#Also as a child I was so devastated by this show like inconsolable after series 2

[rooshappy]

Does anyone remember BBC's Robin Hood? Marian being a total girl boss would put on a mask and hood and suddenly she was THE NIGHTWATCHMAN and Guy of Gisborne (who was in love with her) could never recognise her and he would be like WHO IS THIS MAN??? MY ENEMY! I MUST KILL THE NIGHT WATCHMAN. Then The Nightwatchman would do a backflip and and run away. Also everyone was gay apart from Robin.

[nanossaestante]

The Song of Achilles

Inglês não? Leia em português

By Mari

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I started reading “The Song of Achilles” by Madeline Miller upon a friend’s suggestion. The pretext was that the inconsolable void left in my heart after finishing “The Untamed” could only be mended by another epic tragic love story between men. Although my fascination with the TV series and its ridiculously gorgeous theme song continues, “The Song of Achilles” did manage to satisfy my craving for emotionally engaging stories.

The book tells the story of Achilles in the Trojan War as viewed by Patroclus, his faithful companion and, according to some versions of the myth, lover. Of course "The Song of Achilles" adopts this version.

The two meet as children when Patroclus is exiled in Achilles’ land, Phtia, after accidentally causing the death of another child in his homeland. Achilles, as a prince predestined to be Aristos Achaion (the Best of the Greeks), is idolized by everyone, adults and children alike. Patroclus, that strange boy that does not speak to anyone, is ignored. Despite these external differences, both boys are alone. The weight of the expectations upon Achilles alienates him from any intimate human connection, with the exception of his father. Patroclus, on the other hand, was deprived of this kind of connection from an early age because he did not meet his father's expectations for a son, leading him to become a shy and clumsy boy. The two bond over this feeling of being detached from the rest of the world, opening up to each other in a way they cannot do to other people.

But what is really interesting is how Patroclus and Achilles, growing up together and so connected, develop in such different ways. Even though he was rejected from birth, never having had friends other than Achilles, or receiving affection or sincere encouragement, Patroclus develops something markedly absent in Achilles: empathy. And here I think it is important to talk about empathy, not humanity, as if Achilles' self-centered attitudes stemmed from his being a demigod. Many other characters did not have a trace of divine blood and yet they acted indifferently to the suffering of others. Miller highlights this mainly in relation to the Greeks’ treatment of women, always stressing that, if a woman was treated as a thinking and independent person, this was either seen with astonishment, or the woman in question was a goddess.

I would say Achilles' lack of empathy comes from the godlike treatment he always received. He knows he is destined for greatness—there is a prophecy saying so and prophecies are never wrong. He knows his name will be praised for generations. So he doesn't care much about the people who cross his path in the meantime, what they think and feel about him. Achilles cares only about how they act: that they show open respect and admiration towards him. Achilles cares about being obeyed in all his wishes. This is what finally leads to his conflict with Agamemnon. It was clear from the start that Agamemnon did not like Achilles but it is only when the king of Mycenae questions Achilles’ exploits before the army that he explodes.

Once you realize this, it becomes clear that Meleager’s story would never convince Achilles to fight for the Greeks again after Agamemnon's insults. It does not matter that people would think he was too late and would start to hate him for not having intervened earlier. It is enough that his name would be remembered for generations as the best of the best. What Achilles does not realize is that no one wants to remember a petty person with admiration, however skillful they may be.

The one who has this sensitivity is Patroclus. Since the beginning of the novel, Patroclus has been concerned with what people think of them (sometimes too much). He fears that Chiron and Peleus would be furious if they knew of the love between him and Achilles. He continues to cringe at the contempt Tethis, Achilles' mother, shows him even though he knows that this is due to the fact that he is a mere mortal and it will never change. Patroclus is extremely sensitive to others’ judgment of him, having suffered from such negative perceptions all throughout his life. But Patroclus builds on this experience to develop his greatest quality. He becomes sensitive not only to what others think, but also to what they feel. Patroclus uses his suffering as an outcast to understand the suffering of others. He finds himself instinctively compelled to try to relieve this suffering, something foreshadowed when he shows interest in Chiron's medical apparatus. This is why Patroclus goes out of his way to save the women captured in the war, save the wounded, save Achilles' reputation from self-destruction.

I must admit that Patroclus’ submissive attitude irritated me at first—the way he seemed to want to do nothing but walk behind Achilles as the world went round. It was extremely gratifying to see him slowly coming out of his shell. In the end, Patroclus manages to establish more connections than Achilles himself, as is clear from the passage in which Patroclus and the soldiers he had healed greet each other warmly. Achilles simply shrugs and says he can't remember the names of so many people, it would be easier if they just remembered his. It is impossible not to agree with Briseis—Patroclus deserved better.

Still, the romance between Patroclus and Achilles never seems forced, especially when we see the differences between the way Achilles acts before Patroclus and the way he behaves before everyone else. Patroclus grew up with Achilles and got used to seeing the prince of Phtia’s best version, the one that comes up when they are together. It is devastating when that version does not hold up in other situations.

“The Song of Achilles” sensibly addresses themes of love, loneliness, and the legacy one leaves behind, bringing a refreshing perspective to a well-known story. Now, back to “The Untamed”’s theme song.