Troy - Movie Analysis

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I didn’t like the Greeks after I watched the movie, especially on King Agamemnon. When he recently gathered all of the Greek cities that is under his rule and wants to take over Troy too, so the conflict over Helen was his perfect opportunity. His reason to rage war against Troy was somewhat selfish for me, because instead of fighting to help his brother get his revenge, he took advantage of his brother’s situation. He would do everything in his power even if he uses desperate measures to make Troy his. Like when the Greeks constructed the Trojan horse so that the soldiers can infiltrate the kingdom and attacked at night. For me, that was a coward act. They could’ve at least fought fairly especially that one of Troy’s greatest warrior, Hector, died. So, they have the upper hand to win the war because Achilles’ was still there, but instead they played dirty. It was really unfair for me for the Greeks to do such things, burning Troy without warning. Well, yes, the 12 days of peace was over, but they could’ve at least leave the innocents alone or they could’ve attacked in the morning where the opposing party (Trojans) were ready to fight. When Menelaus was killed by the Hector, now that is somewhat an acceptable reason for Agamemnon to ravage Troy. Well, I couldn’t really put the hate on all the Greeks, especially the soldiers and Achilles because their reason for fighting was for honor and they were just following orders from the King. So basically, who I really disliked in the Greeks was only Agamemnon.

I really disliked Helen and Paris in this movie. The war all started because of their love affair. Helen left Menelaus and went to Troy so that she could be with Paris. I kind of knew that Helen never really loved Menelaus because of all the suitors that wanted to marry the maiden, her father picked him to be her husband. So, she was in a fixed marriage. She couldn’t have given time at all to choose who she’ll be with for life. When she met Paris, the two fell in love. Even though, I dislike the fact that Helen left her husband because of her and Paris’ selfish love, it was somewhat a great thing that for once, Helen could be happy again and that she is finally away from sorrow and mistreatment. But throughout the story, they barely took the responsibility and because of that, the kingdom of Troy was affected. For me, I think that if they really do love each other, they should know the best for each of their kingdoms especially that they’re both royalty. Helen should know her responsibilities as the queen of Sparta, but instead, she ran away from those responsibilities, on Paris, he also failed his responsibilities as prince of Troy. He didn’t think thoroughly about how badly the outcome of his decision would be. He also didn’t think how his father would feel, the way how Priam worked hard to gain that peace, but Paris chose love, a very selfish love that caused destruction on his home kingdom. They should think about their people and especially their place. But if they really chose to be together, then it would’ve been best if the couples didn’t stay at Troy and went far away so that at least, the war may not occur and Troy could maintain in a peaceful state. I read some several facts about Helen in the Iliad about how she disliked Paris of being a coward when he and Menelaus clashed, saying to Hector that “why can’t I marry a better man.” Because of that she regretted that she left Sparta and chose Paris. I hope that at least she’ll love Paris truly after the horror and grieve they’ve been through and hoping that they could start a new life.

I liked the positivity of the Trojans in the war. At first I didn’t side with them because of Paris, but after watching the movie, I’m starting to feel their side. Even though Helen was the cause of the destruction on their home kingdom, the King, Priam, welcomed and accepted her fully as his daughter-in-law just that. Well, knowing that Paris loved her so much and returning her back to Sparta seemed too late, the Trojan accepted the consequences and would still fight the Greeks to defend their kingdom. For me, I pitied Priam, like when he got to witness his second son almost killed by Menelaus, his first son killed and his body dragged around mercilessly by Achilles and lastly seeing his own kingdom burn into ashes, his people, may it be the young or the adult, slaughtered, witnessing it with his own very eyes. He doesn’t deserve this at all. All he wanted was the better for his people, that’s why he worked almost 30 years to gain that peace. When Troy was being burnt down to ashes, he prayed to their God, hoping that everything would be fine. He couldn’t also abandon his people even though he could escape easily, but he chose to stay. For me, Priam is a good example as a king because he didn’t run away from his responsibilities as ruler of Troy. He thought of his people instead of his own self. Like when he risk his life to go to Achilles’ base camp to plead to him to bring back Hector’s corpse and give him a proper burial and also when he still defended/loved Paris despite the damage that he brought to their kingdom. Priam didn’t deserve to die. I was saddened when he died by the hands of Agamemnon, but I’m glad that Briseis killed the Greek king. The people of Troy never really deserved any of what happened to them. It just saddens me that the infants, the old, the women were burnt into ashes. Especially that the soldiers of Troy were caught off guard. Truly, it was really unfair that the Greeks plotted something dirty.

Now going for Achilles. The half-god was Agamemnon’s greatest warrior and he wanted to fight for his battle, but Achilles refuses to fight for him and that he wishes to fight for himself. Achilles can be a little rebel sometimes. He doesn’t want anyone to control him especially in deciding his own destiny. That’s why he doesn’t want to fight for Agamemnon, especially how much he knows how wicked the Greek king is. For me, I think Achilles has a good heart and how much he treasures people that are so dear to him, like how he cares for Patroclus. His cousin wanted to fight alongside with Achilles but he said otherwise and wants him to guard their ship. Achilles doesn’t want him to go out in battle because he knew that it would get rough and wanted ensure his cousin’s safety. He doesn’t fight just for fun sake and for selfishness. If he wishes to fight, then he fights with a purpose and would bring honor to his name so that people in next how many years would not forget him. He does not deceive others and that he wishes to fight fairly despite him having the upper hand since he is a skilled fighter. I was touched when Achilles’ took care of Briseis when she was held captive by the Greeks. Also when he defended Briseis from Agamemnon, he even threatened the