The Sea

The Sea symbolizes an unpredictable yet comforting source of escape for both Briseis and Achilles in the novel. Because Achilles associates the sea with his unreliable and absent goddess mother, it causes him anguish and even provokes him to behave aggressively towards Briseis when he smells saltwater in her hair or tastes it on her skin. Though the sea often aggravates Achilles, he returns to it regularly with the hope of encountering his mother and achieving a childlike sense of solace amidst the chaos of war. While the sea evokes strong emotions for Achilles, it quiets feelings of mourning and loss for Briseis. Consequently, she visits the sea daily to temporally forget her new life as a slave despite the rough lovemaking that ensues. The sea additionally represents a potential method for suicide, though neither Briseis nor Achilles can fully surrender to drowning.

Briseis’ Sea Stone