Preview

Leap Of Faith In Homer's Illiad

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1123 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Leap Of Faith In Homer's Illiad
Malouf demonstrates that often, a leap of faith is essential for success in life. Do you agree?
In David Malouf’s modern re-telling of Homer’s Illiad, the development of the characters in achieving catharsis and discovery of self is explored. Malouf demonstrates that a leap of faith is often essential for success in life. The leaps of faith are defined within the contexts of the characters that are making this leap. As fate is traditionally accepted in the Illiad, Malouf’s retelling shows that the leap of faith to defy this norm and take chances can lead to personal success. Malouf also demonstrates that exploring realms of the new can lead to discovery of self; a goal in life that some characters would deem to be success.
In Ransom, the notion of ‘chance’ against the norm of fate is explored; showing that a leap of faith in taking chances can lead to unexpected successes. Priam’s idea of taking a ‘chance’ to approach Achilles ‘man to man, as a …show more content…
Driven by the idea of chance, Priam takes his leap of faith to oppose traditional norms of fate in order to liberate himself and also Achilles. On his journey, he encounters a world of things that are new to him in contrast to the rigorous life he lives as a royalty. As a result, Priam is able to ransom his son as well as achieve catharsis and relieve the tensions of being a king.

Contention: Malouf demonstrates that often but not always, a leap of faith is essential for personal success in life.
Plan:
In Ransom, the notion of chance against the norm of fate is explored; showing that a leap of faith can lead a character to achieve personal success in life.
- Priam’s leap of faith in taking a ‘chance’ ultimately leads to the retrieval of Hector’s body and setting legacy.
“she is more tied to conventions”
‘chance’
‘in a world that is also subject to
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Greek Warrior Code: Annotated Bibliography
    • 259 Words
    • 2 Pages

    The Greek Warrior Code: Annotated Bibliography

    Works Cited Homer. The Iliad in Western Literature in a World Context Volume 1. Eds. Davis, et. al. Boston: St. Martin’s Press, Inc., 1995…

    • 259 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Greek Mythology In Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief
    • 1182 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Greek Mythology In Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief

    Rick Riordan may have chosen to mirror his novel’s protagonist to Perseus, one of the more successful and prosperous Greek heroes, for a tamer introduction to Greek mythology, especially since the target audience for these books are middle school students. Riordan wrote this novel to introduce Greek mythology at an earlier stage in a student’s engagement with literature and culture, during the age when reading moves past simple comprehension and can explore richer literary motifs, inspiring students to learn more. Later in life, after gaining background knowledge in the ancient Greek myths, readers can engage more deeply with the text. From personal experience with reading and later revisiting The Lightning Thief after reading the canon Greek myths about Perseus, it is likely that other such readers can also better understand the timeless themes that can be transferred from the ancient stories to a contemporary novel—growing up in hardship, proving one’s worth, securing justice for harmed loved ones, and receiving help in tackling difficult tasks. The impact of these themes after comprehending the scale by which these have persisted throughout history further strengthens the power of the novel and inspires awe. The fact that many parallels of…

    • 1182 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Faith In John Wheelwright's A Prayer For Owen Meany
    • 1281 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Faith In John Wheelwright's A Prayer For Owen Meany

    Like anything in life, faith starts out for most as a journey. Often growth in faith is so gradual it is hardly noticeable. There’s no thundering voice of God striking down the disbelievers, but rather small miracles like getting an A on a test with little preparation. It is only self reflection faith grows because of struggles in life. In A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, John Wheelwright’s faith and his belief in miracles juxtaposes Owen Meany’s innate beliefs. John Irving follows John Wheelwright’s growth in faith and miracles and highlights Owen’s steady support.…

    • 1281 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Deus Ex Machina Quotes
    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Deus Ex Machina Quotes

    The use of deus ex machina at the end of Sophocles’ ‘Philoctetes’ serves as a final anchor point to tie together the events which unfolded prior. Heracle’s intervention allows us to reflect on the nature of events in the play and the themes of the play. Finally it gives us insight into divine influence and the role of fate.…

    • 488 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Loyalty In Homer's Odyssey
    • 528 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Loyalty In Homer's Odyssey

    2. “ Everyday I wove on the great loom, but every night by torchlight I unwove it; and so for three years I deceived the Akhains” ( Homer XIX 175-177)…

    • 528 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    How People Avoid Challenges In Homer's The Odyssey
    • 841 Words
    • 4 Pages

    How People Avoid Challenges In Homer's The Odyssey

    People often make the mistake of avoiding challenges that come in life. The Odyssey, written by Homer, tells the story of Odysseus’ arduous journey home from Troy. During his 10-year trek, he encounters many temptations of a life of ease that would test his determination to return home. Although this literary classic was written over 2500 years ago, it is still studied today and is one of the most influential texts in Western literature. The Odyssey is a timeless literary composition, because it shows how human nature causes people to make mistakes that would prevent them from achieving their destiny. Homer asserts that in order to live a fulfilled life, people must reach out of their comfort zone and stand up to all of the challenges that…

    • 841 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Loss Of Hope In Homer's Odyssey
    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Loss Of Hope In Homer's Odyssey

    Amidst all the countless struggles, problems and circumstances we faced throughout our journey, still, here we are fighting!, finding our own ways just to survive and even risking our lives and reputation just to say ‘let’s move forward and continue the race of life’….it is because we have this HOPE, hope which we hold that gives strength to us to stand still. But what if, the hope we hold has gone and it seems we are forgotten by our hope for almost a day, a month, and or a year? Would you still hold and believe in your trusted hope? It is, ‘we should not expect something for nothing but we all do, and we call it hope.’ (Ed Howe)…

    • 373 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Year of Wonders - Greed
    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Year of Wonders - Greed

    ‘This novel shows the importance of having and questioning one’s faith in times of crisis.’ Discuss.…

    • 715 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Year of Wonders
    • 6207 Words
    • 25 Pages

    Year of Wonders

    • This notion of chance is significant in the novel’s examination of the individual capacity for transformation. For Priam, human life has always appeared subject to the will or the whims of the gods, a fore-ordained pattern in which individuals merely constitute the motifs of this larger design. The visionary discovery or revelation that chance plays a significant part in human affairs is a moment of profound personal liberation for Priam as he is able to envision a role for himself that transgresses the boundaries he had always believed were immutable for him.…

    • 6207 Words
    • 25 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Ransom essay
    • 1492 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Ransom essay

    ‘The true power of Priam’s vision lies in the fact that it challenges the will of the gods and asserts the agency of men.’ Discuss.In David Malouf’s Ransom, the fall of Hector, “the noblest warrior” in all of Troy, causes Priam to become certain of the atrocities soon to befall Troy and its citizens, infusing his responsibilities as a king with a sense of guilt which stems from his “weak protection”. However, after receiving a vision of him from the goddess Iris, with no symbols of “royal dignity”, Priam embarks on the seemingly ill-fated journey to retrieve his sons’ body. While the fate of all men is predetermined by the gods, Priam’s vision challenges the sceptical notion that all are doomed to follow the will of the gods – that is, their assured destinies. Therefore, by carrying out his vision, Priam asserts that the capacity to change one’s self is ultimately dependent on the individual. For Malouf, the true power of Priam’s vision results in his own desire to restore both himself and Achilles, in spite of their inevitable deaths. It can be seen that while the destinies of all characters in Ransom are ordained by divine forces, there is an inherent desire in all human beings to establish control over their assured fates. Priam dismisses his rule as a “mockery” ordained by the gods, believing that his predetermined rule is doomed to end in the violence that will soon consume Troy. By choosing to label his rule as a “foul-smelling mockery”, Priam positions himself to believe that his stature as a king does not reflect who he truly is: the suppressed “child” Podarces, who “suffered [his] first death”, in exchange for power, luxury, and an identity that he gladly took if it meant for survival. The “foul” is pivotal as it demonstrates the progression of his contempt at being manipulated by the gods, and his inner motivation to simultaneously break free of his “obligations” and his responsibilities as king. In doing so, Malouf seeks to convey that all human beings…

    • 1492 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Hamlet Fate Vs Free Will Essay
    • 454 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Hamlet Fate Vs Free Will Essay

    Any practical drama involves choices, free will which results in the question- is it fate or free will? Which is it responsible for the suffering in one’s life? One’s suffering, nonetheless, is not unjustified because “through great suffering thou hero is enlightened.” This is the point at which the heroes learn about themselves and their place in the universe, their pride becomes humble.…

    • 454 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    Faith By Phil Pringle Summary
    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Faith By Phil Pringle Summary

    He argues that faith is indeed a feeling, but a ‘feeling of absolute confidence’5 without which we ‘will surely fail when we attempt something bigger than our abilities’5. This personally gives me a way to evaluate where I am at regarding different aspects of my life in terms of whether I’m in a place of doubt or confidence. Pringle emphasizes the importance of the relationship between the word of God and faith and how we need constant daily replenishing of the word in our lives. He also addresses another misconception by insisting that it is the ‘word of God which gives us faith and not miracles.…

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    My Family's Migration To America
    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages

    My Family's Migration To America

    My relation with Faith has been with me before I was born, starting with my parent’s migration to America. As a twelve-year-old leaving a Communist ruling Country, my mother certainly needed Faith to get by. Now, because my mother was so young at the time, she did not have the mental…

    • 605 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    The Goldfinch Analysis
    • 1149 Words
    • 5 Pages

    The Goldfinch Analysis

    Theo Decker stole a priceless painting from the wreckage of a terrorist attack. He didn’t pilfer the painting for fame or glory, but because it was his mother's favorite. His actions, made in part because of the strong affection he holds towards his mother, mimic the life of another prominent literary character -- Oedipus. The tragic pattern of the Oedipal archetype is echoed in Donna Tartt’s The Goldfinch, even though Theo did not downright murder his father and sleep with his mother. Once appreciated, the parallels between Oedipus Rex and The Goldfinch enhances the reader’s understanding of later text. In essence, these texts are connected, because Theo experiences the same emotions, motivations, and even acts exactly like Oedipus on multiple occasions.…

    • 1149 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Ransom
    • 450 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Ransom

    are given an insight into the characters and their thoughts. Achilles is renowned as a warrior and a strong man and even his raw emotions and thoughts are revealed by Malouf. This allows the reader to establish that Achilles mind, “even in its passive state, the most active part of him.” The closeness of the relationship between Achilles and Patroclus is drawn upon by Achilles own reflections on his soulmate. Achilles describes Patroclus as the, “other before he could fully become himself,” and his recollection that, “he had been mated with Achilles,” solidifies the tight bond that exists between the two. The subsequent grief from Patroclus’ death, plagues Achilles mind and Achilles, “(weeps) without restraint,” and lets the resulting, “self-consuming rage waste his spirit in despair.” Despite Achilles’,” never (betraying) to others what he felt,” these descriptions of Achilles feelings allows the reader to enter his mind and understand his grief and how much he is, “waiting for a break.” .Similar to Achilles, Priam too experiences, “grief that racks him… for his son Hector.” Beyond this, Priam also is worried by the responsibility that he has to save his kingdom, “ravaged and threatened with extinction.” Like Achilles, Priam has long hidden his past as Pordaces and this past leads him to believe himself as a, “pretender, substitute,” and a,” great one of this Earth, only be default.” These thoughts are unfamiliar to that of a king and Malouf brings out these thoughts to show Priam is indeed, “the price paid. “The actions of Priam to seek change only solidify his difference to other kings. Priam insists that the,” old filth stinks,” and this asserts the influence that the past has had on Priam and how it continues to persist in his thoughts. Although the role of women is downplayed in Ransom as the focus is on the men and war, Hecuba’s animated reaction to Priam’s dream brings out how she as a women still has somewhat of a say. Hecuba describes Achilles as,”…

    • 450 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics