The Poetics of Fear looks at how fear is used for political purposes, focusing on the binary logic of 'this is the way things are, and there is nothing (else) you can do about it' --a logic that underlies the realist tradition in international relations theory. The Shield of Achilles from Homer's Iliad is used as metaphorical analysis to look at what the politics of fear is, how it works, and how it can be resisted. It aims to provide a human response to human security matters. The work first shows how the Shield works to paralyze its audience. How can it be resisted? One response is to offer a warning about the hazards of bearing the Shield. After looking at thinkers such as Plato, Baudrillard, and Nietzsche, the work concludes with an examination of ekphrasis as a critical tool. With a unique and fresh perspective, The Poetics of Fear will be relevant to those interested in security studies and critical theoretical approaches to political science.