Essay on Gates of Fire - 677 Words

Steven Pressfields The Gates of Fire is set in the fifth century B.C. in Greece. The story revolves around the famous battle of Thermopylae where three hundred Spartans held off hundreds of thousands of Persians, saving Greece. Pressfield creates a fictional story around the battle where one man, a squire named Xeones, survives to tell the Spartan story of the battle and the events preceding it. Xeones, who is the protagonist, tells his life story to the royal Persian historian while in captivity. This life history of Xeones constitutes the body of the book. Xeones tale starts when he was a young boy living in Astakiots, a small Greek polis. Xeones is ten and lives a happy life with his mother and father, who are prosperous farmers.†¦show more content†¦Xeones, still filled with vengeance, wants to go to Sparta, home of the legendary warriors that constitute the best army in Greece. They cannot decide so they end up parting ways, Xeones to Sparta, Diomache to Athens. In their entire lives they will only meet once more. When Xeones arrives in Sparta (Lakedaemon) he cannot become a soldier because he is not Lakedaemonian. Instead he becomes a squire, a station that is basically a form of slavery. This in itself doesnt present a conflict to Xeoes, he is willing to do anything to serve with the Spartans. For the rest of The Gates of Fire the conflicts are not Xeoness, but his masters. Xeoness first master Alexandros is a young Spartan around his age who is enrolled in the Spartan military school. Alexandross father is Polemarch and he is a pure bred Lakedaemonian. Alexandros isnt the military type though, he is much better at singing. However, since he is a pure bred Lakedaemonian he has no choice but to serve in the military from the age of seven till he is sixty. He will become a full soldier at twenty when he completes military training. Xeones job as his squire is to be his sparring partner and clean his gear, and basically be his slave. Despite the fact that he is much better soldier than Alexandros, Xeones doesnt resent being his slave, indeed he grows to love him (as a brother.) One day during military exercises Alexandros lets his shield fall to the ground, a terrible crime in the SpartanShow MoreRelatedGates of Fire Essay631 Words   |  3 PagesGates of Fire By: Steven Pressfield Subject Person- Spartan Warriors Place- Greece 480 B.C. Event- Battle of Thermoplae. Concept- Xeones recounts his life leading up to the battle. Object- Greek city-states consisting of 300 Spartan Warriors, 400 Thebans, 700 Thespian Volunteers And around 900 Helots Fought The Persian Empire at the pass of Thermopylae. Reason For Choosing Book Prior to reading this novel I had some knowledge of the Battle of Thermopylae. I watched the movie 300last yearRead More Gates of Fire Essay2755 Words   |  12 PagesI. Subject Gates of Fire is a story about the Spartan way of life and their fight to protect their country. 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My opinion on this book is that it is a great and interesting read that captures the attention of the reader and ties in ideally to our Marine Corps values. It depicts perfectly on what it is to be aRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Gates Of Fire By Steven Pressfield1605 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"Gates of Fire† by Steven Pressfield is a historical fiction novel that describes the Spartans at The Battle of Thermopylae. The story is told from the perspective of the only survivor, Xeones, who is recovered and captured by the Persian Empire. Some argue that this novel is not a great source for 21st-century history students, and some also argue that this novel should not be read in a classroom setting due to its lack of historical content. 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