The Iliad is a glowing picture of the heroic age

 

The Iliad is a glowing picture of the heroic age- Discuss.

 

Ans. The Iliad is a thing of beauty and a joy forever. It is a primitive epic in which interpolation cannot be ruled out. In course of several generations the mass of ballads or isolated poems might have increased the epic in volume. However, it bears the testimony of the heroic age. The heroes are fierce in the battle, passionate in their love, warm in their hospitality and generous in their gifts. They were all open hearted as they did not know the art of concealing their feelings. We find Achilles, the hero of the heroes weep like a child to his mother. Menelaus, a man of enormous strength sudden at his own wound. Fame is the ruling passion of the heroes. Patriotism was never a strong point to them. No one of the Greek heroes had ever appealed to the patriotic sentiment of Achilles. Besides, we find that personal pride was of great importance to both Hector and Achilles.