Heroism in Wolfgang Petersen's Troy

Art L. Spisak

Missouri State University

Wolfgang Petersen in Troy gives heroism a surprising twist. Although Petersen seemingly centers heroism on battlefield prowess, which is foremost Achilles’ domain and also true to the Homeric model, he also adds another equally if not more important component to it – the capacity for love, which is represented almost exclusively through the Trojans. This favoring of the Trojans at the expense of the Greeks is largely the result of the strong contemporary overtones Petersen adds to the Homeric version (“contemporary overtones” is Martin Winkler’s phrase): the Greeks are mainly depicted as the machine-like superpower (America), powered by glory, greed, and vanity, that will roll over the humane, honorable, and fine-spirited Trojans.

Because of this contemporary overlay, Petersen generally represents the Greek leaders as an unsavory and un-heroic bunch (Odysseus is the exception). Agamemnon is portrayed as a power and glory-lusting sleaze; Menelaus as cruel and vindictive; and Ajax, although accomplished enough at fighting (except against Hector), as simple and brutish. As for Achilles, although he has unquestioned heroic status through his extraordinary fighting ability, for much of the film he is represented as one-dimensional and hardly likable because so self-centered. To that point he is fairly close to the Homeric model. Yet, Achilles only finds depth and heart near the end of the film by giving himself over to what is depicted as a Trojan ideal – what may be termed a spiritual element as represented by Achilles’ awakening to his love for Briseis.

The Trojans, in contrast to the Greeks, from their first appearance in the film and then throughout are represented as heroic in their heart and spirit – as shown in making and then honoring personal connections with their lives. Paris steals away Menelaus’ wife through his genuine love for her, and then is willing to die for that love. Hector comes to honor and respect his brother’s love for Helen, as does his father, Priam, even at the peril of their city and lives. Because of this depth of spirit, Hector, although second to Achilles in his battlefield prowess, for much of the film surpasses him in heroic stature because he fights for all the right reasons: his deep feeling for his city and especially his family – brother, father, wife, son, and even would be sister-in-law, Helen. As a result, Hector’s overall heroic stature in the film at least equals if not surpasses that of Achilles.

Paris is even more of a contrast and foil to Achilles than his brother, Hector, in that he most embodies what Achilles and the Greek leaders lack in heroic stature. Weak in his fighting ability, Paris is yet more heroic in his spirit in that he commands the love and loyalty of all that know him well. Even after disgraced in combat with Menelaus, the normal determinant for heroism, he retains the love of Helen, and his brother and father.

As a final statement of the priority of values in the film – power and battlefield prowess versus heart and spirit, Petersen ends with Briseis killing Agamemnon and Paris killing Achilles.