The Illiad (2)

3. Wars do not only claim many lives but also spoil/destroy a man's character. Do you agree with this statement? Cite details from the book to prove your answer. 

I fully agree to this statement. War, like most great events in the world, can influence the character of a person. Those who fight with a calm mind and a solid objective hone their senses and gain honor, but some soldiers like Achilles tend to get lost in all the commotion. War can cloud the judgment of warriors. Hunger for power and self glorification, those are two of the biggest reasons why one changes through war. Blood lust during wars can harden the heart and eventually turn a person numb. They won’t have a second thought about ending a life or experience a hint of guilt after the swing of a sword. I imagine Achilles also went through this gradual change. I believe that Achilles was consequently influenced by the multiple clashes he fought in.

As a side note, a concrete example of the change of man’s character due to war would be the American veterans who fought in Vietnam. Their like has become a stereo type many sitcoms or TV shows. They are characterized as hard headed, paranoid and bitter towards company. These veterans are sadly permanently altered by their harsh experiences in their honorable battles.  

As for an example from the Iliad, this obviously points to Achilles, a glorious warrior but so full of turmoil. He maybe a great soldier but his character is far from honorable. He may be classified as a mercenary. He claims that he serves under no king because he says that all the glory for a victory belongs to him and not to an army that watches him as he leaves a path of devastation through the enemy lines. His ways are uncanny, decisive and swift. His actions do not flinch at the sight of a kingly figure for he knows that none can beat him and for that he should not bow to any mortal who claims to be higher than others. His mind set has become obscure through all the confrontations in the battlegrounds. Reason has become far from second nature and ultimately obsolete. Achilles has turned into this immortal warrior not only because of the famous dip in the river of sticks but because the war has completely shifted his mindset and so he feels no remorse.