Pity and Compassion Jayde & Brooke

Pity and compassion is shown within Ransom through human values that emerge in the context of war. Compassion is shown through Priam and Achille’s actions towards one another. Priam puts across an idea to Achille’s of what it means to be human. Compassion goes beyond many political beliefs and ways of social class. Questions that contribute to this are: Does being human mean that there are responsibilities everyone must take on? Should humans have a basic respect for each other and show compassion?

Peleus shows pity towards Patroclus when his father brings him to Peleus because he is being accused of murder. “Peleus too is moved by the spectacle of this boy the mark of the outcast upon him, the brand of the killer, who stands waiting in a kind of no-mans-land to be readmitted to the companionship of men.” Achilles shows compassion when he lets Patroclus wear his armour. “And when Patroclus, armed but not yet helmeted, himself again thought the armour was not his, stood smiling before him, he too had smiled.”

Priam showed compassion when Somax was talking about his children. “There was much to take in. He too knew what it was to lose a son. He had lost so many in these last months and years, all of them dear to him- or so he had told himself. Somax shows pity for Priam because of the lack of knowledge he has for the world outside of the kingdom. “He’s like a child, he thought, a bit on the slow side. Or a man who’s gone wandering in his sleep and doesn’t know where he is or how he got there.

However, many of the characters lacked any form of compassion and pity towards each other such as, when Achilles kills Hector and drags his body behind his chariot for 11 days in front of the walls of troy. Somax shows a lot of compassion towards his mules (beauty and shock). “I ended up taking her head in my arms and sobbing fit to break my heart. It was such a comfort just to hold onto her, and feel the warmth of her, and the scratchiness of her hide against my cheek. But whether it was for grief at my lost, or joy that she was safe.” Somax