ACHILLES’ MYTH
Achilles is featured in Homer's Iliad, written around 720 BC. He is considered the greatest warrior as he has an important place in Greek mythology. Greek mythology comes from the head of its heroes. His mother, Thetis, is a water goddess, and his father, Peleus, is a king. According to other gods, he is considered a demigod because his mother is a god and his father is a mortal king.
According to what is written in the Iliad, mother Thetis does not want her son to be mortal while she is immortal. For this reason, according to the legend, to protect his son Achilles from danger, he grabbed him by the left heel and dipped him into the river Styx. Thetis, who wants to protect her son by using the power of water, only becomes vulnerable to danger as she grabs him by the heel.
In the prophecy, Achilles will die when he participates in the Trojan War. Despite knowing this, Achilles, who did not hesitate to join the war, joins Agamemnon's army. But he disagrees with Agamemnon. Because of this disagreement, he wants them not to participate in wars and to lose every war they do not participate in. Realizing that they will lose unless Achilles returns to war, the Achaeans take action immediately. Achilles' closest friend, Patroclus, tries to persuade him, but to no avail. Returning to war, Patroclus comes face to face with Hector, the son of the Trojan King. Hector kills him and this news reaches Achilles. He goes crazy with this news. Enraged as a beast, Achilles vows vengeance and returns to battle "A black cloud of grief came shrouding over Achilles. Both hands clawing the ground for soot and filth, he poured it over his head, fouled his handsome face, and black ashes settled onto his fresh clean war shirt. Overpowered in all his power, sprawled in the dust, Achilles lay there, fallen ... tearing his hair, defiling it with his own hands" (18.24-30). Confronting, Achilles and Hector begin to fight, and Achilles manages to take Hector's life with the help of his gods. Achilles, whose anger never subsided, take Hector's body and circles around Troy 3 times. The Trojan King begs to take his son's body. Achilles, unable to stand the King's plea, washes and delivers the corpse. A funeral is held for Hector. On the other hand, the war continues. Achilles dies when Paris, which caused the war, is shot in the heel with a poisoned arrow. This is because his mother just couldn't touch her heel to the river of immortality.
If we examine the behavior of our main character, Achilles, we first see that although he is angry, he also has a feeling of pity. We witness Achilles slaying Hector and dragging him to the ground. But when the king, a father, begs him, the balance changes. Maybe he'll stop dragging Hector out of pity for his father figure. Even though he has mixed feelings, we see that he is a good person.
Secondly, we see that he cannot control his anger. When he sees that he and those around him are harmed, he cannot suppress the feeling of revenge that arises in him. This shows us that he values the people around him. It is seen that he attaches importance to the social order. He does not hesitate to fight his desire for revenge on the death of his best friend, even if it means his life.
Homer describes revenge in the Iliad as Achilles is between his characteristics and what a hero should have. Namely, Achilles is full of vengeance as a hero, but there is mercy in his character. This causes the two feelings to conflict.