Lauren Feltner
Professor Emmerson
CLAS-C205
13 February 2015
HW 2: Retelling the Trojan War The story of the Trojan War is one that has been admired for more than 3,000 years, which is originated to Homer’s The Iliad. The story is one that has been retold and recreated several times, due to its appeal. The story has many themes that can be used to define human nature today such as understanding, conflict, love, and despair to name a few. The way the story is told, by hundreds of cultures, can be used to help understand the cultures themselves, while maintaining the storyline and the reflection of human nature. One recent telling of the story is from a 2004 film by Warner Brothers called Troy. The producers of the film have both maintained and changed certain aspects of the story for specific reasons. These choices can help provide insight on our own culture today by deciphering why the choices were made, and by understanding why some scenes remained the same. One big difference between the epic poem The Iliad and the 2004 film Troy is the fight between Paris and Menelaus. In both the film and the text, Paris and Menelaus agree to duel for Helen. In the Book 3 of the text, Paris is choking on the chin strap of his helmet and is about to die when Aphrodite breaks the chin strap to free Paris and end the duel by taking him back to Troy. In the film, Paris is on the ground, about to be stabbed, and he runs back to Hektor. Hektor shields Paris and commands Menelaus to stop. Menelaus doesn’t obey and comes after the brothers. Hektor then stabs and kills Menelaus as he is charging them. A possible reason why the filmmakers decided to change this scene is because there was an absence of Gods in the film. In today’s society, gods are scene more as divine beings that observe the world, rather than meddling in human activities, so the scene would not have been as relatable in the present. A similarity between The Iliad and Troy that is worth mentioning is when Akhilleus agrees to return Hektor’s body to Priam and the city of Troy. In both the film and the text (Book 24), Priam adventures to Akhilleus and begs for his son’s body. After the begging and talking to Priam Akhilleus agrees and sends back Hektor’s body to allow the Trojans to have a proper burial of the king’s son. One way to understand why this scene stayed the same is that this scene is one of
