As George Eliot once said, "It is a narrow mind that cannot look at a subject from several points of view." Whether viewing a work of art or another person, there are often many points of view to evaluate to find the true heart of the matter. In great literary works, authors often create complex, dynamic characters to add depth and meaning to the story. In the Iliad, Homer beautifully depicts the multifaceted character of Achilles as an epic hero. As readers observe Achilles closely, he reveals different sides of himself as the epic poem develops. Representing the struggle between his dominant, selfish, Dionysian nature as an epic hero and his hidden empathetic Apollonian core, Achilles reveals the myth of the Iliad which states that war degrades humanity to objects and only the pursuit of Apollonian respect for others it renews their humanity. Early in the Iliad readers realize that Achilles is primarily a Dionysian man by nature who often acts on his impulses to strive for glory and seek revenge. The three things that men desire most - power, possession, glory - are the primary motivation for Achilles' impulsive actions. In describing his anger after taking Briseis, he states that she is "a prize that [Achilles] sweated for and that the soldiers gave him" (Homer 1.189). Achilles' practice illustrated in this quote shows his internal desire for glory, a trait that is often associated with the Dionysian one because it has to do with the internal passions and impulsive nature of man. “The primary motivation of military aggression is greed for material gain, power and fame” (Ng 78) is an appropriate allusion to Achilles because he is the great military hero of Greece and while Achilles is destined to lead.. ... middle of paper ...... train and show respect for others even in difficult times. Showing kindness and emotion towards the enemy was once considered by many to be a weakness. However, Achilles is much more of a hero because he shows his inner morality. George Eliot said that there are many sides to a topic, but it is up to the individual to truly examine others and find the good within. Works Cited Benfey, Christopher. "A Tale of Two Iliads." The New York Book Review. September 25, 2003: 81-87. Print.Freud, Sigmund. “Civilization and its ailments Global traditions in the humanistic disciplines. McDougal Little, 2001. 578-581. Print.Homer. “The Iliad”. World Literature, 3rd, ed. Fitzgerald. New York: Holt, Reinhart, and Winston, 2001. 229-276. Print.Hamilton, Edith. The mythology of Edith Hamilton. New York.: Warner Books, 1999. Print.Ng, Kum-Hoon. “The executioner of paradise”. Parable 27.4 (November 2002): 75-78. Press