Question

An "internal conflict" is a struggle within a character's mind. Describe at least one internal conflict in Book 1 of The Iliad.

Answer 1

The ancient Greek epic poem "Iliad" describes about the Trojan war and the disagreements that took place between Agamemnon, who was the commander-in-chief of the Achaean army and Achilles, the greatest Greek warrior who fought for Agamemnon in the Trojan war. During this war, Agamemnon and Achilles captured two maidens as their war trophies, one of them named Chryseis was taken by Agamemnon, and the other women named Briseis was taken by Achilles. Agamemnon denied to relieve Chryseis even after her father Chryses had begged to return his daughter. On this Chryses prayed to Apollo to bring plague on up on the Greek soldiers, due to which many of them died. When Agamemnon found that the plague was caused by Chryses, he agreed to return his daughter, but with a demand that he wants Briseis who was already take by Achilles.

When Agamemnon demanded for Briseis, Achilles was deeply offended as he considered it as an insult to his honor and Achilles was also not ready to give up on Briseis because he loved her. Achilles experienced an internal conflict when he was forced to choose between handing over Briseis to Agamemnon or to obey the commander-in-chief's order. Achilles was forced to chose between one of the options and he chose that his honor was more important than anything else so, he denied Agamemnon's decision and further announced that he is refraining himself and his army of Myrmidons from fighting in the war on Agamemnon's side.