Plot Analysis

  This post will be about plot and not about setting (although setting will be mentioned), because the setting has much less power when it comes to examining cultures. The plot differences between the Iliad and Troy are some of the most significant differences of all. Specifically the differences of focus or coverage and that of the significance and influence of the gods. There are also many minor differences between the two.

  The first and most noticeable change in the plot is discovered very early on: The coverage. Where the film starts and ends (what it covers) and where the poem starts and ends. Historically (from many different sources such as the Iliad) we know that the Trojan War took place over approximately ten years, and we also know that the Iliad takes place in the ninth year, very near the end of the war. The first thing that happens in the Iliad is "upon the priest Chryses the son of Atreus had wrought dishonour." (there was an introductory paragraph, but this is the first event), and the last thing that happens is:

"But soon as early Dawn appeared, the rosy-fingered, then gathered the folk about the pyre of glorious Hector. And when they were assembled and met together, first they quenched with flaming wine all the pyre, so far as the fire's might had come upon it, and thereafter his brethren and his comrades gathered the white bones, mourning, and big tears flowed ever down their cheeks. The bones they took and placed in a golden urn, covering them over with soft purple robes, and quickly laid the urn in a hollow grave, and covered it over with great close-set stones. Then with speed heaped they the mound, and round about were watchers set on every side, lest the well-greaved Achaeans should set upon them before the time. And when they had piled the barrow they went back, and gathering together duly feasted a glorious feast in the palace of Priam, the king fostered of Zeus. On this wise held they funeral for horse-taming Hector."

We can clearly see that the coverage of the poem is different to that of Troy, which starts with the abduction of Helen and ends with the sacking of Troy. The setting (in regards to time) of the poem is a lot narrower than that of the film. So the poem begins by explaining the Achaeans' abduction of Chryseis and refusal to give her back and the resulting plague sent by Apollo, and ends with Hector's funeral. This leaves ten years of war (and longer for preparation of war) and another year of war left at the end that are left untold. Conversely, in Troy the story begins with Agamemnon taking over a part of Greece and then skipping ahead to the 'abduction' of Helen and ends with the funeral of Achilles and the last living Trojans walking away from the burning city of Troy (it is important to note that in the film, Achilles dies BEFORE the sacking of Troy). The poem tells of one year of a ten year war, and the film tells all of a 17 day war. This is a very important point when it comes to understanding the differences between the two texts and the cultures that they reveal.

  Another significant point of difference between the two texts is the role of Briseis. In Troy, Briseis is found in the temple of Apollo outside the city during the initial raid of the beach by Achilles' Myrmidons and is kept by Achilles as a war prize. Shortly afterwards, Agamemnon takes her from Achilles to punish Achilles for going ahead and taking more glory (Kleos) than the king. Later Achilles saves her from being raped by some of the soldiers and he keeps her safe in his tent. She starts to help develop Achilles' softer side, until when her uncle, King Priam comes to take Hector's body back she rides back to Troy with him. Finally, she is found praying to Apollo by Agamemnon in the sacking of Troy, and he starts to abuse her, pronouncing: "I want to taste what Achilles tasted."

She then stabs him in the neck and witnesses the death of Achilles before she escapes into the mountains with Paris and the other escapees. This role in the film is far from her role in the Iliad. In the poem she is taken prisoner along with another priest's daughter Chryseis, and Agamemnon only took Briseis when Chryseis was taken from him to stop the plague sent by Apollo. She is returned to Achilles later but overall she plays a very unimportant part in the poem, only having one speech and being referred to as "girl" or "prize" most of the way through the story. Her role in the plot is one of great importance when it comes to understanding the average Homeric Greek's view of woman.

  The last difference between the two texts, a hugely influential change made by Petersen, is that of the role of the gods. In Troy, the gods do not feature. This is MASSIVE because there is so much time in the Iliad spent describing scenes of discussions and debates between the Olympic Pantheon of gods, for example:  'Now the gods were sitting with Jove in council upon the golden floor while Hebe went round pouring out nectar for them to drink, and as they pledged one another in their cups of gold they looked down upon the town of Troy. The son of Saturn then began to tease Juno, talking at her so as to provoke her. "Menelaus," said he, "has two good friends among the goddesses, Juno of Argos, and Minerva of Alalcomene, but they only sit still and look on, while Venus keeps ever by Alexandrus' side to defend him in any danger; indeed she has just rescued him when he made sure that it was all over with him- for the victory really did lie with Menelaus. We must consider what we shall do about all this; shall we set them fighting anew or make peace between them? If you will agree to this last Menelaus can take back Helen and the city of Priam may remain still inhabited." The picture below shows a case in which a god (Athena) shows up in the story as an active character (watching over Achilles and Ajax play a game of dice before the war).

'It is worth noting that a goddess is actually shown in the film; Thetis, Achilles' mother, but there is no indication that she is a goddess. In the poem, the gods are mentioned continually (Usually their name is accompanied by a title (sometimes there is a title and no name!) called an epiphet. This is seen extremely commonly and isn't used solely for gods, but also for heroes too. For example, "the goddess of the white arms, Hera..." or "...whom Leto of the lovely hair bore..."). Most events of the story are driven by divine intervention, for example, the whole story of the Iliad revolves around Achilles' rage after Briseis is taken from him, but the reason Briseis was taken from him was that Agamemnon had Chryseis taken from him, which in turn was because Apollo had set a plague upon the Greeks. They play an integral role, yet this role is missing from Troy. While the gods are still often mentioned, they never make any appearances or actually influence the plot (again, except for the appearance of Thetis, but on the whole there is nothing). It is interesting to note that the Trojans seem much more devout to the gods than the Greeks do (in the film), which is different from in the poem where the Greeks are very pious and often are found praying in difficult circumstances. In Book III, it says: 'Alexandrus aimed first, and struck the round shield of the son of Atreus, but the spear did not pierce it, for the shield turned its point. Menelaus next took aim, praying to Father Jove as he did so. "King Jove," he said, "grant me revenge on Alexandrus who has wronged me; subdue him under my hand that in ages yet to come a man may shrink from doing ill deeds in the house of his host." He poised his spear as he spoke, and hurled it at the shield of Alexandrus. Through shield and cuirass it went, and tore the shirt by his flank...' In summary, the Iliad has much more of godly influence than Troy does, with the gods being directly there in the plot and with them affecting the battle going on between the Trojans and Achaeans.

  There are many plot differences between the poem of the Iliad and the film of Troy, including the coverage, the roles of characters and the influence of the gods.