A USELESS MAIN CHARACTER II The Song of Achilles | A Deep Dive into Patroclus

In this video, I’m diving into The Song of Achilles and exploring why the protagonist, Patroclus, ends up being one of the most passive and underwhelming narrators in modern literature. Madeline Miller's decision to tell this epic story from Patroclus' perspective is bold—giving a voice to a traditionally silent character like him seems like it could add depth to the story. But does it? Patroclus, portrayed as fragile, passive, and largely unremarkable, does little to move the story forward or challenge Achilles in any meaningful way. His entire existence seems to orbit around Achilles, without any real evolution or impact on the narrative. The love story between the two feels superficial, based more on physical attraction than anything deeper, and that only adds to Patroclus' lack of agency. Why does Patroclus' passivity make him a problematic protagonist? And how does it affect the overall story? I’ll explore his lack of character growth, how his supposed "love" for Achilles falls flat, and why his actions—or lack thereof—ultimately leave him as a side character in his own narrative. In the second part of this video, I’ll suggest how Patroclus could’ve been a more dynamic and engaging character, bringing more action, decisions, and growth to the story. What do you think of Patroclus' character? Do you feel the same way, or did you see something different? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below! And don’t forget to subscribe and hit the notification bell to stay updated for the next video, where I’ll dive deeper into why this book, despite its flaws, is still worth reading. Thanks for watching, and keep reading! Much love! 💖    / @thetomitake   If you enjoyed the video, please like, comment, and subscribe for more content! Follow Me: Instagram: @tomishile_ TikTok: @Tomishile Subscribe to for more 😘:    / @thetomitake