Thesis: In The Iliad

Transcription

1 Outline Observations Use apostrophes to show possession. Topic sentences need to be more than just a statement of plot or a verbatim copy of the thesis. Your essay should address the entirety of the text, so if your quote selection addresses nothing after the climax, that is a problem. Keep quotes to 3 lines or less. Unless you have an organizational reason, quotes should be addressed in chronological order within each paragraph. It s an epic poem. Stay consistent of whether you will be using the Greek terms or the translations. Italicize the Greek terms.

2 Prompt: The supernatural, in different forms and guises, is an important influence in many works of literature. In The Iliad, the primary manifestation of the supernatural is the gods, both Olympian and minor. In a well-organized essay, discuss the interaction between the human and the divine, and how it shapes both the outcome and meaning of the story. Thesis: In The Iliad the gods frequently intervene on and off the battlefield both as a means to carry out fate as well as to establish justice and order thus calling into question the true extent of a man s free will.

3 Thesis: In The Iliad the gods frequently intervene on and off the battlefield both as a means to carry out fate as well as to establish justice and order thus calling into question the true extent of a man s free will. Paragraph 1: On the battlefield to carry out fate Paragraph 2: Off the battlefield to establish justice and order Let s work with paragraph #2 Topic Sentence: Even when the Achaean and Trojan warriors are not involved in direct combat, the gods continue to influence the decisions of the men, creating an ambiguity as to whether a man s decisions are truly his own. To help build the ideas of our paragraph, let s read Book 24 pages

4 Thesis: In The Iliad the gods frequently intervene on and off the battlefield both as a means to carry out fate as well as to establish justice and order thus calling into question the true extent of a man s free will. Paragraph 2: Off the battlefield to establish justice and order Topic Sentence: Even when the Achaean and Trojan warriors are not involved in direct combat, the gods continue to influence the decisions of the men, creating an ambiguity as to whether a man s decisions are truly his own.

5 Even when the Achaean and Trojan warriors are not involved in direct combat, the gods continue to influence the decisions of the men, creating an ambiguity as to whether a man s decisions are truly his own. As the gods meet in council, they decide whether or not to retrieve debate the merits of retrieving Hector s body and returning it to Troy. As a result of Apollo s pleading, Zeus decrees that Achilles must receive a ransom from king Priam, Achilles must give Hector s body back ( ). Achilles heinous treatment of Hector s body does not follow violates Greek burial traditions and prevents Hector from progressing into the afterlife not only from being honored by his family and city, but also progressing to the afterlife with glory. Achilles complies and returns Hector s body, which creates the initial impression that Achilles has become has evolved into an honorable and reasonable man. However, this seemingly instantaneous transformation only arises as a result of Zeus s intervention, therefore calling into question Achilles noble action.

6 Even when the Achaean and Trojan warriors are not involved in direct combat, the gods continue to influence the decisions of the men, creating an ambiguity as to whether a man s decisions are truly his own. As the gods meet in council, they debate the merits of retrieving Hector s body and returning it to Troy. As a result of Apollo s pleading, Zeus decrees that Achilles must receive a ransom from king Priam, Achilles must give Hector s body back ( ). Achilles heinous treatment of Hector s body violates Greek burial traditions and prevents Hector not only from being honored by his family and city, but also progressing to the afterlife with glory. Achilles complies and returns Hector s body, which creates the initial impression that Achilles has become an honorable and reasonable man. However, this seemingly instantaneous transformation only arises as a result of Zeus s intervention, therefore calling into question Achilles noble action. Notice how the word choice is purposeful. Zeus doesn t just tell Achilles. He decrees it. It isn t just the treatment of Hector s body, but he heinous treatment. Your word choice should be purposeful. Consider your tone and the connotation of words as you write. *this paragraph would need to continue to address the bigger picture this example should cause the audience to question their own free will.