The Triumph of Achilles

Fiction | Poem | Adult | Published in 1985

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Summary

Background

Poem Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Themes

The Nature of Grief

Gluck’s poem describes grief as a central part of the human experience. Rather than explore the triumphs of Achilles on the battlefield (the various soldiers he kills), the title ironically speaks to what it means to outlive a loved one. Grief is partially defined as survivor’s guilt in this poem. Achilles survives Patroclus, meaning he dies after Patroclus, but Achilles’s existence after his loss is riddled with pain. The pain he experiences is described as feeling “already dead” (Line 18). He feels guilty that Patroclus died in his place, wearing his armor.

Individual grief, the speaker argues, is more intense than grief that can be experienced for masses of unknown soldiers. Homer’s poem offers the reader a close look at the relationship of Patroclus and Achilles. This can be contrasted with the many “Greek ships” (13) that are set on fire during the battle of Troy. In wartime, it is difficult to process the loss of many troops aboard ships. The destruction of the ships themselves cannot be compared to the loss of human life. Furthermore, the idea of large numbers of people dying is hard to comprehend.

In contrast, personal loss—the loss of a loved one—is something that inspires not only guilt but also intense sadness. This intensity is described as an experience that permeates the entire body and soul; Achilles “grieved with his whole being” (Line 16). This emotional state is something that almost everyone can relate to—one does not need to be a soldier like Achilles to experience this kind of grief. While Achilles’s “whole being” includes god-like aspects, as well as human aspects, the human “part” (Lines 19, 20) of him dies when Patroclus dies.

Grief is something that is shared by all humans, or everyone who is “mortal” (Line 20). Ending the poem with the word “mortal” emphasizes how grief is an essential part of the human experience. Achilles, being blessed by the gods, is able to kill many soldiers in retribution for the death of Patroclus. However, his martial feats are of inhuman strength, speed, and power. His humanity is located in his relationship with Patroclus, as well as how he feels when Patroclus dies. The speaker says Achilles is “a victim / of the part that loved” (Lines 18-19). Grief is tied to love. The love one feels for another person engenders and amplifies the grief they experience when that person dies. In other words, love is the precursor to intense grief. The human experience is not only about grief but also about the love that leads to grief.

The Nature of Legends

In addition to presenting the emotional resonance of the legend of Achilles and Patroclus, Gluck’s poem explores The Nature of Legends. The speaker has two different avenues of thought. First, the matter of Troy, and legends in general, are presented as true. The interpersonal dynamic in legendary relationships is “always apparent (Line 9). This categorizes Homer’s characterizations, and other mythological characterizations, as obvious and unquestionable.

Then, the speaker follows another avenue of thought—that “legends / cannot be trusted” (Lines 9-10). This can be read as a contrast with the previous assertion, or as a development of it. On the one hand, “always apparent” (Line 9) could be read ironically, like the “Triumph” in the poem’s title. The speaker could be speaking facetiously, using diction that is absolute—leaving no room for exceptions or nuances. The speaker applies the “hierarchy” (Line 8) from one legend to every interpersonal dynamic that resembles Patroclus and Achilles.

On the other hand, the poem could be read as the speaker working through the illogical assertion of absolutes and changing directions. This turn in thought demonstrates how writing poetry can be an act of gaining deeper understanding, rather than just asserting what the writer already is certain of, or already knows. The information that causes the speaker to reconsider their position is the source of legends: “their source is the survivor / the one who has been abandoned” (Lines 11-12). This is an example of an unreliable narrator. The perspective of the person who narrates the legend is compromised by grief. They are not simply recounting the facts of what occurred but projecting their feelings into the narrative.

Considering the source of legends has become important in academia because legends can reflect prejudices such as sexism and/or anti-gay bias. Regarding the legend of Achilles and Patroclus, some scholars argue that the men were lovers, and others argue that they were merely close friends. The scholars who argue the latter ignore many explicit examples of queerness in Greek art and poetry—they project their anti-gay bias onto the legend. Since queer theory emerged in the 1990s, scholars have been more willing to discuss the prevalence of romantic relationships between men in classic legends, especially among military men. Gluck uses the term “friendships” (Line 6), which appears as a euphemism for many historical and legendary romantic relationships between men. However, the speaker rethinking their assertion of absolutes—questioning The Nature of Legends—admits the possibility that Achilles “loved” (Line 19) Patroclus not only as a friend but also romantically.