The Iliad
Heroic Code Throughout The Iliad, the heroic characters make decisions based on an precise set of principles, which are looked upon as the "heroic code" The heroic code that Homer presents in "The Iliad" is a basic cause for the events that take place, but many of the characters have various perceptions of how highly and to what value the code should be looked up. Many of the characters in the Iliad present the code of honor in different ways. In my opinion, a heroic person is not necessarily a godly person, however they do many great things for their people, are great fighters, friends and men. The Heroic Code can be defined as "unwritten rules that guide the conduct of the Homeric Heroes." For the Heroic Code, success means survival and greater honor; failure means death and removal from the struggle for honor. What the Heroic code is saying is that honor is more important than life itself. It is obvious throughout the books that the characters of high honor are the ones that ignore warnings to stay away from danger, battles, etc. Courage, physical abilities, and social status are also important contributions to the Heroic code. Many readers have found the Homeric code brutal and cruel, but one cann
from the fight by Aphrodite. If Paris had fought it out in book three, perhaps all these Another place where we see Hektor's strict belief in the code of honor is in book six, when he goes home. Hektor returns to Troy in order to have women sacrificing to Athena to help the Trojans in the war. This leads to Hektor scolding Paris, telling him that "The people are dying around the city and around the steep wall as they fight hard; it is for you that this war with its clamour has flared up about our city. You yourself would fight with another whom you saw anywhere hanging back from the hateful encounter," (6:327). When Andromache pleads with Hektor to stay home and not to fight, Hektor refuses, telling her that he would feel deep shame in front of the Trojans if he stayed out of the war. Hektor then tells Andromache that the thought of her being dragged off by the Achains troubles him. "...yet I would feel deep shame before the Trojans, and the Trojan women with trailing garments, if like a coward I were to shrink aside from the fighting." (6; 441-443) This causes Andromache to shed tears. On the one hand, she understands Hektor's idea and deep sense of morals, but on the other hand she feels it is just as honorable to stay home and take care of the family. Nestor is the character in the poem who best convinces the others to follow the code of honor. "Hektor of the glancing helm would soon find his battle, But you, now, who are the bravest of all the Achaians are not minded with a good will to go against Hektor." (7:158-160). This speech persuades nine of the Achaian's to volunteer, showing Nestor's power to influence the warriors to stick to the heroic code. The Heroic code also comes into play when he suggests the Greeks back away from fighting to bury their dead. This is how the social status point of the Heroic code comes into play. The men take time to remember the men who lost their lives in battle, but will not be forgotten for their bravery. Nestor is unable to fight for honor because of his age, however, he has a special gift to give advice. "Oh for shame. Great sorrow comes on the land of Achaia...even I entreat you to give over your bittnerness against Achilleus, he who stands as a great bulwark, of battle over all the Achaians." (1; 254-284) Nestor's stories always have
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Approximate Word count = 1574
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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