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Definition of Motif
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the central themes of a book... read full definition
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of related symbols, help develop the... read full definition
A motif is an element or idea that recurs throughout a work of literature. Motifs, which are often collections of... read full definition
Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Bodies and Armor :
In the Iliad, Homer repeatedly emphasizes the value that the characters place on the bodies and armor of dead warriors. For the enemies—and especially killers—of a fallen soldier, despoiling armor is a way to gain status. Relatedly, it's the duty of the fallen soldier's comrades to prevent this from happening: Retaining possession of a comrade's armor is essential for saving his honor, and bringing his body back is essential for giving him a proper burial. Through the motif of bodies and armor, Homer gives insight into the importance the warriors attach to their—and their comrades'—honor and glory.
Related Themes:
Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Heracles:
The Iliad features numerous allusions to the divine hero Heracles. Although Heracles doesn't appear in the poem as a character, he nevertheless serves as a key reference point for the heroes of the Trojan War and the immortals who involve themselves in it. Through this motif, Homer places the poem within the timeline of Ancient Greek myth and reinforces a sense of historical continuity.
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Motifs
Explanation and Analysis—Rhetoric and Debate:
Throughout the Iliad, Homer repeatedly emphasizes the power of words. Speeches and discussions often bring about major developments in the narrative, and the characters frequently comment on each other's oratory skills. With the motif of rhetoric and debate, Homer shows that it isn't only strong fighters who command respect in war, but also strong tacticians and orators.
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Related Themes:
Book 2
Explanation and Analysis—Women and Boys:
In the Iliad, Homer uses a motif in which he gives the impression that many of the male warriors fear a reputation of cowardice almost more than they fear death. Agamemnon plays into this when he tries to spur on his fighters by telling them, "Now be men, my friends! Courage, come, take heart! Dread what comrades say of you here in bloody combat!" To evoke the cowardice they so shun, the characters often use similes in which they compare each other to women and boys.
In Book 2, when the soldiers fail Agamemnon's test of courage, Odysseus uses a simile of this kind to express his contempt.
Unlock with LitCharts A+[...] But look at them now,
like green, defenseless boys or widowed women
whimpering to each other, wailing to journey back.
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Explanation and Analysis—Bird Signs:
Throughout the Iliad, the mortals interpret the movement of birds as omens from Zeus. These omens—one of which appears in a flashback—serve to foreshadow the end of the narrative and the outcome of the war. Through the motif of bird signs, Homer emphasizes the mortal characters' powerlessness over their fates.
In Book 2, Odysseus looks back on one of the days before they set out towards Troy. He describes the Achaean forces "milling round" and making sacrifices, "when a great omen appeared." Odysseus develops the flashback in great detail: first, a snake slides up a tree and gulps up eight baby sparrows and their mother; then, the snake turns to stone. According to Odysseus, it was Zeus who "sent the serpent forth" and "turned him into a sign." He then goes on to quote Calchas's interpretation of the omen:
Unlock with LitCharts A+As the snake devoured the sparrow with her brood,
eight and the mother made the ninth, she’d borne them all,
so we will fight in Troy that many years and then,
then in the tenth we’ll take her broad streets.’
Related Themes:
Book 3
Explanation and Analysis—Elders:
On both the Achaean and Trojan side, retired fighters and aging mentors play an important role in strategizing and providing support. While the elder characters don't typically participate in the fighting, they're valued for their ability to think, speak, and advise. In their speeches, they make use of a range of rhetorical strategies—primarily ethos, but also pathos and logos—to sway the minds of the younger men. Through the motif of elders and old age, Homer shows that youth and physical strength aren't the only attributes that command respect in the war.
Menelaus sums up this view in Book 3, when he agrees to a one-on-one duel with Paris:
Unlock with LitCharts A+The minds of the younger men are always flighty,
but let an old man stand his ground among them,
one who can see the days behind, the days ahead—
that is the best hope for peace, for both our armies.
Related Themes:
Book 12
Explanation and Analysis—Bird Signs:
Throughout the Iliad, the mortals interpret the movement of birds as omens from Zeus. These omens—one of which appears in a flashback—serve to foreshadow the end of the narrative and the outcome of the war. Through the motif of bird signs, Homer emphasizes the mortal characters' powerlessness over their fates.
In Book 2, Odysseus looks back on one of the days before they set out towards Troy. He describes the Achaean forces "milling round" and making sacrifices, "when a great omen appeared." Odysseus develops the flashback in great detail: first, a snake slides up a tree and gulps up eight baby sparrows and their mother; then, the snake turns to stone. According to Odysseus, it was Zeus who "sent the serpent forth" and "turned him into a sign." He then goes on to quote Calchas's interpretation of the omen:
Unlock with LitCharts A+As the snake devoured the sparrow with her brood,
eight and the mother made the ninth, she’d borne them all,
so we will fight in Troy that many years and then,
then in the tenth we’ll take her broad streets.’
Related Themes:
Book 19
Explanation and Analysis—Hunger and Food:
At several points in the Iliad, Homer metaphorically calls the heroes and troops "battle-hungry." However, literal hunger also plays an important role in the poem. Through the motif of hunger and food, Homer shows that even the strongest, fiercest fighters are limited by their bodily needs—indicating that these needs are part of what distinguish mortals from immortals. After Patroclus dies, Achilles almost seems god-like in his rejection of food and refusal to give the soldiers a break to eat.
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