Antihero/Hero

            Can someone imagine a warrior so mighty that entire armies feared him, a warrior capable of start and finish wars by himself, a warrior with a legendary reputation of invincibility? Indeed we can, and his name was Achilles, son of Peleus and Thetis. The Greeks invaded Troy in the Trojan War, what would be the greatest war the world had ever known according to Greek mythology. Greek leaders knew that with Achilles leading the army Troy would not stand a chance. The Trojans were fully aware of Achilles' abilities. They were very fearful of him and saw Achilles as a threat for an entire country. Achilles was viewed as a hero for the Greeks, in contrast, he was regarded as Troy's greatest threat. In this story, the author summarizes with careful details Achilles life, and what cements his name in glorifying books of mythological history, the Trojan War. 

            Cartwright summarizes a short story about Achilles and his decisive role in the Trojan War. Being a passionate scholar about Greek mythology, the author gives an interesting and facts rich tale of the legendary Achilles.When Achilles was a baby, his mother, Thetis the Nereid, in order to make him immortal, submerged him in the Styx River, holding him by the ankle. Achilles' left ankle was his only weakness, a fact unknown to him and everybody else. Achilles grew up and became a talented warrior. The bravest, strongest, and even best-looking warrior of the Greek army. Cartwright points out that Achilles “was also bad tempered and too proud for his own good” (“Achilles”).

           Paris, prince of troy, kidnapped Helen, the wife of the King of Sparta. Enraged by this, the Spartan king went to his brother, Agamemnon, King of the Mycenae and leader of the Greeks forces. The decision resulted in this meeting was to invade Troy and punish them for the kidnapping of Helen. Preparing the Greek army, Achilles was convinced by Odysseus, who was a great negotiator, to joi in the invasion. Greece assemble a massive army and prepared to conquer Troy, which was protected by great walls and had not been invaded in centuries. When the Greeks arrived at Troy’s beach, lead by Achilles and his personal small armada, they decisively won the first battle. Throughout the attacks, the Trojans defended their country fiercely. Lead by Hector, the Trojan prince, his army repelled the Greek offensive many times. Hector was a mighty Trojan warrior, some said he was almost as good as Achilles himself. Patroklos, Achilles dear friend, was killed in battle by Hector. This enraged Achilles, causing him to challenge Hector to a one on one battle. Despite being a great warrior, Hector was no match for the mighty Achilles, and was killed in the fight. After many more battles, the Greeks succeeded on surpassing the Trojan walls. Once inside Troy, Achilles was hit by an arrow in his only vulnerable place, his left ankle. David Osborne states that “Achilles remained with one weak or vulnerable spot, his left heel, which was ultimately to prove fatal” (Mythology”). At the end, Greece won the war and successfully invaded Troy, but the victory could not have come without Achilles. Greeks warriors saw Achilles as the ultimate hope to win battles, and the mighty warrior was true to his talents. In contrast, the Trojans perceived Achilles as a villain and a threat to their existence.

           Professed hero for the Greeks, but also a definitive villain for the Trojans. Achilles personifies a polarizing figure in Greek mythology, as he was venerated as a savior by one side and feared as a antihero by the other side.