Rage as Technical Debt: Lessons from Achilles in The Iliad

February 13, 2026

Introduction to Achilles in The Iliad

The Iliad stands as one of the most important and influential pieces of literature ever written, featuring heroes of all characters and mindsets. The Iliad is always a great place to go if you’re seeking lessons regarding the human condition. Achilles stands out within the Iliad, and for a great reason. Achilles is the central theme within the Iliad, after all, it’s made clear within the very first line of the epic poem what its true intentions are: to depict the wrath of Achilles, the line reading “Rage—Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles…”. The poem mainly follows Achilles through his transformation from an untouchable warrior to a destructive force that cannot be reckoned with. Studying the mēnis of Achilles is not only important for understanding the poem itself but also for understanding how unresolved emotion can function like debt within a complex system.

Achilles’ pride as the origin of technical debt

At the beginning of the poem, Achilles believes himself to be not only central but necessary for the Achaean forces. His battle prowess is unquestionable; however, his other traits soon take over what gifts he has been given. Achilles, upon being publicly dishonoured by Agamemnon, decides to take the act further than an insult and tries to kill Agamemnon. However, he’s unsuccessful in doing so as the Goddess Athena stops him. Achilles then decides to withdraw from battle. This decision is the narrative equivalent of introducing unaddressed technical debt into a system. Rather than the more “reasonable approach” which is patching a vulnerability within the system that allowed this to happen in the first place, Achilles enforces a total blockade. With Achilles not being on the battlefield, the morale of the Achaean soldiers drops heavily. This is further intensified when the Trojans start pushing them back because the Achaeans are at a loss without Achilles.

System-wide failure after withdrawal

As previously stated, when Achilles withdraws from battle, the Greeks' morale drops rapidly, and they begin to suffer heavy casualties. Hector leads the Trojans with discipline and strategic clarity, pushing the Greeks back to their ships. However, technical debt rarely causes immediate catastrophe; instead, it weakens structural integrity over time. Achilles is offered immense treasures, and embassies are sent to persuade him; these merely offer temporary solutions, and Achilles isn’t drawn to accept these offers. The longer the rage persists, the more expensive the consequences become. The cost is being paid in Greek blood.

Catastrophic escalation: Patroclus as a failed workaround

The true breaking point comes when Patroclus enters battle wearing Achilles’ armour. This decision is a workaround, not a solution. Rather than reintegrating Achilles into the system, the Greeks attempt to simulate his presence. The result is catastrophic. Patroclus is killed by Hector, and the emotional debt Achilles has been building up explodes. The system doesn’t revive; it becomes even more destabilised. This is a vital part of the epic, showing that debt doesn’t disappear; it compounds. Achilles’ original rage leads indirectly to the death of his closest companion. The cost of his inaction becomes an irreversible loss.

Rage as destructive overcorrection

When Achilles returns to battle, he does so not as a restored hero, but as an overclocked, unrestrained force. His violence becomes excessive, even inhuman. He slaughters Trojans indiscriminately and desecrates Hector’s body by parading around it the city walls with his chariot after killing him. This phase of the poem depicts the “fix-it-all at once” thought process, completely unaware of the fact that they’ve ignored problems beyond having the ability to fix them. Achilles’ wrath no longer serves a strategic purpose, rather it becomes self-consuming.

The beginning of refactoring through empathy

A turning point occurs when King Priam enters Achilles’ tent to beg for the return of his son Hector’s body. Confronted with Priam’s grief, Achilles is forced to recognise shared humanity within his enemy. This moment functions as a system refactor and the beginning of a process, rather than a patch. Achilles does not undo the damage he has caused, but he regains moral awareness. He returns Hector’s body and allows proper funeral rites. In doing so, he demonstrates that true resolution requires humility, not dominance. Homer marks this as the beginning of Achilles’s integration. Achilles's uncontrollable rage softens, not because of victory but because of empathy.