116 pages 3 hours read

Homer, Transl. Robert Fagles

The Iliad

Fiction | Novel/Book in Verse | Adult | BCE

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.

Essay Topics

1.

In the first stanza the poet refers to the Achaean deaths as “the will of Zeus […] moving toward its end” (77). Why does Zeus want to kill the heroes? What does he hope to achieve? Use at least three specific examples from the text to support your answer.

2.

Examine the relationship between mortals and immortals. Draw on at least three specific interactions in your discussion.

3.

What is the function of nature similes in the poem? Explore their meaning using at least three similes from the poem.