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THEMATIC ANALYSIS: Father and Son Relationships. UNIT 3 AOS1. LEARNING INTENTION: Identify the how the themes of family and fatherhood are central to narrative. Family ties and Friendships. Affection for family and friends central in the novel
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THEMATIC ANALYSIS:Father and Son Relationships UNIT 3 AOS1
LEARNING INTENTION: Identify the how the themes of family and fatherhood are central to narrative
Family ties and Friendships • Affection for family and friends central in the novel • Expectation that family members will be loyal and even fight for each other was a basic belief in Homer’s epic world • However, betrayal, family murders and revenge ever present. • Male friendships and father son loyalties are important in the novel. Family loyalties can test the values of characters. • Priam had to defy his family to go on the journey • Achilles chooses to stay at Troy rather than go home, despite Priam’s reminder that he has a family: Being the warrior hero is his prime motivation
FATHERHOOD – Achilles and Peleus PELEUS CONSIGNS ACHILLES TO CHIRON’S CARE In some versions of the myth, Peleus sent Achilles away to be raised by a centaur named Chiron • Achilles father was Peleus • When Achilles sees the dark figure (Priam) approaching in the Myrmidons tent, he assumes it is his father. • Achilles sharp change in tone from melancholy to excitement and anticipation highlights his desire to be with Peleus. • It appears as though he has hoped to reconcile with his father after many years apart, ‘you! At last, at last!’ (pp.172). • This also sets a different tone between Priam and Achilles: The former longing for his son, and the latter longing for his father
FATHERHOOD: Achilles and Neoptolemus • Achilles and his own son Neoptolemus have lived apart for most of the young boy’s life. • This combined with the absence of Peleus, further explains why he was so connected with Patroclus • It is not surprising that Achilles eagerly concludes that the figure is his father who has finally come for him. • Priam’sdesire to appear simply as a father connects with Achilles’ need of a father figure, since he is ‘tall, spare [and] old’ [pg 173] with ‘wrinkle folds [and] eyes deep set under the knotty brows.’ • It is because of this connection between Achilles’ father and Priam that Achilles can finally see that Priam is just another father and agrees to their truce.
FATHERHOOD: Achilles and Neoptolemus • Having gone to extraordinary lengths to reach Hector’s body, combined with his observations of Somax as a father, Priam’slove for his son blossoms • The distance apart from Hector’s body allows Priam to develop a strong emotional bond with his son. • This bond between father and son is demonstrated through Priam’s passionate and touching plea to Achilles about what it means to be a father.
FATHERHOOD Come up with three examples in the text supporting this statement Although all relationships between father and son are physically far apart, it is shown that this distance in fact drives the men to be more emotionally connected to their father or son. All father and son relationships in Ransom are separated by distance.
Homework reminder Read Part 4 (pp. 167 - 201) and underline quotes you may use. Write these into a new ‘quotes’ section of your workbook Answer the following questions 1. How is Achilles persuaded to return Hector’s body? Is it only Priam’s words that make him change his mind? 2. ‘[E]venthough Priam and Achilles part with greater respect for each other, the war will still go on’. Does the novel offer only limited hope? Discuss your view. 3. ‘ Power belongs to the strong.’ does it? Does the ‘feminine’ have any power in this predominantly ‘masculine’ realm? How are power and strength represented in Part 4?
