Moral injury is the damage done to one's conscience when that person commits or fails to prevent acts that infringe upon his or her own moral and ethical values. Dr. Jonathan Shay in his Achilles in Vietnam argues that “moral injury is an essential part of any combat trauma that leads to lifelong psychological injury” that veterans can “usually recover from horror, fear, and grief once they return to civilian life, so long as “what’s right” has not also been violated (Shay 20). Shay’s assertion that central to a veteran’s successful re-acclimation to civilian life is the cure to a moral injury, is an accurate statement to describe soldiers’ mentalities during war, as shown through Achilles’ rage over the death of his beloved friend Patroclus, …show more content…
The argument between the two men is caused by Agamemnon’s unfair claim of Achilles’ prize, Briseis, as stated, “bring back / Briseis of the fair cheeks leading her by the hand. And if he / will not give her, I must come in person to take her” (1.322-324). As a result of Agamemnon’s unfair claim of Briseis, Achilles and his men refuse to fight against the Trojans. The loss of Achilles from the battlefield is a devastating loss for the Greeks; the absence of their most prized warrior proves to be a devastating impediment on the Greek army. Achilles refrains from re-entering the battle for most of the story, that is, until he fails to prevent an act of wrongdoing against his beloved friend, …show more content…
Patroclus and the Greeks push back the Trojans until Patroclus is eventually killed by Hector. Patroclus’ death is the turning point in the battle because upon Achilles’ awareness of Patroclus’ death, Achilles is overcome with great grief. The death of Patroclus is a moral injury for Achilles: because Achilles refused to enter battle, he forced Patroclus to, which eventually led to Patroclus’ death. The grief over taken by Achilles, as stated, “And he himself, mightily in his might, in the dust lay / at length, and took and tore at his hair with his hands, and defiled it,” portrays Achilles ripping out his hair because of the extreme anguish and sorrow he feels (18.26-27). Achilles could have been able to prevent Patroclus’ death by re-entering the battle, however, by not doing so, he committed a moral injury, failing to prevent an act that infringed upon his own moral and ethical