Achilles, The Hero: "The Iliad"

I have chosen Achilles to write my paper on because his character is the central story line in the Iliad. Although it may seem that the main theme is about the totality and gruesomeness of when the poem is first read, this is not the main focus. The actual fighting and Trojan War could be compared to "Saving Private Ryan." We get raw details of the war without missing any of the descriptive details. Achilles …

…reveals his pain at Hector's death to Achilles. Achilles agrees to return the body. Achilles realizes that there are aftereffects from death long after the death. He discovers that life is valuable and should not be tossed aside for personal gain. Achilles' attitude does not take a 180° turn, but he is able to realize what happens when he kills someone. This may help to make him a more reserved and thoughtful person.