The Stubborn-Hearted King

    Homer’s Iliad narrates the story of how the famous Trojan Wars occurred. It includes how the “stubborn hearted” King Agamemnon participated in the mentioned war.

    King Agamemnon, the son of King Atreus and brother of Menelaos, rules Argos. He is the king that has the so called “stubbornness of the heart”. It is deeply enchained in his character, a stubborn proud king that always thinks he is right and is in control of everything.

     Hoping he can set her daughter free, priest Chryses makes King Agamemnon an offer, a ransom. Although the people talk good words about this, and they agree to accept the ransom, King Agamemnon is still unsatisfied. He sends the priest leaving the place with a broken heart that makes them suffer from Apollo Shootafar. During the assembly, he gets into a debate with Achilles. Achilles gets into his stand and tells Agamemnon that he is selfish and that he needs to set the priest’s daughter free for them to avoid any harm from Apollo Shootafar. Being humiliated, King Agamemnon disagrees. Instead, he makes Achilles a threat to rob his wife in return of setting the priest’s daughter home. Agamemnon keeps on doing things even without thinking about the consequences of these just to prove that he is right.

    One example of "The stubbornness of the heart" is seen in the character Micah in the movie Paranormal Activity. The movie focuses on the lives of a couple who begins to experience paranormal activities inside their new home. After experiencing such activities, the couple tries to ask for help from a physic. They are informed that the demon inside their house feeds on negative energies and is intent to haunting Katie wherever she goes. The physic recommends them to call a demonologist. He also tells them not to talk to the demon for this will only let him in and make him stronger. Despite the advices given to them, Micah, Katie’s husband, starts to talk to the demon. He keeps on taunting the him and asking him questions. This makes the demon stronger and makes him more able to haunt Katie which slowly leads to their suffering.


     It is clear the Micah possesses the "stubbornness of the heart" that makes them suffer more. The advices the psychic has given them are just like trash ignored. Instead, he decides to do it his way which he believes is right. Just like any typical teen or adult, he will always tend to do things the way he wants to even if it disregards the things people advice him as long as he accomplish his goal.