Post #5

After finishing the Iliad, I have met my requirement of 250 pages for this quarter, so I have decided to read more newspaper articles about politics. This week, I read an article titled Clinton-Obama Detente: From Top Rival to Top Aide by Elisabeth Bumiller. This article caught my attention, because I am very interested by Obama's choice of Hilary Clinton as Secretary of State. I think that this is a very good choice on his part, because now he is able to appease the Clinton supporters, and also she will be good at the job. Many leaders around the world like the Clinton's, and she was very popular as First Lady. I think that Obama is bringing a lot of diversity to his cabinet, but the people he is bringing are very intelligent, and I think that they will be able to help him greatly in his upcoming presidency.

Post #4

In this post I have finished the Iliad, and overall I enjoyed it. The characters were very interesting to see develop, mainly Odysseus though. I really enjoyed the evolution of Odysseus as a character, because I was able to get a much better background of him. Having the additional information of him, such as actual depictions of his heroism in battle, help me better understand people's adoration of him in The Odyssey. I was usually confused at how so many people could like him so much, and I was unable to think of any act of his, that would make him so well liked, and revered by so many people everywhere. Overall, I think that this was a good book, and now I understand the Odyssey much better, and I may have to read it again. I recommend this book to anyone who has, or is going to read the Odyssey.

Post #3

In the beginning of books five and six, a man named Diomedes is injured. After being injured, he prays to Athena, and asks her for help, so that he can get revenge. Athena gives him the ability of super strength. With this he kills many Trojans. This event gave me an interesting thought, about how the Gods intervene so much in the story, and their interventions really affect how the war sways between the two sides. Whenever something momentous happens in the epic, it is usually due to something the Gods have done. I think that it is extremely interesting that the Gods want to influence humanity so much, when you would think that they would want them to be able to settle things for themselves. I am still enjoying the book, but I still hold my gripes about too much fighting, and not enough attention to the development of a better plot or characters.

Post #2

I have continued to read The Iliad for this week's post, and I am still enjoying it. There is a lot of action so far in the book, and I enjoy it, but it is beginning to become repetitive. There is basically constant killing, and a lot of it is pointless, and could have been substituted for something that would add more to the plot, or more additions to the actual story and not just the war part. I think that the validity of the story could be greatly increased if there was more substance added, and less blood, gore, and stabbing. In the second chapter, more intervention of the Gods happens, and this time it is Zeus. He talks to Agamemnon in his dream, which misleads him in his goals, changing the Greek army and their strength. So far I like the book.

Q2 Post #1

This week I have begun to read the Iliad. The book begins, with the story of Achilles, who is a revered hero of the Trojan war, and is so, because of his bravery and valor. Agamemnon, is the leader of a group called the Achaens. They then decide to take two women prisoner, to aid in their war effort. This is frowned upon by the Gods, so a plague is sent upon the entire army of Greece. The plague that Apollo causes, kills many soldiers, and weakens the Greek army. The Greek army then finds out that the plague was sent on them by a God, and Agamemnon is thrown into a rage. Achilles and Agamemnon become angry with each other, and nearly fight each other, but the Gods intervene, and prevent the fight from happening. They got into the fight, because Achilles threatened to pull all of his troops out of the battle, and Agamemnon was angry about this.