Objectives

• Analyse how Homer uses the opening quarrel between Achilles and Agamemnon in Book I to establish honour, anger and divine causation as the epic's structural foundations.
• Analyse how Homer constructs contrasting models of heroic identity through Diomedes' aristeia in Book V and Hector's farewell to Andromache in Book VI.
• Evaluate how Homer uses Achilles' rejection of Agamemnon's gifts in Book IX to complicate the epic's value system around honour, pride and community.
• Analyse how Homer uses the death of Patroclus in Book XVI and the forging of the shield in Book XVIII to develop the themes of mortality and grief.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical paragraph — using embedded quotation and attention to Homeric language — arguing a specific interpretive claim about the Iliad.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: The Quarrel: Anger, Honour and Divine Causation in Book I

   60 min · ch. 1

   Do now

   Before diving into the text, jot down two sentences about what you think the Iliad covers or what you anticipate it to be about. Also, write down a question you genuinely have about it. Keep these notes handy on your mini-whiteboard or a piece of paper — you'll revisit them at the end of the lesson.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of Book I, lines 1–7 (the proem): 'Sing, goddess, the anger of Achilles son of Peleus, / that brought countless ills upon the Achaeans…' The very first word — mēnis (rage/wrath) — is distinctive in Homer and establishes Achilles' anger as the central theme of the epic, rather than the Trojan War itself. The opening lines immediately connect human anger to divine influence ('the will of Zeus was accomplished') and foreshadow mass death ('many strong souls of heroes it sent to Hades'). To write a sentence of analysis, you can identify the technique being used, quote the word, and explain its impact on the reader's understanding of the epic's moral landscape.

   Independent task

   Students will re-read the confrontation between Agamemnon and Achilles in Book I, starting with Agamemnon's threat to take Briseis ('I will take your fair-cheeked Briseis…') and ending with Achilles' choice to withdraw. They will write one complete analytical paragraph arguing that Homer uses Achilles' language in this exchange to portray honour as both a part of personal identity and a form of social currency. They need to include at least two quotations and identify one structural or linguistic technique.

   Exit ticket

   On a post-it: write the word mēnis and one sentence explaining why it’s significant that Homer chose to start with this word instead of 'war' or 'Troy' — it shapes our understanding of everything that comes next.

2. Lesson 2: Two Kinds of Hero: Aristeia and Domesticity in Books V and VI

   60 min · ch. 5, 6

   Do now

   Read these two short extracts on the board — (A) Diomedes wounding Ares in Book V: 'he stabbed at the navel of the belly, where the war-belt girded him, and tore the fair flesh'; (B) Hector to Andromache in Book VI: 'some day one of the Achaeans will make you weep as he leads you away in slavery.' Write one word to describe the tone of each, then one sentence explaining what each reveals about Homer's view of heroism.

   Teacher input

   Certainly! Here’s a humanized version of your text:

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   Analyze Hector's farewell to Andromache and their baby, Astyanax, in Book VI. This scene is particularly striking when Astyanax recoils from Hector's helmet: "the child shrank back crying to the breast of his well-girdled nurse, frightened by the bronze and the horsehair crest." Homer cleverly employs the domestic comedy of the terrified baby, situated just before Hector's poignant speech about his own mortality and Andromache's fate as a slave, to bring the reality of death into sharp focus. Reflect on how to discuss structural juxtaposition: the very helmet that frightens his son also symbolizes Hector's identity as a warrior.

   ---

   Changes Made:

   • Simplified sentence structure for more natural flow.
   • Preserved the original meaning and length.
   • Kept markdown structure intact.

   Independent task

   Students will compose a comparative paragraph discussing how Homer portrays Diomedes' aristeia in Book V (where he wounds Aphrodite and Ares) alongside Hector's farewell in Book VI. They should highlight two different definitions of heroism. Each student must reference a specific moment from both books, incorporate quotations, and clearly argue which model Homer appears to favor— or if the poem ultimately leaves the choice open.

   Exit ticket

   The specific object in Book VI that Homer uses to unite the themes of fatherhood and war is the shield. It symbolizes protection and the burdens of responsibility that fathers bear in the context of the battlefield.

3. Lesson 3: The Embassy: Honour, Refusal and the Limits of Heroic Logic in Book IX

   60 min · ch. 9

   Do now

   Rewritten Text: On the board: Agamemnon offers Achilles seven tripods, ten talents of gold, twenty cauldrons, twelve horses, seven women, Briseis back untouched, and eventually one of his own daughters in marriage. Is this offer reasonable? Achilles might still refuse because he feels deeply insulted and believes no amount of wealth can compensate for the honor he has lost.

   Summary of Changes Made:

   • Rephrased the question for clarity and directness.
   • Adjusted the second sentence to provide a more specific rationale for Achilles' potential refusal while maintaining the original meaning.

   Teacher input

   In Book IX of the Iliad, Achilles responds to Odysseus with a profound reflection on the value of life versus the pursuit of glory. He states, "For not worth the value of my life are all the possessions they say Ilion held… A man's life cannot come back again, it cannot be lifted nor captured again by force, once it has crossed the teeth's barrier." This speech is significant as it marks a break from the heroic code that has defined Achilles' existence, illustrating a shift in his priorities—he now places life above kleos, or glory.

   To analyze this pivotal moment, we should trace the evolution of Achilles' argument throughout his speech. Initially, Achilles expresses a clear disdain for the material wealth and honors associated with the siege of Ilion. He rejects the notion that any possession is worth sacrificing one’s life. As he continues, the weight of his words deepens; he emphasizes the irretrievability of life once lost, highlighting a poignant truth: once a man has died, not even the greatest glory can restore him.

   This transformation in Achilles' perspective serves as a structural turning point in the epic. It prompts readers to reconsider the nature of honor and what it truly means to be a hero. By prioritizing life over glory, Achilles challenges the traditional values upheld by his peers and questions the very foundation of the heroic code. This radical re-evaluation not only alters his character arc but also enriches the poem's broader exploration of honor and mortality, inviting a more nuanced understanding of what it means to lead a meaningful life.

   In summary, Achilles' reply illustrates a critical departure from the values he once held, showcasing the evolution of his character and the thematic depth of the Iliad's exploration of honor.

   Independent task

   Students will revisit Achilles' speech to Odysseus in Book IX, along with Phoenix's subsequent appeal. They will craft a structured paragraph that argues how Homer challenges the established heroic value system in the poem through Achilles' rejection of the embassy, rather than merely celebrating it. Their analysis should include direct quotes from Achilles' speech and comments on at least one word or phrase, focusing on language use.

   Exit ticket

   In Book IX, Achilles' refusal is significant because Homer uses it to illustrate the complexities of pride and honor in the context of war and personal relationships.

4. Lesson 4: Mortality and Grief: Patroclus's Death, the Shield, and Achilles' Return (Books XVI–XIX)

   60 min · ch. 16, 17, 18, 19

   Do now

   Read the opening of Book XVI on the board: Patroclus weeps in front of Achilles, who says, "Why are you weeping, Patroclus, like a little girl who runs to her mother and begs to be picked up?" Write two sentences: (1) What does Achilles' simile suggest about his view of Patroclus? (2) What does it indicate about Achilles' own state at this moment?

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the ekphrasis — the description of Achilles' new shield forged by Hephaestus in Book XVIII. Focus on the section that depicts the two cities on the shield: one at peace, featuring a wedding, a law case, and dancing, and the other at war, showcasing an ambush, a battle, and the River of Death. Explore how Homer employs the imagery of the shield to situate the violence of the Iliad within a broader context of human life—the world that the war is ravaging. Demonstrate how to discuss ekphrasis as a structural and thematic element, rather than simply a digression.

   Independent task

   Students will write an analytical paragraph discussing how Homer portrays Patroclus's death in Book XVI (with Apollo knocking off his helmet, Euphorbus wounding him, and Hector delivering the final blow) alongside Achilles' grief in Book XVIII (where he tears his hair and his cry reaches Thetis in the sea) to explore the theme of mortality. They should consider the impact of Homer choosing to give Patroclus three killers instead of just one, and include at least two quotations in their analysis.

   Exit ticket

   The fact that Hephaestus depicts a city at peace next to a city at war on Achilles' shield highlights the contrast between harmony and conflict, emphasizing the complex nature of human experience rather than focusing solely on warfare.

5. Lesson 5: The Ransom: Grief, Pity and the Poem's Moral Resolution in Book XXIV

   60 min · ch. 1, 24

   Do now

   The Iliad concludes with the funeral of Hector, showcasing the deep grief and loss experienced by both the Trojans and the Greeks. Achilles, despite his rage, ultimately experiences a moment of reflection, allowing for a fleeting connection to humanity. The poem encapsulates the tragic consequences of war, leaving a somber tone that resonates with the audience.

   A poem about war and anger should ideally conclude with a powerful sense of resolution or reflection on the futility of conflict, and I expect Homer to deliver a poignant ending that encapsulates these themes.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the moment in Book XXIV when Priam takes Achilles' hand and makes his appeal: "Remember your own father, godlike Achilles… I have endured what no man on earth has endured before — I have raised to my lips the hand of the man who killed my son." Homer uses the verb "remember" to evoke a deep emotional connection. This moment highlights the structural parallel between Priam-as-father and Peleus-as-father, compelling Achilles — and the reader — to recognize the humanity in his adversary. This scene serves as the poem's ethical climax, showcasing that the true victory lies in mutual recognition rather than military triumph, transcending the brutality of war.

   Independent task

   Students compose a comprehensive analytical paragraph — the most developed one in the sequence — arguing how Homer utilizes the encounter between Priam and Achilles in Book XXIV to either resolve or intentionally leave unresolved the themes of anger and grief introduced in Book I. They are required to reference both Book I and Book XXIV, include at least two quotations, and present a clear interpretive claim in their topic sentence.

   Exit ticket

   The word Priam uses to appeal to Achilles in Book XXIV is "father." This word is fitting for Homer to use at this moment because it evokes deep emotional connections and shared vulnerability, reminding Achilles of his own father and humanity amidst the brutality of war.

Activities

Assessment

• Book I do-now predictions (Lesson 1): teacher checks whether students can distinguish the Trojan War as backdrop from Achilles' anger as subject — the key conceptual move of the proem.
• Vocabulary web (Lesson 1 activity): teacher scans for whether pairs are connecting mēnis to both human motivation and divine will, not treating them as separate.
• Spectrum activity (Lesson 2/3 activity): teacher checks whether groups can articulate why Achilles' Book IX speech sits uneasily on the 'martial glory' end — the sign they have grasped the embassy's philosophical weight.
• Exit ticket, Lesson 3: teacher checks whether students can complete the sentence about Book IX with a specific claim, not a paraphrase of the plot.
• Exit ticket, Lesson 4: teacher checks whether students can name the structural function of the two-cities ekphrasis — answers that say only 'it shows what war destroys' without addressing the shield as an object belonging to Achilles are flagged for follow-up.
• Parallel Fathers activity (Lesson 5): teacher reads the comparative paragraphs before the summative task to identify students who cannot yet move between two parts of the text in a single argument.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.
• RL.11-12.2 — Determine two or more themes of a text and analyse their development over the course of the text.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story (e.g. where a story is set, how the action is ordered, how the characters are introduced and developed).
• RL.11-12.4 — Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in the text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyse the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a written interpretation of a literary text that presents a defensible claim and supports it with evidence.
• Character (CHR-1) — Analyse how complex characters develop over the course of a text and interact with other characters to advance the plot or develop a theme.
• Figurative Language (FIG-1) — Analyse the role of comparisons, including epic simile and metaphor, in shaping meaning.
• Structure (STR-1) — Analyse how an author's structural choices (including the placement of the proem, the embassy scene, and the ekphrasis) contribute to the work's meaning.
• Narrator and Perspective (NAR-1) — Analyse how the narrator's choices about what to emphasise — including the distribution of Patroclus's death across three agents — shape the reader's interpretation.

AQA

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts, including Homer's use of the proem, epic simile, aristeia, ekphrasis and structural parallelism.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are produced and received, including the oral-formulaic tradition, the Mycenaean heroic code, and the poem's reception from Alexander the Great to the present.
• AO5 — Explore literary texts informed by different interpretations, including readings of Achilles as a figure who both embodies and critiques the heroic code.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts using associated concepts and terminology, with coherent and accurate written expression.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in texts, including Homer's deployment of mēnis, the ekphrasis of the shield, and the structural echo between Books I and XXIV.
• AO3 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which texts are written and received, including the epic tradition and the Alexandrian editorial canon.
• AO4 — Explore connections across literary texts, including the relationship between the Iliad's treatment of heroism and later epic tradition.