The Iliad And The Book Of Genesis - 1590 Words

Divine command shapes and influences every event In Homer’s The Iliad and The Book of Genesis, from birth to death. Divine forces determine if Andromache and Rebekah’s actions can be successful or not. In The Iliad, moira determines everything and guides everyone; whereas in the book of Genesis, God’s will determines what will be done and influences people to act. It is moira that causes people to suffer death and destruction, as moira is one’s fate, or the amount of life they are given on Earth. In The Iliad, everyone is limited to moira, women and men. Not only are people limited by moira, whole cities are too, including the city of Troy. Therefore, in The Iliad everything Andromache does to try and influence her husband is limited by†¦show more content†¦Although Hector says this to Andromache because he believes it, in reality, it is moira that pushes him into battle. While begging Hector to stay, Andromache attempts to guilt him, yelling â₠¬Å"...it will be better for me / To sink into the earth. When I lose you, Hector, / There will be nothing left, no one to turn to, / Only pain.† (Il 6.432-436), but guilting Hector does not work. Nothing Andromache can say or do matters nor will it influence Hector. Andromache is ultimately powerless in convincing her husband to do anything, because moira limits her. In Genesis, God’s will actually works in favor towards Rebekah. His will ensures that Rebekah is successful in tricking Isaac, her husband. God favors Rebekah and Jacob and helps them, therefore making them successful. Rebekah is successful in helping her son, Jacob, trick Isaac to receive his blessing, because God favors her. Rebekah overhears Isaac telling Esau what he must do to receive his blessing, because God wants Rebekah to hear (Gen 27:5). Jacob receives his father’s blessing through trickery, as it is a part of God’s will. According to God’s will, Jacob, the younger son, will be superior to his elder brother, Esau. As the Lord tells Rebekah, â€Å"Two nations are in your womb, and two people born of you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the elder shall serve the younger† (Gen 25:23). Since before Jacob’s birth, it is a part of God’s will thatShow MoreRelatedThe Iliad And The Book Of Genesis1225 Words   |  5 Pagesthemes of suffering, war, violence, and sin, the characters of both the Iliad and the book of Genesis strive to live and define their lives as their own. The women in particular best exemplify this struggle as they contend not only with the circumstances to which they are born into, but must also grapple will the role they play in their society and how their actions influence the greater fate of their people. Within the Iliad, Andromache’s role as a woman and wife to a warrior during war contributesRead MoreComparing The Epic The Iliad Against The Bible s First Book Genesis Essay1877 Word s   |  8 PagesUpon initial consideration, comparing similarities in the Homeric epic The Iliad against the Bible’s first book Genesis would seem outlandish. The comparisons between the two tales may not be abundantly clear. The parables of the Bible serve as religious cornerstones for society, while Greek tragedies serve as the moral lessons on which our culture is predicated. Fate in both narratives is understood to be a governing body, with a prominence being placed on remaining on the course with that whichRead MoreAnger in The Iliad and Genies Essay943 Words   |  4 PagesAnger in The Iliad and Genies We live in a society of violence and extravagance. One can pick up a newspaper and see a headline reading â€Å"Bride Killed On Wedding Day By Crazed Ex-Boy Friend†. 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These differencesRead MoreThe Iliad By Homer892 Words   |  4 Pages The Iliad by Homer depicts the great struggle by Agamemnon and the Greeks to take the mighty city state of Troy and return Helen to her rightful husband, Menelaus. While many ponder if the war actually happened, or why the gods always seemed to be more human than humans themselves, few ask the key but often overlooked question; why is Agamemnon the leader of the Greeks in the first place? What happened that put him in charge of the Greek forces? Why does there seem to be an underlying resentmentRead More Essay on Women in Iliad, Odyssey, and the Bible1544 Words   |  7 PagesRole of Women in Iliad, Odyssey, and the Bible Much is known of men in ancient civilizations, from the famous philosophers and mathematicians of Greece to the patriarchs and subsequent kings of the nation of Israel. It would seem, however, that history has forgotten the women of these times. What of the famous female thinkers of Ancient Greece, the distinguished stateswomen of Rome? What power did they hold? What was their position in societies of the distant past? A glimpse into the roles andRead More God and Man in Homer’s Iliad, Virgil’s Aeneid, and Dante’s Inferno1228 Words   |  5 PagesGod and Man in Homer’s Iliad, Virgil’s Aeneid, and Dante’s Inferno The truest of man’s goals is to create art. Art is a by-product of the gift of man over the animals, creativity. Truly, creativity is a replication of God in man and a very possible interpretation of the Genesis 1:27 phrase â€Å"in his own image,† along with others—the possession of an immortal soul or the ability to speak. And creativity’s ultimate end product is art. And art more often than not in the history of man has led manRead MoreThe Hebrews And Greeks s Value System1526 Words   |  7 Pagesmanaged to share a similar objective: the creation of a moral foundation for their civilization which recognizes and respects the special and distinct nature of human beings. The Hebrews’ value system is centered around their God, Yahweh. The Book of Genesis describes the special nature that God has with humans. Unlike in other religions, the Hebrews describe their God as being sovereign, universal and transcendent – Yahweh is an all-powerful being who derives his power from nothing else, a God toRead MoreLiterary Masterpieces Matrix1186 Words   |  5 Pages| |Ancient Literature |The book of Genesis has |Genesis is mainly written |Both books are heavily |(Does not apply) | | |the theme creation. It is|in prose but does feature |influenced by violence. | | | |the account of the |a few poems. Most of the |The backdrop for the | | | |creation of the universe |book features individual |Illad is aRead MoreAnalysis Of Homer s The Iliad 3570 Words   |  15 PagesInterdisciplinary Studies Dr. Packer Eric G. Shuping March 3, 2015 Final Paper Homer’s poem, The Iliad, explains to us how the Trojan War started with Paris stealing Menelaus wife, Helen, and affected the lives of the Greek and Trojan people. The gods and warriors all desire to earn their honor to prove they are great, which Homer proves that it ends disastrously at times. Homer’s definition of honor in Iliad shows us that the gods, Greeks, and Trojans will do anything to prove their honor, while in