“The Iliad is a powerful, beautiful, and awe-inspiring work of ancient Greece. It combines the horridness and sometimes mundaneness of war into a epic poem filled with art, illustrious descriptions, and a myriad of wonderful literary images…”

 It focuses on the end of the ten year Trojan War between the Greeks and the Trojans.  The story is primarily about three things: Achilles’ wrath, war itself, and Xenia

 This is the story of the anger of the Greek hero Achilles, who, insulted by his commander-in-chief, Agamemnon, withdraws from the war, leaving his fellow Greeks to suffer terrible defeats at the hands of the Trojans.  Achilles rejects the attempts by the Greeks to reconcile, and instead, he allows his companion, Patroclus, to lead his troops in his place.  Patroclus is slain, and Achilles eventually turns his anger against the Trojans.

 Literary critics argue that the story is completely centered around the “wrath of Achilles”, rather than the Trojan War itself.  It is often referred to as the ancient Saving Private Ryan tale, which tells us the raw details of war, leaving nothing to the imagination.  Achilles often considered, an amazing man, warrior, and hero, who shows that true friends defend each other until the end.

 Although the focus of the tale is on the character Achilles, the harsh depiction of war is also quite evident.  The fighting that takes place is often described without any regard to filtering violence: › "He brought him down with a glinting jagged rock, massive, top of the heap behind the rampart's edge, no easy lift for a fighter even in prime strength, working with both hands, weak as men are now. Giant Ajax hoisted it high and hurled it down, crushed the rim of the fighter's four-horned helmet and cracked his skull to splinters, bloody pulp..."

 Hospitality to strangers; a divine law, governed by Zeus himself, that says you must offer hospitality to traveling strangers  Why does this matter? › Laws only applied in the cities, outside cities was dangerous, guaranteed more travel › How do both the traveler and host benefit? › Story of Diomedes and Glaucus  How did this impact the Trojan war?

 Another key element is the extraordinary role of the polytheistic beliefs of the Trojans and Achaeans.  Many actions are taken or acted upon as a result of "theistic" beliefs -supposed "divine intervention".  Different "gods" were interpreted as being for different armies › Apollo for the Trojans › Athena for the Achaeans  Most of the people that are in the story all seem to believe that most or all of their actions are already predetermined or in the control of the "gods".  Homer continues to stress the ability of the gods to control mortal lives, actions, and consequences. "But the will of Zeus will always overpower the will of men."