Malouf's Ransom explores the brutality of war and how it can result in the loss of humanity for some, as the grief of loss overrides all other senses. The bloodlust and thirst for vengeance evident in the thoughts and actions of Achilles and Hecuba underscore the ravages of war on the human condition, and particularly for the former, how the roles set by a deterministic universe can exacerbate that. However, the novel suggests that inhumanity is not necessarily self-perpetuating and that the ability to think new things gives rise to the possibility of transcending one's grief, as reflected in Priam's vision of "something new". Therefore, the King's further experiments with Somax highlight that humanity can be restored through another. In turn, Priam's plea to Achilles and their bond of mutual fatherhood, despite being traditional adversaries in war, demonstrates the possibility of unprecedented compassion even in the most uncertain of times. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get Original EssayThe reality of war lies in death and the resulting grief, which often tends to outweigh ability of understanding and sympathy. In the "difficult world of men" and war, the loss of his soulmate Patroclus sees Achilles' ability to feel human emotions replaced by his desire for revenge. Achilles is thus inclined to consider Hector as an “implacable enemy,” emphasizing his inability to see him other than as an object of retaliation. His role as a warrior influences this as he is traditionally said to view Hector as his adversary. Instead of seeing him as a man like himself, Achilles dehumanizes Hector and, as a result, the desecration of the latter's body exceeds Greek standards, "[breaking] all the rules by which they live", and thus loses his own humanity . The cyclical nature of the mutilation and then restoration of Hector's body highlights that Achilles is trapped in a vain search for revenge because of his grief, and despite killing his enemy, this paradoxically results in his own spiritual demise . Likewise, Hecuba's outpouring of grief through violent gestures reinforces the characters' tendency toward bloodlust in the face of deep grief. Like Achilles, she dehumanizes her enemy by calling him a "jackal", thus demonstrating her inability to consider Achilles as a man, much less to show a certain compassion. Although she claims she would "rip his heart out and eat it raw", this only reinforces his inability to grieve properly due to his violent inclinations. In this way, the harsh reality of war causes some to express their grief in a way that ultimately causes them to shed their humanity. Malouf suggests that the new thoughts that arise despite traditional conventions in wartime are an opportunity for some to relieve themselves of their humanity. the grief that made them helpless. Priam, who feels limited by his default tendency to be Achilles' enemy because he is the leader of the opposing force, submits to something "unprecedented." By “struggling against dark thoughts,” the king challenges his helplessness by contemplating a “blasphemous” idea that, although novel, leaves his mind “clear,” emphasizing that this notion has lifted a metaphorical weight from his shoulders. The king, in accepting chance, has found a new way of thinking about his enemy: when he projects his desire for the "lighter bond of simply being a man", Priam realizesof what Hecuba does not see, that Achilles also must wait. the possibility of acting on his own to try something that might force events to take a different direction.” Thus, by projecting his own feelings onto Achilles, the "chance to break free from always being the hero", Priam made the bold decision to connect with his enemy as a man, which highlights the need for the compassion to break free from traditions.expectations. While Achilles also awaits change, Malouf suggests that mutinous thoughts about the conventions of war underpin the ability to pity one another and also prompt the realization that as men, our Enemies must also aspire to a similar liberation from the restrictions imposed on them by their destiny. In discussing the death of his son, the carter demonstrates an ability to consider Beauty's point of view (she was the agent of his death), reflecting that "she had no idea what she had done”, before reacting to the situation. His initial tendency to "hit her where she was" reflects the instinctive and violent reaction to loss that overwhelms the other characters in the text. However, the rhetorical question posed by Carter is, “What good would it have done?” " suggests that reflection and understanding can result in a different reaction ("put his head in my arms and sob"), and Malouf, juxtaposing this with the violent tendencies of Hecuba and Achilles, emphasizes that tolerance of actions of others has a more peaceful outcome. , reinforced by the maintenance of Somax's humanity in relation to Achilles who, after having desecrated Hector's body, is "like a dead man who feels nothing". Far from the world of war, Priam witnesses an action that is “unprecedented” and new in light of the usual and violent reactions that we have in times of mourning. His emotional reaction ("his eyes grew wet") to the placidity of the carter, in contrast to the "harsh world" to which he was subjected as king of a nation at war, emphasizes that Priam has become aware of the importance of sympathy through another. In this way, Malouf emphasizes that despite the brutality of war, one's insightful actions are capable of inspiring epiphany in others. Therefore, Priam's appeal to Achilles confronts this traditional notion that they must always view each other as adversaries. By approaching the warrior as a "father" rather than an antagonist, the king appeals to Achilles as "one poor mortal to another" in an attempt to connect with him outside of their enmity. In doing so, Priam challenges the traditional notion that they should view each other in terms of victory and defeat, but should instead have "pity for each other's losses", claiming that mutual understanding can lead them to " free themselves from their obligations. Priam's plea for fatherhood "touches a nerve" in Achilles, rekindling his humanity and providing an opportunity for the protagonists to show compassion toward one another despite their opposing roles. Although this is a temporary bond, it highlights that while humanity may be lost, there still exists the possibility for it to be restored with greater power than before, relying on its ability to challenge the ravages of deep sorrow. Furthermore, the bond woven by sympathy encourages the protagonists to exercise their free will in the face of a deterministic universe in order to obtain a certain control over their destiny. The resulting 11-day truce demonstrates an ephemeral power over their destiny and allows the two protagonists to metaphorically "suspend" the inevitable progression of destiny, as the.