The Shield of Achilles : Summary
The Shield of Achilles is a notable literary work by W. H. Auden. A complete discussion of this literary work is given, which will help you enhance your literary skills and prepare for the exam. Read the Main texts, Key info, Summary, Themes, Characters, Literary devices, Quotations, Notes, to various questions of The Shield of Achilles.
Summary
This poem is written on the basis of Greek mythology. Auden wrote this poem with partial inspiration from Homer’s Iliad. Where the Greek goddess Thetis wanted to make a shield for her son Achilles. For this, he went to Hephaestus, the god of blacksmithing. Thetis wanted the shield to contain romantic ornaments that would essentially signify happiness and peace. But Hephaestus didn’t. He painted on that shield the symbols of solitude and the horrors of war. Thetis wanted that all eyes would be on Achilles when he fought because of this shield. Thetis thought that after this war there would be a world of peace. But after seeing the shield made by Hephaestus, her thoughts changed completely. She realized the horrors of this war and began to wonder how terrible the outcome of this war would be.
Actually, it is a symbolic poem. By the Trojan War here, World War II is meant. How the condition of the world became after World War II is explained through this poem. Through this poem, the poet explains how selfish and ruthless the people of the world are. The spirit of nationalism has been inculcated in the people. This resulted in people fighting each other and playing with blood. As Hephaestus created the shield for Achilles, the nationalism of the people of today’s world is illustrated.