The Iliad

In Homer’s Iliad, the character Helen plays a very significant role in the poem. For she is the reason why the great war amongst the Greeks and the Trojans are being fought. In this essay I would like to explore how Helen is the symbol of passion and sexuality. I hope to fully establish that passion is the driving force in this poem.
Helen is Menelaos’ wife, Paris steals her out of their home. This is very significant because it is the meaning behind the war. Paris went in the home of Menelaos and stole his possessions. One of which is Helen. Helen in turn, is forced to live as Paris’ wife/lover. Helen is supposedly the most beautiful, most desired woman in the world. Paris is unable to resist the beauty and the desire of Helen, which explains Paris’ motive for taking her.
It is never made clear in the text if Helen is a willing accomplice to Paris’ scheme or if she is a resisting victim of the kidnapping. When Helen is speaking with Hektor she says to him, “Brother/ by marriage to me, who am a nasty bitch evil-intriguing, / how I wish that on that day when my mother first bore me/ the foul whirlwind of the storm had caught me away and swept me/ to the mountain, or into the wash o

ash of the sea deep-thundering/ where the waves would have swept me away before all of these things/ had happened” (6.343-349)#. Helen’s constant references to herself as a bitch or a prostitute forces us to see her as a victim.

Throughout this poem, it is clear that the driving force is passion and sexuality. Which Helen is a symbol of. If one can resist their passion, they show their true strength as warrior. Paris is unable to resist Helen, which shows his weakness. Hektor is unable to be subdued by passion and lust, which would lead one to believe that he is more of a valiant warrior. Whereas Paris is a feeble warrior. The key is for the warriors to use their passions as a reward, rather then a weakness. Hektor uses his passions as a reward, as soon as the war is over he may return to passion and pleasure of his wife. In contrast, Paris is clearly a victim of his passions.

Paris could easily end the war by giving back Helen, but he is not able to control his passion toward her. He does not even attempt to control his love or lust for her. If one can control their passion, it will lead to their succession as a hero. Paris will never be able to control his passion for Helen, which