The Collector Essay Example for Free

The Collector Essay The Development of events outside a persons control is regarded as the most basic definition of fate; the belief that a stronger power or supernatural being has the ability to change the course of one’s life and override a persons fundamental tool of refined thought and decision making. The story of Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy is one clouded in the mist of fate and destiny versus human thought and emotion. The tragic becoming of Tess Durbeyfield can hardly be classified as the work of the devil or simply put down to the fickle fates when the protagonists own decisions as well as that of those surrounding her, alter the outcome of each day and situation throughout the novel. Furthermore the morals of society throughout the Nineteenth century blamed a woman for any form of sexual assault at the hands of a man; Tess struggles and at times, thrives throughout her life as a strong and passionate woman, however mistakes are made by each and every character within this story including the striking protagonist. The concept that all actions have consequences is a value instilled in one’s mind at a young age; that with each decision a greater effect will shortly follow, a rule disregarded by Tess throughout the novel. Being a passionate and proud heroine Tess opted for he most honest, and virtuous path, in order to uphold these characteristics. It is these decisions that set in motion the journey to Tess’ fateful death. It can not be disputed that one of the most proud and simultaneously ignorant moments was of informing her husband, Angel Clare, of her impure past. ‘it is as serious as yours It can hardly be more serious,’†¦ she entered on her story of her acquaintance with Alec D’Urberville and it’s results† (pp. 292-293, Tess of the D’Urbervilles) Such a decision caused Tess an enormous amount of grief, heartbreak and confusion instantly, first and foremost from the man whom she loved and believed that loved her also, however the social and religious conventions of the time outweighed any love Angel may have felt for Tess. â€Å"‘Tess, forgiveness does not apply to the case. You were one person; now you are another. ’† (p. 298, Tess of the D’Urbervilles). Angel can no longer see anything except Tess’ past tragedy, and despite the fact he does not blame her, her simply is not able to love the same person. As a young women, Tess appears ignorant of men and sex and the complex world that young girls today are taught it is; she relies solely on the only older female figure in her life, her mother, and whilst her mother gives her the advice to remain silent on the subject f her rape, Tess goes against these wishes. On no account do no say a word of your Bygone trouble to him†¦Many a woman†¦ have had trouble in their time; and why should you trumpet yours when others don’t trumpet theirs? knowing it to be your childish nature to tell all that is in your heart. † (p. 256, Tess of the D’Urbervilles) Despite the way in which society is at the time of Tess’ rape, and the advice given from her own mother Tess makes a decision which is far bigger than any other throughout the novel. Being raped changed Tess’ life, yet the decision to tell the one person who, in this form of society, could never know was what set in motion the tragedy and horror that followed her. Each character within the novel is interconnected, the choices, thoughts and decision produced by each one allows the story to take a different path and change that of the protagonist; within the story there are many smaller narratives taking place and each one changes the main point of interest. Parson Tringham- a relatively minor character- plays one of the most major roles to set the journey in motion; addressing Tess’ father as Sir John and advising of the possibility of rich relations. Without this idea Tess’ life may have been a far simpler one yet the decision was made, and the story was changed. Each and every individual decision changed the course of the story; the decision of Angel’s to leave Tess and travel to Brazil when he heard her dreadful story is another that was of vital importance to Tess’ life. I am going to Brazil alone, Izz,’ said he. I have separated from my wife for personal, not voyaging, reasons. ’†¦ despite her love, the facts had not changed†¦ he took the train that night for London. † (pp. 343-344, Tess of the D’Urbervilles). Without the help of her husband, Tess struggles through tough winter labour, meets once again her assaulter and faces the death of her own father. Of course these events were never unavoidable, however in leaving Tess, Angel left her vulnerable to the likes of Alec D’Urberville and the poverty that so horridly affected her family. Events do not purely and basically occur, nothing happens because nature intended it to; each choice, action, thought and opinion changes the course of a life and the world. Angel’s choice to leave Tess ultimately meant she was faced with another difficult decision to become Alec’s ‘creature’ of sorts, and save her family from starvation and severe poverty. â€Å"‘Tess! can you forgive me for going away? ’ ‘It is too late†¦ You did not come! He kept saying you would never come†¦ I hate him now†¦ these clothes are what he’s put on me. ’† (p. 66, Tess of the D’Urbervilles). Through the decisions of each character, Tess ultimately is positioned in a terrible state of affairs that has been affected and changed by the characters of the story. â€Å"‘Ah- it is my fault! ’ Said Clare. But he could not go on. Speech was as inexpressive as silence. † (p. 467, Tess of the D’Urber villes) Upon finding Tess in such a position when he returns to regain her love, Angel blames himself for the predicament despite Alec’s clear despicable actions. And this blame is just yet cannot be carried purely on the men. Saint Thomas Aquinas states â€Å"far be it from the hearts of the faithful to think that fate is anything real† (P. 1, God and the Order of Creation); Aquinas instead believes that the power of the human mind is what creates a situation or a belief across the world (God and the Order of Creation). This statement reflects the narrative of Tess of the D’Urbervilles and the way in which characters change the course of the story by their choices. However the morals and values of society at the time affected the thinking of everyone, a matter reflected particularly in the dominant male characters of the story. The Victorian era had many ideals and values foreign to the modern world, particularly in the case of equality and the role of women. At the time Hardy was writing Tess of the D’Urbervilles there was much change brought about concerning women’s rights and ideals, â€Å"hysterical forces unleashed by the suffragette movement represented a challenge to the Victorian status quo. The role and status of women were being redefined, and writers such as Hardy†¦ were intimately involved in that redefinition. † (p. 8, Tess of the D’Urbervilles Second Edition) The belief that purity was of the utmost important was upheld by majority of the higher class in England at this time, having a clear impact on the difficulty for Tess to deal with what is already a demoralizing, horrid deflowering. Angel in particular has issues dealing with the news as he has been brought up taught that nothing can compare to a pure and virtuous women, which the women he loves is not; â€Å"the traditional Victorian ideal/norms of femininity emphasized the belief that the most important principle for a women was that of purity. (p. 18, Tess of the D’Urbervilles Second Edition) As this belief was instilled into society, Tess’ own lower class society would not accept her situation, the church refusing her son a true Christian burial. â€Å"‘Then you will give him a Christian burial? ’†¦Ã¢â‚¬ËœI must not- for certain reasons’†¦ â€Å"I’ll never come to your church no more! ’† (p. 125, Tess of the Dâ₠¬â„¢Urbervilles) The values of society had a major impact on the way in which Tess’ life preceded her, and influenced so much how she was treated and expected to act. Fate is a belief system similar to that of religion, a concept and a notion- nothing more. The way in which people act and think is what truly affects the lives of people around the world, and this is reflected in the fictional world of Tess of the D’Urbervilles. Characters make choices as the writer decides to shape a story and a journey, to create a world that portrays reality so succinctly; the characters within this narrative form their own lives and make their own decisions leaving nothing, even the most tragic becoming, up to fate.

Deception in Shakespeares King Lear :: King Lear essays

The Deception in King Lear William Shakespeare's play King Lear is a play full of deceit and betrayal. This becomes evident in the first few lines. We first learn of the empty words of Goneril and Regan as well as their hatred for their father, King Lear. This becomes the center of the play and also leads to the madness that the king suffers from. The first words that Goneril speaks are totally empty and are the complete opposite of what she really feels. She says, "Sir, I love you more than word can wield the matter; Dearer than eye-sight, space and liberty;" (I.i.54-55) The reason why there are no words to express her love for her father is that she has no love for him and it does not exist. The same goes for her sister, Regan, who is plotting against her father as well. She says that she feels the same way as her sister and expresses how Goneril has named her very deed of love. Regan adds a little twist to this and professes that she loves Lear more than her sisters and that Goneril's affection for her father "comes too short." (I.i.71) By uttering these words, Regan shows that her love is even less true than that of her sister's. She goes even farther to say: "...that I profess Myself an enemy to all other joys Which the most precious square of sense possesses, And find I am alone felicitate In your dear highness' love." I.i.71-75 This goes to show that she is more greedy than her sister and her words are also falser. She wants more than her sister and will do anything to attain her goal. Her ambition to get what she wants is evident in the words that she speaks. She claims herself to be "an enemy to all other joys" but she is really the enemy to her father. The next person King Lear calls to speak is his soft-spoken daughter, Cordelia. Lear does not have much respect for her because she does not flatter him and put him on the pedestal that he feels that he should be put on. This is exactly what his other daughters do and he feels very strongly that Cordelia should do the same. Because of all the flattery that was given him by his other two daughters, he gives them most of his possessions. The first thing that Cordelia says when the King asks her to speak is "nothing." The king is enraged by this remark and says that, "Nothing will come of nothing: speak again.

Succubus Dreams CHAPTER 14

I worked an evening shift that day and had made plans to have lunch with Maddie. She and I had worked several shifts together in the last week or so, but things were getting so crazy at the store that we hardly had a chance to talk anymore. â€Å"Well, aren't we the rebels?† she said when the waiter set two margaritas on the table. We were at the â€Å"unholy† place Peter, Cody, and Hugh had tried to lure me out to a few nights ago. â€Å"Nah,† I said, licking the edge of my glass. Salt and lime juice were proof of God's existence. And tequila was proof of Satan's. â€Å"We don't work for three more hours. We'll be sober by then. Besides, I'm your superior, and I say it's okay.† We clinked glasses and drank up. â€Å"I feel like I'm boring,† she told me halfway through our meal. â€Å"Not true.† â€Å"It is. I don't do anything with my life.† She held the glass by its stem, swirling the contents around and around. â€Å"Doug goes out every night, either to practice or party or whatever. Me? If I'm not at work, I'm home writing articles or watching reality TV.† â€Å"What do you wish you were doing instead?† â€Å"I don't know. There are lots of things I've thought about. Skydiving. Travel. Always kind of wanted to go to South America. But it's hard, you know? Those kinds of things force you to break out of your comfort zone.† â€Å"There's no reason you can't do those things. You're smart and capable, and I think you're braver than you give yourself credit for.† She smiled. â€Å"Why are you such a cheerleader for me?† â€Å"Because you're awesome.† The truth was, I was starting to realize, Maddie reminded me of myself when I'd been mortal. Not entirely comfortable with my body (I'd been insanely tall). Not always so adept socially (my sharp attitude had gotten me in trouble a lot). That version of me was centuries gone, but a kernel of it would always be within me. I gestured the waiter over and shook my glass at him. â€Å"Hey, Josh. Can you hook me up?† Josh the waiter, who looked too young to drink, took the glass with a grin. â€Å"You bet. Same thing?† â€Å"Yep. Although†¦I hate to tell you this, but it was kind of weak.† Josh adopted an offended air. â€Å"Was it? I'll yell at the bartender immediately. Maybe I'll make him come over and apologize on bended knee.† â€Å"No need,† I said magnanimously. â€Å"Just have him add an extra shot this time.† He gave a gallant bow and winked. â€Å"As you command.† Maddie groaned when he was gone. â€Å"See? I could never flirt that way. Certainly not with jailbait like him.† â€Å"Sure you can.† She shook her head. â€Å"No. I have the worst luck with men.† â€Å"How is that possible? You're always saying funny things to me.† â€Å"You're not a man. And I'm not afraid of you,† she explained. â€Å"You're afraid of Josh the waiter?† â€Å"Well†¦no, not exactly. But I just get so self-conscious. All flustered and stuff.† I leaned forward and spoke in a conspiratorial tone. â€Å"Trade secret. Everyone's self-conscious. Act like you aren't, and you'll be a superstar.† Josh brought me my margarita. I thanked him with more flirting while Maddie looked thoughtful. When he went to check on another table, she sighed. â€Å"Did you know that I've only ever slept with two guys?† â€Å"So?† â€Å"So, I'm twenty-nine! Isn't that sad?† I thought about my track record. No point even trying to count. â€Å"Just means you have standards.† She grimaced. â€Å"You haven't met the guys.† â€Å"So find a good one. Plenty of them out there.† I had a weird flash of d? ¦j? ¤ vu to past conversations with Tawny. â€Å"Not that I've seen. Well, except maybe Seth. He's one of the good ones.† She sighed. â€Å"He still hasn't mentioned our date.† â€Å"Hasn't he?† I'd have to get on him about that. â€Å"Yeah. Unless babysitting his nieces counts.† She shrugged. â€Å"It's okay. Like I said, I know he just did it because he felt bad. I appreciate the gesture. Oh hey, I overheard Seth saying something to Doug about how you wanted a Christmas tree. Are you having trouble finding one or something?† I groaned. â€Å"Not that again.† â€Å"So†¦you don't want one? Or do you? You seem like the kind of person who would.† â€Å"Honestly? I'm indifferent.† I shook my head. â€Å"It's something my friend Peter started, then he told Seth.† She cut me a suspicious look. â€Å"You know, you sure seem to hang out with Seth a lot.† â€Å"Hey, you can be friends with nice guys too.† I had no idea why I still felt the need to keep my relationship with Seth a secret. Some instinct told me it was the right thing to do. â€Å"Too bad,† said Maddie, finishing her own margarita. â€Å"I bet he'd treat his girlfriend like a princess.† â€Å"Yeah,† I agreed wryly. â€Å"So long as that princess doesn't mind a mistress. Sometimes I think his writing will always be his first love.† To my surprise, Maddie didn't laugh or look outraged. â€Å"Well, I think that's the price you've gotta pay if you want to be with a man like that. It might be worth it.† Now I became pensive, wondering if this was true. Was I too hard on Seth and his distractibility? When lunch wrapped up, we walked back – not too tipsy – to the bookstore. I nudged Maddie as we stepped inside. â€Å"Okay, here's the deal. In the next week, I want you to do three adventurous things.† She looked startled. â€Å"What kind of adventurous things?† â€Å"I don't know.† I pondered, thinking I might be drunker than I'd suspected. â€Å"The adventurous kind. Go out clubbing. Wear red lipstick. Doesn't matter. All I know is that there's going to be a pop quiz later, okay?† â€Å"That's ridiculous. It's not that easy,† she said with a scowl, turning away. â€Å"You can't just make something like that happen.† â€Å"Did I just hear you tell Maddie to go clubbing?† Seth's voice asked a moment later. She was already halfway across the store, and I doubted she'd take me up on my challenge. Too bad. I turned around to face him. â€Å"I'm helping her live life.† â€Å"By drinking in the middle of the day?† he teased. I pointed upstairs. â€Å"Don't you have a book to finish? I'll talk to you later. I have important things to do.† I felt only a little bad about dismissing him, seeing as we had dinner plans and would see each other later. He wandered off to write, and I threw myself into my work. Someone was home sick, so I got to be out amid the holiday shopping frenzy. Maddie worked a register beside me, and I was pleased to see how cheery and charismatic she was with customers. When closing time came, I stopped in front of the newspapers, looking for†¦well, I didn't know what. But I hadn't forgotten about that poor drowning victim. I wondered if there might be more about him – or more about anything that might help me figure out what was happening to me in my sleep. Sadly, the headlines offered no insight today. Seth and I drove to Pioneer Square for our late dinner and unsurprisingly couldn't find parking. We ended up several blocks away and were freezing by the time we entered the restaurant. The trek was worth it, though. This place was one of my favorites, serving up Cajun food spicy enough to chase away the winter chill. With gumbo and ? ¦touff? ¦e, it was hard to brood for too long. We'd almost finished dessert when my cell phone rang. I didn't recognize the number. â€Å"Hello?† â€Å"Hey, Georgina. This is Vincent.† â€Å"Hey,† I said, surprised to be hearing from him. â€Å"Look, I really need to talk to you in person. Is there any way I can see you?† â€Å"Right now?† â€Å"Yeah†¦it's kind of important.† I glanced over at Seth, who was finishing the last of his bread pudding. He was so easygoing, I doubted he'd mind if Vincent stopped by. â€Å"I'm out with Seth†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"It'll just take a few minutes,† Vincent promised. â€Å"Okay.† I told him where we were, and he told me he'd be there shortly. He wasn't kidding. I'd barely explained the situation to Seth when Vincent walked into the restaurant. â€Å"What'd you do, fly over here?† I asked as he slid into a chair beside us. â€Å"Nah, I was just close.† He gestured to the remnants of our desserts. â€Å"Looks good.† â€Å"It was great,† I said. â€Å"Now, what's up?† He hesitated and glanced in Seth's direction. â€Å"It's fine. Seth knows everything,† I assured him. The waitress came by and dropped off our receipt and change. Vincent studied Seth a moment more, then turned back to me. â€Å"Okay. I just have a quick question for you. We can talk about it on our way out.† The three of us set out into the cold again, heading toward Seth's car. â€Å"So,† Vincent began. â€Å"Remember that story you told me a little while ago? About the cop shooting his partner?† â€Å"Yup.† â€Å"Where'd you hear it?† We walked in silence for a few moments as I tried to remember. â€Å"I don't know. Probably on TV. Maybe I saw the headline at the store. Can't recall.† â€Å"Are you sure?† I frowned. â€Å"Positive.† Vincent sighed. â€Å"Well, here's the thing. I looked into that story and had a hard time finding out anything. It was never made public. I actually had to go investigate with some police sources.† â€Å"It had to have been made public. How else would I have known?† â€Å"That's what I'm trying to figure out.† I racked my brain. Where had I heard it? No clue. I'd just known it when I talked to Vincent that day. But, obviously, it hadn't sprung up in my head out of the blue. â€Å"Do you know anybody in the police department?† he suggested. â€Å"No one I would have talked to. Maybe I overheard someone. Seriously, I just†¦I just can't remember.† â€Å"What's the story?† Seth asked me. Puzzle pieces suddenly fell together. The cop was just like the guy who'd swam Puget Sound. Both had had a vision of something that wasn't true, but their subsequent actions had brought it about. And I had known about both stories before I should have. â€Å"Georgina?† asked Seth. â€Å"This cop went crazy in a store and started – â€Å" â€Å"Okay, just stop. Just fucking stop.† The three of us jerked to a halt as the voice came out of the darkness. In heading toward our remote parking spot, we'd strayed quite a ways away from the hustle and bustle of Pioneer Square. And from around a corner, a man in need of a shave and clean clothes had emerged. He made Carter look genteel. Muggings were rare in Seattle, but statistics meant little when actually being mugged. The man had a gun aimed at us. â€Å"Give me everything you've got,† he growled. He had kind of a wide-eyed, paranoid look, and I wondered if he was on something. Again, it meant little. He had a gun. We didn't. â€Å"Every fucking thing. Wallet. Jewelry. Whatever. I'll shoot. I swear to God, I will.† I took a step in front of Seth and Vincent, small enough not to raise the guy's alarms but enough to put me in the line of fire. I'd been shot before. It hurt, but it couldn't kill me. My humans were the ones in danger. â€Å"Sure,† I said, reaching into my purse. I kept my voice low and soothing. â€Å"Whatever you want.† â€Å"Hurry up,† he snapped. His gun was aimed squarely at me now, which was fine. Behind me, I heard Seth and Vincent rustling around for their wallets as well. With a pang, I realized I'd have to give up Seth's ring, which I'd worn on a chain around my neck tonight, but that was a small price to pay if we all walked away from this unscathed. Suddenly, I saw movement in my peripheral vision. Before I could stop him, Seth lunged forward toward the man and slammed him into the side of the brick building near us. I had never taken Seth for the fighting type, but it was actually pretty impressive. Unfortunately, it was not needed at the moment. Vincent and I sprang into the fray, moving at exactly the same time. The guy had been forced to lower his gun while Seth pinned him against the wall, but the attacker was struggling with the ferocity of a bear. Vincent and I tried to add our own strength, mainly hoping to wrest the gun away. It was one of those moments in time that seemed both really long and really short. Then, the gun went off. My two companions and I stopped moving. The guy used the brief lull to wiggle away from us and ran off into the night. I exhaled a breath of relief, grateful it was all over. â€Å"Georgina – † said Vincent. Seth sank to his knees, and that's when I saw the blood. It was all over his left thigh, dark and slick in the watery light of a flickering streetlight. His face was pale and wide-eyed with shock. â€Å"Oh, God.† I fell down beside him, trying to get a look at the leg. â€Å"Call 911!† I screamed at Vincent. Having anticipated me, he already had his cell out. Some part of my brain listened to him speaking frantically into the phone, but the rest of my attention was on Seth. â€Å"Oh God, oh God,† I said, ripping off my coat. Blood was pouring steadily out of the wound. I pressed my coat into it, trying to slow the bleeding. â€Å"Hang with me. Oh, please, please, hang with me.† Seth's eyes looked at me with both tenderness and pain. His lips parted slightly, but no words came out. I lifted the coat and looked at the wound. Vincent knelt beside me. â€Å"It won't stop, it won't stop,† I moaned. Vincent peered over my shoulder. â€Å"Femoral artery.† After over a millennium, I knew the human body and what could kill it. I would have realized what kind of a shot this was if I hadn't been so hysterical. â€Å"It'll drain him,† I whispered, pressing the coat into his leg again. I had seen it happen before, watched people bleed to death right in front of me. â€Å"It'll kill him before they get here. That bullet hit perfectly.† Beside me, I heard Vincent take a deep, shaking breath. Then, his hands covered mine. â€Å"Take it away,† he said softly. â€Å"I have to slow the bleeding.† But he gently lifted my hands away, taking the coat up as well. There was blood everywhere. I imagined I could see it steaming in the cold air. Vincent rested his hands on Seth's thigh, oblivious to the mess. Words formed on the tip of my tongue but never came out. The air around us began burning, and a prickling feeling raced across my skin. For a moment, Seth seemed to be bathed in white light. From Vincent, I suddenly had the sensation of dried lavender and humidity. It was tinged in something else†¦something I'd never hoped to sense again. Then, it all faded away. Vincent removed his hands, and when I looked down, blood no longer oozed from Seth's thigh. â€Å"I'm sorry,† gasped Vincent. â€Å"I'm not so good at healing, and if I do any more, the others will sense me. This will keep him alive until the ambulance gets here.† In the distance, I heard the faint sounds of sirens. In my chest, my heart thudded. The world slowed its pace. How long had Vincent said he'd known Yasmine? Fifteen years. Too, too long. He didn't look any older than thirty. They hadn't met when he was a teen. The timing didn't make sense. Neither did the fact that he had just healed a major injury. But none of that was as telling as what else I'd already discovered. For just a moment, he'd let his defenses slip, and I'd felt – an immortal signature. And while immortals have unique features of their own, all types of immortals have certain attributes that identify them by creature as well. Succubi. Vampires. Angels. Demons. Vincent's signature had given him away. The others will sense me. I stared at Vincent as red flashing lights rounded the corner. My eyes were as wide as Seth's had been. â€Å"You're a nephilim,† I breathed.

Calydonian Boar Hunt

The Calydonian Boar Hunt is a story from Greek mythology chronologically following the voyage the Argonaut heroes took to capture the Golden Fleece for Jason. A group of heroic hunters chased after a boar sent by the irate goddess Artemis to ravage the Calydonian countryside. This is the most famous of the Greek hunts in art and literature. Representations of the Calydonian Boar Hunt The earliest literary representation of the Calydonian boar hunt comes from Book IX (9.529-99) of the Iliad. This version doesnt mention Atalanta. The boar hunt is clearly shown in artwork, architecture, and sarcophagi. Artistic depictions run from the 6th century B.C. through the Roman period. Principal Characters in the Calydonian Boar Hunt Meleager: Hunt organizer and killer of the boarOineus (Oeneus): King of Calydon, in Aetolia, who failed to sacrifice to Artemis (hubris)Calydonian Boar: the fierce animal who ravaged the countryside as Artemis sent him to do.Artemis: virgin goddess of the hunt who sent the boar and may have trained Atalanta.Atalanta: Female, Amazon-type, a  devotee of Artemis, who draws first blood.Althaea (Althaia): daughter of Thestius, wife of Oineus and mother of Meleager who causes her sons death when he kills her brothers.Uncles: Meleager kills at least one of his uncles and is then killed himself. Apollodorus 1.8 on Heroes of the Calydonian Boar Hunt Meleager, son of Oeneus, from CalydonDryas, son of Ares, from CalydonIdas and Lynceus, sons of Aphareus, from MesseneCastor and Pollux, sons of Zeus and Leda, from LacedaemonTheseus, son of Aegeus, from AthensAdmetus, son of Pheres, from PheraeAncaeus and Cepheus, sons of Lycurgus, from ArcadiaJason, son of Aeson, from IolcusIphicles, son of Amphitryon, from ThebesPirithous, son of Ixion, from LarissaPeleus, son of Aeacus, from PhthiaTelamon, son of Aeacus, from SalamisEurytion, son of Actor, from PhthiaAtalanta, daughter of Schoeneus, from ArcadiaAmphiaraus, son of Oicles, from ArgosSons of Thestius. Basic Story of the Calydonian Boar Hunt King Oineus neglects to sacrifice annual first fruits to Artemis (only). To punish his hubris she sends a boar to ravage Calydon. Oineus son Meleager organizes a band of heroes to hunt the boar. Included in the band are his uncles and, in some versions, Atalanta. When the boar is killed, Meleager and his uncles fight over the trophy. Meleager wants it to go to Atalanta for drawing first blood. Meleager kills his uncle(s). Either a fight ensues between Meleagers fathers people and his mothers, or his mother knowingly and deliberately burns a firebrand that magically ends Meleagers life. Homer and Meleager In the ninth book of the Iliad, Phoenix tries to persuade Achilles to fight. In the process, he tells the story of Meleager in a version sans Atalanta. In the Odyssey, Odysseus is recognized by an odd scar caused by a boar tusk. In Judith M. Barringer ties the two hunts together. She says they are both rites of passage with maternal uncles serving as witnesses. Odysseus, of course, survives his hunt, but Meleager isnt so fortunate, although he survives the boar. Death of Meleager Although Atalanta draws first blood, Meleager kills the boar. The hide, head, and tusks should be his, but he is enamored of Atalanta and offers her the prize on the controversial claim of first blood. A hunt is a heroic event reserved for the aristocrats. It was hard enough to get them to participate in Atalantas company, let alone give her the principle honor, and so the uncles grow angry. Even if Meleager doesnt want the prize, it is his familys to have. His uncles will take it. Meleager, the young leader of the group, has made up his mind. He slays an uncle or two. Back at the palace, Althaea hears of the death of her brother(s) at the hands of her son. In revenge, she takes out a brand the Moirae (fates) had told her would mark the death of Meleager when it was burned completely. She sticks the wood in the hearth fire until it is consumed. Her son Meleager dies simultaneously. Thats one version, but there is another that is easier to stomach. Apollodorus on Version 2 of the Death of Meleager But some say that Meleager did not die in that way, but that when the sons of Thestius claimed the skin on the ground that Iphiclus had been the first to hit the boar, war broke out between the Curetes and the Calydonians; and when Meleager had sallied out134 and slain some of the sons of Thestius, Althaea cursed him, and he in a rage remained at home; however, when the enemy approached the walls, and the citizens supplicated him to come to the rescue, he yielded reluctantly to his wife and sallied forth, and having killed the rest of the sons of Thestius, he himself fell fighting.