Seeing The Devotion: A Comparative Study Between Carlo in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin and Patroclus in Iliad

This research proposes a comparative insight into the parallel character development of Patroclus, cousin to Achilles and at the same time a fellow soldier, in Homer's Iliad and Carlo, an Italian soldier in Franco’s army, in Louis de Bernieres' Captain Corelli's Mandolin, focusing on their close relationships with the respective heroes, Achilles and Corelli. The study proposes that the intimacy of these bonds suggests a potential homoerotic subtext, with Carlo explicitly being homosexual and the connection between Achilles and Patroclus implying similar undertones. Ultimately, the research aims to underscore the presence of same-sex relationships as a significant theme in literature, contrasting with the traditional focus on heterosexual bonds. Furthermore, it will explore the shared experiences of Patroclus and Carlo, notably their self-sacrificing ends and the necessity of concealing their identities due to social norms, all within the framework of queer studies. An additional focal point of the study is to investigate the theme of devotion in both seemingly queer relationships since it becomes a determiner in the fates of both aforementioned characters.