The Psychology of Remorse, Humiliation, and Honor in Iliad - Research Paper Example

The Psychology of Remorse, Humiliation, and Honor in Iliad Introduction Homer’s Iliad shows examples of heroic psychology, particularly as regards fair-mindedness. However, an important question that requires a great deal of attention is: does the Iliad allow readers to discern any other reasons for the warrior’s tendency to be fair besides his benevolence? This paper argues that the feeling of remorse and humiliation or shame worked very differently for the two Iliadic heroes—Hektor and Achilles. Just like the restrictions to behave faithfully, the psychological mechanism works twofold. It works basically on the sphere of remorse and nearly on the level of humiliation (Nikoletseas 42). The analysis of D.L. Cairns (2001) of remorse and humiliation thoroughly describes the psychological mechanism. In general, Cairns agrees to the idea that (Zanker 60): … when one feels shame [humiliation] at one’s moral conduct, one focuses on the kind of person one is, on the whole self, on one’s failure to match one’s self-image or to manifest a prized moral excellence; guilt [remorse], on the other hand, focuses on the specific transgression of an internalized injunction, dealing not with the whole self but with the discrepancy between one’s moral self and one’s (immoral) act. Yet, Cairns finds it very difficult to determine the complexity of differentiating between attention to the self and attention to the self as instrument of specific actions. The Remorseful Iliadic Heroes Hektor’s self-reflection on whether to withdraw, usually considered as a major passage in this regard, is expressed in terms of humiliation. He dreads the reproach of Poulydamas for disobeying his wise strategic suggestion, feels humiliated about the possible negative opinion of Troy’s citizens about his tragically mistaken faith in his own capability, shows the desire to fall “with fair fame” (Bloom 21) instead of facing his humiliation, and ultimately discards the likelihood that he might request compensation to the Achaians based on the fact that Achilles would not respect him anyhow and would murder him as soon as he had removed his shield and was unclothed. As he sees it, courage and honor oblige him to defend his position until the last breath (Bloom 21-22). He has a greater feeling of humiliation knowing that his self-assurance has been insufficient and that a weaker warrior is prepared to reprimand him for it. The logic and expressions of Hektor need a more thorough analysis. He could show his response to his circumstances in terms of humiliation and integrity, but at this point and generally, what role could humiliation and integrity play unless a forward instinct or desire was existent? It is hard to picture a group or society uniting or not uniting based on humiliation and integrity alone. Therefore, the mechanism of remorse behind the concept of fairness can be determined. Behind Hektor’s idea of honor, a feeling of remorse seems to be present over the destruction of his community because of his own ‘irresponsibility’ (Silk 83). If destroying his people were entirely an issue of honor and humiliation, readers may reasonably still sense some confusion over the true nature of honor and humiliation and the reason they are present in the first place. The feeling of remorse is the final impetus, although in the words of Hektor and in Iliadic culture in general, its influence, similar to that of fairness, is weak. Remorse typically can only be shown and put into action through the more instant presence of honor and humiliation. That remorse is an existing instinct in the consciousness of the Iliadic protagonist and is portrayed by an excerpt that has gained astonishingly little interest from literary intellectuals (Allan 66-68). Achilles, in book 24, reacts to the plea of Priam for the dead body of Hektor with the picture of Zeus’s two jars, a heartwarming depiction of the uncertainty of human fate. However, as shown in the YouTube video clip entitled Helen of Troy, he is stunned by Priam’s remarkable courage, who has risked confronting the person who has slaughtered numerous kings’ sons (Dizzybunny2000 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9x7n0ELVKHI). His mind immediately flew to the fate of his father and Peleus. According to him, Peleus was well-known for riches and power, but Zeus gave him the adversity of having a single son. Achilles further states, with regard to the bad luck of Peleus and his own sentiments about his father, that he is not taking care of the aged Peleus but is lingering futilely before Troy giving kindness to Priam and his family (Tanis 89). One could reasonably identify here remorse about the suffering he is bringing to Priam and his family. Furthermore, support for old parents had a connection to honor and humiliation, and humiliation could be another element that can be rightfully attributed to Achilles (Dowden & Livingstone 429). However, is it not possible to determine the prevailing emotion that Achilles is showing as remorse over the thought that he is not taking care of the aged Peleus, caused by the destruction of lives he is meting out at Troy? The excerpt shows the importance of being able to understand or recognize different explanations or views—regret for an adversary, disgrace, remorse—instead of being limited to minimalist perspectives. Achilles lets remorse express itself more powerfully at this point. This is further proven when Achilles blames himself for failing to save Patroklos’s life. He says to Thetis that life suddenly becomes futile for him because his close friend has passed away. His life, he says, will never be the same again until he avenged the death of Patroklos; so he will return to the battle (Allan 104). The presence of integrity and love in companionship in the Iliad is remarkably demonstrated here, but not a feeling of remorse. Achilles shows his feelings only in terms of honor, humiliation, and remorse, but now that there is a reason to think that remorse was a truth in Iliad’s human domain and that the heroes typically convert into humiliation what is referred to as remorse, it becomes possible to assume the mechanism of remorse behind the ideas, statements, and actions of Achilles. In a subsequent dialogue of lamentation, a tribute for the dead body of Patroklos, Achilles says that he is at last free from suffering, even as he receives the news of the death of Peleus or his son. It is fascinating to evaluate his statements about Peleus against those contained in book 24 (Dowden & Livingstone 439). In his address for the deceased Patroklos, he envisions his father crying because of the yearning he feels for his child while Achilles is away battling the Trojans to regain Helen, and he assumes that Peleus is either mourning or had passed away and still waiting for information about his son’s demise (Dowden & Livingstone 439).These are certainly expressions of conflict and sorrow, even though such emotions are secondary to the dominant sentiment of Achilles for Patroklos, but they are not statements specifically of remorse, regardless how important an aspect that sentiment could be behind the statements. The existence of such remorse is the final psychological dynamics underlying the sense of fairness of the Iliadic hero—for instance, when he is disgusted by shows of too much self-possession or selfishness. A hero’s sense of remorse could be overwhelmed by other aspects, like the longing for honor when the action is intense: remorse barely serves a function in the decision of Agamemnon to mock the priest of Apollo and his own seer and to deprive his faithful disciples of the material rewards of war that have equally been distributed to them. Nevertheless, a negotiator such as Nestor can perhaps by his feeling of remorse at a certain point in his life decide that Agamemnon must feel remorse as an outcome of his unfairness (Bloom 24). Agamemnon, on his side, responds to his inner feeling of remorse and recognizes that he has behaved unfairly, but merely when the desires that have overwhelmed his feeling of remorse have subsided. Hence, the assumption is that the feeling of remorse will discourage men from unfair actions. Furthermore, Zeus and other deities reiterate the stimulus of remorse and thus stress its value. The problem is, as Agamemnon’s case shows, that the feeling of remorse is quite simply taken for granted in the quest for the core principles that usually strengthen its demand on the heroes to act fairly, honorably, and righteously. The dilemma is particularly directed at the moral context of the warrior-order during the Trojan War (Zanker 64). At least, the problem in principles that is present in the Iliad is rooted in what have become the clashing demands of remorse and humiliation or honor, even as paradoxically humiliation and honor are usually assumed to strengthen the demands of remorse and the justice-concept that arises from remorse (Bloom 24-25). As been shown, the balance between remorse, humiliation, and honor tipped to the side of the latter two, although it is equalized at the last part of the story, when the power of remorse is felt again, and a hero answers with kindness. At the concluding part of the Iliad, Achilles and Priam, Greek and Trojan as one, come together and mourn—Achilles for his dear companion and Priam for his dear son (Higgins 15): Priam wept freely/ for man-killing Hector, throbbing, crouching/before Achilles’ feet as Achilles wept himself/ now for his father, now for Patroclus once again/ and their sobbing rose and fell throughout the house. Hence ancient warriors are allowed to mourn publicly and even in the presence of their adversary (Higgins 15-16). They keep their honor through retribution, but they appease the misery of loss and the rage of vengeance by recognizing their wound and their wrong, outwardly in the united rituals of mourning and internally in remorse and sorrow. For Achilles, it could even be that remorse is a form of punishment to himself, concentrated on the external and internal self, for in traditional practice, he “tears his hair, defiling it with his own hands” (May & Crookston 302). His grief is intense and powerful. His sorrow appears to fuse with remorse, that he outlived his dear friend Patroklus: “My spirit rebels—I’ve lost the will to live” (May & Crookston 302). The remorse and sorrow of Achilles are possibly self-blaming, ways of dealing with the resentment. Conclusions According to psychology, remorse or guilt and its partner, humiliation or shame, can discourage or encourage a person to act. Positive remorse can work as social adhesive, encouraging a person to correct the wrongs s/he did. Too much reflection about one’s mistakes, though, is a guaranteed formula for bitterness and despair. The Iliadic heroes, Hektor and Achilles, experienced remorse and shame for very different reasons and outcomes. Hektor blames himself for the destruction of his people and makes a terrible mistake of challenging Achilles, which led to his early demise. On the other hand, because of remorse, Achilles is able to do the unthinkable—to show compassion and kindness toward Priam and his children. His guilt helps him regain honor for himself and his people. Simply put, Hektor experienced negative remorse, while Achilles felt positive guilt. Works Cited Allan, William. Homer: The Iliad. UK: A&C Black, 2012. Print. Bloom, Harold. The Iliad- Homer. New York: Inforbase Publishing, 2009. Print. Cairns, Douglas. Oxford Readings in Homer’s Iliad. New York: Oxford University Press, 2001. Print. Dizzybunny2000. “Helen of Troy.” Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 3 Feb. 2013. Web. 23 Oct. 2013. Dowden, Ken & Niall Livingstone. A Companion to Greek Mythology. UK: John Wiley & Sons, 2011. Print. Higgins, Charlotte. It’s All Greek To Me: From Homer to the Hippocratic Oath, How Ancient Greece has Shaped our World. New York: Harper Collins, 2010. Print. May, Larry & Emily Crookston. War: Essays in Political Philosophy. UK: Cambridge University Press, 2008. Print. Nikoletseas, Michael. The Iliad: The Male Totem: The Succedaneum Theory. New York: Michael Nikoletseas, 2013. Print. Silk, M.S. Homer: The Iliad. UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004. Print. Tanis, Beth. Homer’s The Iliad. New York: Research and Education Association, 1995. Print. Zanker, Graham. The Heart of Achilles: Characterization and Personal Ethics in the Iliad. Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 1996. Print. Read More