Achilles' song is a fictional book about the story of Achilles, a hero in the Trojan War. It was first published in Spanish in 2012 by sum of letters. The author is Madeline Miller, an American novelist and professor whose passion is classic history. and mythology. This is attested to by his fictional and informative work on the subject. Miller can be a good reference to learn more about Greek and Roman mythology.
This is his first novel, which was well received by the public and critics. It was placed in the first positions of sales successes in The New York Times and received the Orange Prize for Fiction 2012. The note of interest is put by the perspective that the novel has. It is a narrative about Achilles and his role in the Trojan War.. However, the narrator is Patroclus, his controversial cousin, a friend since childhood... and also a lover. Do you dare with her?
Achilles' song
war and hero
Achilles' song is a mythical fiction about the events that occurred in Troy during the war against Sparta. These events are known to a greater or lesser extent by the public thanks to the multiple versions that exist about the conflict. The character of Achilles, controversial hero and protagonist of Miller's story, is also very popular. However, andhe narrative point of view falls on his relative, servant or simply friend, Patroclus. A very special person and more than an adventure companion. So much so that we would be talking about one of the first more or less public homosexual relationships in the history of literature.
The Trojan War was unleashed by the flight (or kidnapping) of Helen of Sparta with the Trojan prince Paris. Helena was married to Menelaus who was furious when he found out about the betrayal of his wife and the Trojans. However, this was nothing more than an excuse for his brother Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, to attack Troy, a territory that he wanted to conquer. The contest carried out by the two brothers brought together a good part of Greece, the Achaean troops, to fight against the soldiers of the city of Troy. Among these brave men was, of course, Achilles. And this is the central point of the novel.
Achilles was the son of Peleus, mortal king in Phtia. This monarch possessed great qualities and for this reason he was granted the privilege of marrying Thetis, a marine nymph (daughter of Nereus and, therefore, a Nereid) and ancient deity. With her he was able to procreate a male, Achilles. According to the prophecies, this child would achieve maximum glory and surpass his ancestors.. Achilles, like his father, grew up gifted, with great strength and courage, extraordinary warrior skills, nobility and beauty. In short, a superior being, despite being mortal.
a mythical story
Patroclus is a young prince and is everything Achilles is not: unskilled, insecure and clumsy. In fact, in an accident, he kills another young man and his father decides to banish him. His guardianship is taken care of by the merciful King Peleus, recognized for his many virtues. Patroclus will grow up in the shadow of Achilles, whom he regards as a deity and worthy example of perfection.. Achilles and Patroclus over the years forge an everlasting friendship. Therefore, when Achilles recognizes his destiny and the meaning of the prophecy, his eternal fame in the siege of the Trojan city, he marches along with the rest of the Achaean troops. And Patroclus will join him, since he is moved more than by friendship or loyalty, by the love he feels for the hero.ç
The story marches through the stalwart point of view of Patroclus. It is the narration of a mythical story well known by The Iliad, that Greek epic of war written by Homer in Ancient Greece. However, the most purist authors agree that Miller's work is stupendous. Achilles' song It is an updated poem that will catch the reader and convince him of the vigor of classical culture in our time.. The themes and characters in an earlier context are recounted and written with real fervor. The author has known how to surprise with this story full of literary impetus and supreme characters with characteristic and unique personalities.
Conclusions
Madeline Miller gets this interpretation of the classic myth right, and she does it with captivating and exciting vision. She makes an updated revision of the Achilles story with Patroclus as the main novelty and creates an original narrative. The novel is, without a doubt, a safe bet on facts that attract the curious and that manages to revitalize the characters and contextualize the classical myth with power and beauty. In conclusion, all this is an uncertain journey with a fatal ending, where Patroclus narrates in Achilles' song a mythical past veiled by love and devotion.
About the author
Madeline Miller was born in Boston in 1978. and resides in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He studied Classical Philology and an MA in Classical Studies at Brown University. Later she trained in Playwriting at the Yale School of Dramatic Art. She is a writer and teacher of high school boys who she teaches Latin, Greek and Shakespeare's classics.
He has written a short story and several articles and essays that have been published in The Guardian, Wall Street Journal: Washington Posyou, among others. His second novel is Circe (2019), finalist for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2019. His two novels have around thirty translations and demonstrate the storytelling capacity of this disseminator specialized in classical culture.