History YMMV / TheIliad

* AlternateCharacterInterpretation:

** Nonfiction book ''Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character'', by American psychiatrist Jonathan Shay, compairs ''Iliad'''s characters psychologcal depiction and post-traumatic stress disorder in Vietnam War's veterans, pointing out the ''Iliad'' may be one of the earliest depiction of PTSD.

** Diomedes has his share of fans, mainly for being such a badass, but he is also one of the more overlooked characters. The fact that he is sympathetic on top of physically competent helps.

** During Patrocles' funeral games, Achilles offers some of his loot as prizes. For one event, the winner gets a bronze tripod, worth twelve heads of cattle, the runner up gets a female slave, worth ''four''.

* AlternateAesopInterpretation: Did Homer intend the Iliad to be an anti-war or pro-war piece? It's spawned countless debates among scholars and critics.

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: For a modern audience at least. There's little point to be interested in the story because [[ForegoneConclusion Troy is doomed to fall]] and the Greek 'heroes' keep captured women as [[SexSlave sex slaves]] or trade them like objects and commit what today would be considered war crimes. Most of the characters on both side either die or will die in later events.

** The scene of Hector comforting his son who doesn't recognize Hector with his helmet on and praying for his son to be greater than him still has a timeless appeal as long as there are fathers who care for their children...and there are fathers who have ever shaved their beard off while they have a baby.

* {{Wangst}}: Achilles can come off this way to a modern audience.

* TooBleakStoppedCaring: For modern audience at least. There's no point to be interested in the story because [[ForegoneConclusion Troy is doomed to fall]]. Most of the characters on both side either die or will die in later events.

** Helen needs a hug. An entire war happens because of her decision, as well as the fact that the other Trojan women clearly dislike her (with good reason). She doesn't even ''want'' to be there anymore, but Aphrodite threatens her with death into staying.

* TearJerker:
** Helen [[TalkingToTheDead speaking to Hector's corpse]]:
--->'''Helen:''' ''Hector, dearest to me of all my husband's brothers! These tears of sorrow that I shed are both for you and for my miserable self. No one is left, in all of Troy, that is gentle or kind to me.''
** Achilles receiving news of Patroclus' death.
** Everything involving Priam, starting with the death of his sons.
*** In particular, going to the Greek camp alone in the dark to beg Achilles for the body of Hector. "I have endured what no one on earth has ever done before — I put my lips to the hands of the man who killed my son."
** While sleep-deprived and in shock after Patroclus's death, Achilles is visited by his ghost. He tries to hug it and finds he can't.

** Nonfiction book ''Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character'', by American psychiatrist Jonathan Shay, compairs ''Iliad'''s characters psychologcal depiction and post-traumatic stress disorder in Vietnam War's veteran, pointing out the ''Iliad'' may be one of the earliest depiction of PTSD.

** Many will refer to pre-''Iliad'' and post-''Iliad'' Trojan War episodes, such as the sacrifice of Iphigenia or the Trojan Horse, as coming from the Iliad. The ''Iliad'' does not cover that long a time span, only going from Agamemnon claiming Achilles' war prize Briseis to the funeral of Hector. The Trojan Horse instead comes from ''Literature/TheAeneid''.

** Many will refer to pre-Iliad and post-Iliad Trojan War episodes, such as the sacrifice of Iphigenia or the Trojan Horse, as coming from the Iliad. The Iliad does not cover that long a time span, only going from Agamemnon claiming Achilles' war prize Briseis to the funeral of Hector.

** While it is not unreasonable to say that Hector is defending is homeland, a different view has been presented by others, most prominently in the 1962 film ''Fury of Achilles'' by Achilles himself, that Hector doesn't fight for Troy, but for Paris. He may criticize Paris and correctly call him evil-hearted, but the fact is he is still fighting to keep a woman with her abductor rather than returning her to her rightful husband.

** The modern reader doesn't get why [[TheDeadHaveNames all warriors who died are named even if only in that scene]], or the ''actual'' purpose of the [[EpicCatalog Catalogue of Ships]]: every warrior had been trained and armed through the hard work and the support of dozens of civilians, [[WhatASenselessWasteOfHumanLife and the list and names explained just how wasteful the war had been]].

** While some see Hector's attempt to desecrate Patroclus' body as an example of JerkassBall, others see it as Hector's true character showing through the cracks of the mask of nobility he wears. Deep down, he is not any better than his Achaean counterpart and might even be worse.

** People also refer to Achilles and Patroclus as lovers, but despite them both being examples of AmbiguouslyBi, they are only portrayed as close friends and kinsmen. The portrayal of them as lovers is Post-Homeric, and Creator/{{Xenophon}}, a contemporary of plato, insists that Achilles and Patroclus were just good friends and nothing more.

** Some believe Achilles and Patroclus to have been not just best friends, but lovers, which adds another dimension to Achilles' behavior after Patroclus' death. This interpretation is mentioned in Plato's ''Literature/{{Symposium}}'' as well as other authors like Creator/{{Aeschylus}}, Pindar and Aeschines, making it OlderThanFeudalism itself, and early 21st century portrayals take that interpretation as well, such as ''Literature/TheSongOfAchilles'' and ''VideoGame/{{Hades}}''. Different classical sources have even put forth arguments as to who qualified for who out of LoverAndBeloved.

** Is Achilles rage towards Agamemnon for taking Briseis truly a case of narcissism and entitlement, or out of fear that Agamemnon would rape Briseis? While she is technically a spoil of war, [[AmbiguousSituation it's never confirmed outright that her relationship with Achilles is sexual]]. And since Patroclus suggests to Achilles that he should marry her, which was almost unheard of for spear-wives, it's possible that their relationship may have been solely romantic, or even platonic. Achilles may have just been keeping her as a "prisoner" as a way to keep her safe from the other Achaeans.

** Likewise did Paris take Helen out of love or out of lust? The latter seems more likely, since 'the most beautiful woman' was his reward from Aphrodite. He certainly does not seem to hold any real affection for her (or for anyone, really).

** People also refer to Achilles and Patroclus as lovers, but despite them both being examples of AmbiguouslyBi, they are only portrayed as close friends and kinsmen. The portrayal of them as lovers is Post-Homeric.

** Lately, that Achilles [[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu defeats a river god]] in his rage. He challenges the river god, but nearly drowns before being rescued by divine intervention.

* DiagnosedByTheAudience: Let's just say that the mental state of Achilles is a long debate among critics, psychoanalysts, and readers. However, the most popular theories is that Achilles either has [[TheNarcissist narcissism]], [[TheSociopath anti-social personality disorder]], BPD, or some combination. He's incredibly moody, has extreme emotional reactions to insults or slights, entitled, and a LackOfEmpathy a lot of times. Though, [[PetTheDog he also has moments of empathy for others]], feels a strong attachment for [[LivingEmotionalCrutch Patroclus and Briseis]], and feels genuine remorse for some of his worst actions, meaning that it is unlikely he is a sociopath. Especially when you consider that Achilles is technically [[ChildSoldiers a child soldier]] and joined the Trojan War as a teenager, and much of his cruelty is mostly a part of his culture's norms.

** Is Achilles rage towards Agamemnon for taking Briseis truly a case of narcissism and entitlement, or out of fear that Agamemnon would rape Briseis? While she is technically a spoil of war, [[AmbiguousSituation it's never confirmed outright that her relationship with Achilles is sexual]]. And since Patroclus suggests to Achilles that he should marry her , which was almost unheard of for spear-wives, it's possible that their relationship may have been solely romantic, or even platonic. Achilles may have just been keeping her as a "prisoner" as a way to keep her safe from the other Achaeans.

** When Hector says goodbye to his wife Andromache.

* DiagnosedByTheAudience: Let's just say that the mental state of Achilles is a long debate among critics, psychoanalysts, and readers. However, the most popular theories is that Achilles either has [[TheNarcissist narcissism]], [[TheSociopath anti-social personality disorder]], BPD, or some combination. He's incredibly moody, has extreme emotional reactions to insults or slights, entitled, and a LackOfEmpathy a lot of times. Though, [[PetTheDog he also has moments of empathy for others]], feels a strong attachment for [[LivingEmotionalCrutch Patroclus and Briseis]], and feels genuine remorse for some of his worst actions, meaning that it is unlikely he is a sociopath. Especially when you consider that Achilles is technically [[ChildSoldiers a child soldier]] and joined the Trojan War as a teenager, and much of his cruelty is mostly apart of his culture's norms.

* ValuesResonance: On the other hand, the scene of Hector comforting his son who doesn't recognize Hector with his helmet on and praying for his son to be greater than him still has a timeless appeal as long as there are fathers who care for their children...and there are fathers who have ever shaved their beard off while they have a baby.

* ValuesDissonance: Not surprisingly, since the poem is estimated to have been written during the seventh or eighth century and ancient Greek values were very different from modern ones.