Achilles' Return to Humanity

I find the idea, brought up several times in class, of Achilles' metaphorical death in Book 18 to be very interesting. I had not considered in previous readings that the lamentations of Thetis and the other Nereids constitute a sort of funerary mourning for Achilles, and hadn't understood his characterization in subsequent books as representing a character disconnected from human identity, emotion, and social life. In Books 18-22 Achilles is an ambiguous figure; his refusal to eat and sleep (the telltale signs of human mortality) demarcates him as non-human, which leaves the alternatives of his being a god (the type of living being that does not require food/sleep) or being dead (the dead, as well, do not require food/sleep). Since we know that he is not an immortal, we interpret this refusal to partake in the essential activities of humanity (along with his social disconnectedness) as the result of his metaphorical death. After today's discussion pointed to the fact that Achilles' anger and wrath remain after his killing of Hector, I didn't expect him to begin his return to the status of a human being until his release of Hector's body (and by extension, his rage) in Book 24. 

I was surprised to discover, therefore, that we actually find the beginning of Achilles' reintegration into humanity in the events of Book 23. He finally allows himself to eat and sleep (23.53, 67), he addresses his fellow soldiers - even Agamemnon - with respect (23.170), and he demonstrates a return human social life with his running of the funeral games. There are still some elements of disconnectedness (his refusal to actually participate in the games) and disturbing violence (i.e. his murder of the twelve Trojan princes), but overall this book displays the beginning of a marked transition of Achilles back to the status of a human being. The thread of transition begun here is then carried into Book 24, and is brought to completion when Achilles relents to Priam's supplication.