Judith and Holofernes by Valetin de Boulogne

(b. 1591, Coulommier-en-Brie, d. 1632, Roma)

Judith and Holofernes by Caravaggio

Hector, Andromache and Child

Vien Joseph-Marie 1716-1809: Les adieux d'Hector et d'Andromaque. Musée des beaux arts, Caen.

Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini (1675 - 1741)

The Power of Pictorial Description

Today in class Dr. Evans made reference to author Tobias Wolff, specifically his short story "Bullet in the Brain." You may download a reading of this short story for free at this link. As a warning, the story is graphic in nature.

The Homeric Hero

Thetis Bringing Armor to Achilles by Benjamin West

Today in class we learned that William Blake referred to The Bible as the Great Code of Art. Dr. Evans refers to Homer's Iliad as "the other side of this code," making it "complete". Explain the implications of Dr. Evans' claim. How should we then read the text? To what should we pay careful attention?

Additionally, what are the chief characteristics of Homer's Heroes? Remember that we are looking at the concept of heroism in its objective form. Having a moral code does not make one a hero. Instead, as stated in class, risk taking "is central to the idea of heroism".

Your entry answering the above questions should be no shorter than two paragraphs and no longer than four.