No matter what religion someone believes, who their family is, or what they look like, all people are people, and everyone should be treated equally. This belief can be seen thousands of years back in time, even in some of the earliest writings of literature, such as The Iliad and The Odyssey, two Greek epics written by Homer. In The Iliad, the story takes place during the end of the Trojan War, where the Trojans and Greeks do see themselves not only as superior but do not even treat their enemy as their equal. Greeks believed that Trojans were savages or less than human, and the Trojans felt the same way about their opponent. In Homer’s Iliad, However, he writes in an unbiased way, using symbolization, figurative language and dialogue to …show more content…
Figurative language can come in many ways, such as personification or an idiom, but mostly focused using similes and metaphors. By using this Homeric simile, Homer can further convey, and slightly intensify, what was going on in the story. Going back to before Hector’s death, Achilles was on his way to avenge his dear friend Patroclus, who was slain by Hector. Homer relates the two as predator and prey, with Achilles as a fierce hawk and Hector as a peaceful dove, writing “As a snake in the hills, guarding his hole, awaits a man bloated with poison, deadly hatred seething inside him,” (Book 22 5-6). In the excerpt, Achilles was described as a warrior with both fiery rage and overwhelming power. Meanwhile, the chase starts, with Achilles the hawk charging at Hector. “And Achilles went for him, fast, sure of his speed as the wild mountain hawk, the quickest thing on wing, launching smoothly, swooping down on a cringing dove and the dove flits out from under, the hawk screaming over the quarry, plunging over and over, his fury driving him down to beak and tear his kill- so Achilles flew at him, breakneck on fury with hector fleeing along the walls of troy, fast as his legs would go,” (Book 22 58-66). In this part of the book, it is seen that Achilles means to be taken seriously, and has no room for debate about what he will do next. He was the merciless protector, with the contrast of the cowardice prince who stands up to defend his city. This is a primary example of the fight-or-flight response humans have, which is to either stand up for their own and fight, or go into flight and run away. Each gives into one of these roles, both logical choices to decide on. This is quintessential to how Hector's trepidation makes the reader feel sympathetic for him or shows how the Trojans aren't the brutal people Greeks thought they really were. In reality, they were both