Introduction
Various elements in society are utilized in literal works to reflect a certain aspect of the character in question. Shame is one of the elements used in various literature, with the motive of provisioning societal functions, that is, to enact change to its readers. This paper will research how the use of shame compares in how it is utilized in the book ‘Illiad’ versus how it is portrayed when Hesoid talks about it in the literal work of ‘Works and Days.’ The paper will examine how the idea is conceptualized by the authors and the societal function it plays in the society that existed during the books’ era.
Portrayal of Shame by Hesiod in Works and Days
The literal work by Hesoid titled ‘Works and Days’ is considered a poetic piece of art meant to patronizingly instill morals in its audience, hence being considered a didactic poem. In this work, Hesiod predicts a future where moral principles and values have been discarded, leading to a divided society that is shown on more individualistic principles (Hesiod, Works and Days 157 – 175). The author reflects on the Iron Race to bring out this prospect, drawing a picture of a society where families and social structures are broken by betrayal and disregard for positive social norms, leading to a chaotic and divided society. The various issues that he notes in this literal work include perpetrating evil deeds, disregarding oaths, and being disobedient to parents, which break the desired norms of society of being harmonious and just (Hesiod, Works and Days 157 – 175). This erosion of positive tradition is unearthed by the incorporation of the loss of shame in society, which is viewed as the restraining factor of certain social aspects that have a negative impact on society (Hesiod, Works and Days 157 – 175). The poet’s bleak prophecy brings about the significance of shame in society as an element that positively shapes human behavior and interactions, leading to a society that is more upright and that upholds positive ethos. He warns that the consequences of moral decay in society will lead to great shame that will reflect on their failure (Hesiod, Works and Days 157 – 175).
Homer’s Portrayal of Shame in the Illiad
The text Iliad is presented as an epic poem that is set in ancient Greece and centers its ideas on the warrior culture of this society. In this literal work, Homer utilizes the theme of shame in various ways to tell the story of how the different characters interact with shame in the battle of finding honor among the society and other warriors (Homer, Iliad 123 – 144). The driving factor of the warriors is not psychical warfare but rather the pursuit of redemption of honor that came with kleos, which is described as immortal fame that comes as a result of one’s heroic deeds in society. In this context, Homer displays shame as a social currency that is used to trade honor rather than just a personal emotion in society, highlighting its value in ancient Greece (Homer, Iliad 123 – 144). As opposed to the conventional description of shame, which is felt by the individual in a shameful situation, in the epic poem, shame is attributed to a collective judgment of the warriors’ peers and the broader society. Characters such as Achilles and Ajax find themselves in various situations where they must conquer public shame in pursuit of glory and honor (Homer, Iliad 123 – 144).
Achilles, a warrior, is the main character of the epic poem whose experiences are used to draw a picture of the interchanges between honor and shame (Homer, Iliad 123 – 144). In one instance, when another warrior, Agamemnon, seizes Achille’s war prize, he is engulfed with a profound sense of shame as, in the eyes of the public, he is dishonored by the warrior (Homer, Iliad 123 – 144). This makes him lose hope and withdraw from the battlefield. He faces an internal struggle between his personal pride of valuing war prizes more than participating in combat and winning, which is the societal expectation of a warrior. In this scenario, the author illustrates how shame is not only a personal emotion that is felt by Achilles but also a broader context, which means that his honor has dramatically diminished in the eyes of the entire Greek army (Homer, Iliad 123 – 144).
Nevertheless, this aspect of shame does not only paint it as a paralyzing factor of one’s dream; it points out that shame can be utilized as a motivating factor towards realizing one’s dream where acts of vengeance, bravery, and tireless commitment towards redeeming one’s personal and communal honor. The battlefield in this literal work is seen as an arena where the warriors challenge shame to earn honor. The warriors are ready to sacrifice their lives for the sake of earning honor and safeguarding their reputation. For instance, Hector, another warrior in the epic poem, knowingly faces imminent danger by engaging in battle in search of honor (Homer, Iliad 123 – 144). In this scenario, the author depicts the seriousness of the impact that shame can have on an individual, making them motivated to overcome it by facing extreme scenarios. Generally, Homer depicts shame as a driving force to positive change beyond barriers in society.
Critical Comparative Analysis of the Portrayal of Shame in the Two Literal Works
Hesiod’s work recorded in the epic poem “Work and Days,” and Homer’s “Illiad” both dive into exploring the complexities that revolve around the context of shame. While their conceptualized ideas on shame are divergent and are set in different scenarios, they both depict it as a major construct of basic morals in society. For instance, in “Works and Days,” Hesiod highlights shame as an important construct in maintaining moral order in society, promoting a just coexistence among the people (Hesiod, Works and Days 157 – 175). Through the warning of the ongoing immoral acts of the time, such as breaking oaths and being a deterrent to parents, the author explains the importance of a just and peaceful society while foretelling the consequences of engaging in negative deeds. In this literal work, Hesiod portrays shame as an important tool in society that is used to regulate the evil deeds in society. Furthermore, the prophecy of Zeus on the Iron Race of a catastrophic future insists on the importance of shame in society (Hesiod, Works and Days 157 – 175). When shame is eroded, the catastrophic future that is foretold in the epic poem is bound to prevail. Hesiod, through his work, has therefore played an important role in advising his audience against being involved in actions that undermine coexistence in a fair and just society, urging them to be ashamed of such acts in order to have a future that is not catastrophic.
On the other hand, the text “Illiad” takes an entirely different turn. Firstly, the poem is set on the battlefield in contrast with “Work and Days,” which is set in the general society, suggesting its social context as that applies to the ethos of warriors on the battlefield, which contrasts with the Hesiod context of familial harmony and agricultural focus. Further, Homer’s poem involves various warriors who fight for honor and glory with the sole motive of eroding shame (Homer, Iliad 123 – 144). The various characters go the extra mile by engaging in life-threatening battles to turn shame into honor. This is very different from Hesiod’s perspective of shame; as Hesiod depicts shame as an important element in society that brings the need to regulate evil deeds in society, Homer depicts shame as a negative aspect among the soldiers, as they are lowly regarded when faced with shame in situations such as losing a battle. The two contrast in that when one advocates for the need to regard shame as a positive driver in society, the other portrays shame as a negative aspect in society that should be done with at all costs. In addition to this, Homer portrays shame as a motivator towards heroic deeds in society, which is rewarded with personal honor and glory when they pass the test of shame or being lowly regarded in society through shame when they fail to be heroic in their deeds (Homer, Iliad 123 – 144). However, this is not the case with Hesiod’s narrative, as it depicts the reward of shame as a societal function, where the whole society thrives as just and fair. The reward for having no shame in Hesiod’s narrative further contrasts with that of Homer, where he explains the consequence as a catastrophic future (Hesiod, Works and Days 157 – 175). While the reward of having shame in wrongdoing depicted in Hesiod’s “Work and Days” is long-term and is determined in the future as a just and harmonious society, the reward of overcoming shame in Homer’s “Illiad” is immediate and comes in the form of honor and redemption of one’s reputation.
Nevertheless, even though the literal works of Homer and Hesiod have striking differences in various ways, they also have some similarities in different contexts. First of all, both texts portray shame as a significant aspect of society, and that has important functions in the different contexts that they discuss. While Homer illustrates shame as a motivating factor and negative prospect among warriors on a battlefield, Hesiod also recognizes the significance of shame in society as it discourages outrageous deeds in society, promoting harmony and justice (Homer, Iliad 123 – 144; Hesiod, Works and Days 157 – 175). In both texts, there is a reward that comes with either embracing or fighting shame. In Homer’s work, embracing shame brings disrespect and a bad reputation to soldiers, while fighting brings honor and a positive reputation. On the other hand, embracing shame, according to Hesiod’s work, brings about harmony and justice while fighting it brings catastrophes.
In addition. The two texts are similar in that they carry lessons of substantial importance that can be used as important teachings in various social and personal contexts. For instance, Hesiod’s portrayal of shame as a tool that regulates wrongdoing can be used to teach society to desist from any act that is contrary to human values. This portrayal can be used to teach society to be ashamed of such acts and to urge them to stay on the right path so as to realize a society that is just and living in harmony. Furthermore, the catastrophic prophecy told in “Works and Days” can be used to warn against doing unjust actions in society (Hesiod, Works and Days 157 – 175). On the other hand, shame can be taught as a motivating factor, just as portrayed in “Illiad,” urging people on a personal level to challenge situations that might lead to shame. The text teaches the audience that they should be ready to work tirelessly towards achieving triumph and overcome all challenges on the way so as to emerge victorious. The epic poem proves that there are no limits when one is committed to excellence, which is an important lesson in overcoming day-to-day challenges. In this context, both texts carry with them important teachings that, when utilized, result in positive advancement both as a society and as an individual.
Conclusion
Shame is conventionally viewed as a negative emotional feeling that comes with several consequences, most cases which are negative. However, the texts Illiad by Homer and Work and Days by Hesiod take different paths in portraying contrasting aspects of shame in society and at a personal level. Hesiod portrays shame as a positive element in society as it helps regulate social interactions for the better. The author suggests that shame regulates wrongdoing, resulting in a society that is harmonious and just, and also paints a picture of a future of a society that has no shame in its actions through a bleak prophecy of the Iron Race. On the other hand, Homer portrays a completely different idea of shame, painting it as a motivating factor towards achieving heroic deeds so as to gain hor and reputation, which is portrayed in the form of warriors on the battlefield, fighting for honor and reputation from their peers and the society. This contracts with Hesoid’s view of shame. However, the two texts agree on some aspects regarding shame. They both agree that shame is a significant concept in society, by unearthing how it affects coexistence, motivation, and general portrayal of individuals in society. They also teach valuable lessons about viewing shame from various angles; while Hesiod advocates for shame as a social regulator for good deeds in society, Homer advocates for shame as a motivating factor towards achieving heroic deeds and gaining honor and reputation. Despite the two epic literal works being set in different contexts, they carry with them vital insights into shame in society and at a personal level, which, when leveraged, can result in a better society and personal improvement.
Bibliography
Hesiod. 2018. Works and Days. Penguin UK.
Homer. 2007. The Iliad. Ann Arbor: University Of Michigan Press.
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