The Tears of Achilles

by Hélène Monsacré, Nicholas J. Snead (Translator), Richard P. Martin (Introduction)

Achilles―warrior and hero―by the protocols of Western culture, should never cry. And yet Homeric epic is full of his tears and those of his companions at Troy. This path-blazing study by Hélène Monsacré shows how later ideals of stoically inexpressive manhood run contrary to the poetic vision presented in the Iliad and Odyssey. The epic protagonists, as larger-than-life figures who transcend gender categories, are precisely the men most likely to weep.

Monsacré pursues the paradox of the tearful fighter through a series of lucid and detailed close readings, and examines all aspects of the interactions between men and women in the Homeric poems. Her illuminating analysis, first published in French in 1984, remains bold, fresh, and compelling for anyone touched―like Achilles―by a world of grief.

Genres: Nonfiction, Mythology, History, Poetry

198 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1984

About the author

Hélène Monsacré is Director of Social Sciences for Éditions Albin Michel, Paris.

Reviews

[Mariana · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book from the title offers us to talk about Achilles and his sorrow, but in reality we read about this only 10 pages and at the end. The rest is more of an ambiguous collection of short essays on various topics related to the Iliad, all seen superficially, with many rather absurd if not silly statements. It is a book too superficial, quite bad and should have had a different title.
I wonder if the editors were blind?