The_Iliad

The Iliad “Passion in The Iliad” In Homer’s Iliad, the character Helen plays a very significant role in the poem. For she is the reason why the great war amongst the Greeks and the Trojans are being fought. In this essay I would like to explore how Helen is the symbol of passion and sexuality. I hope to fully establish that passion is the driving force in this poem. Helen is Menelaos’ wife, Paris steals her out of their home. This is very significant because it is the meaning behind the war. Paris went in the home of Menelaos and stole his possessions. One of which is Helen. Helen in turn, is forced to live as Paris’ wife/lover. Helen is supposedly the most beautiful, most desired woman in the world. Paris is unable to resist the beauty and the desire of Helen, which explains Paris’ motive for taking her. It is never made clear in the text if Helen is a willing accomplice to Paris’ scheme or if she is a resisting victim of the kidnapping. When Helen is speaking with Hektor she says to him, “Brother/ by marriage to me, who am a lliad, helen, paris, passion, hektor, war, control, warrior, victim, resist, one, never, love, bed, away, unable, sexuality, return, poem, passions, paris’, menelaos, lead, force, driving, clear, bedroom, because, able, wives, wife, weakness, warriors, very, turn