Characteristic of Paris in Homer`s Iliad

A detailed Summary of Characteristic of Paris in Homer`s Iliad

Paris is one of the main characters in the Iliad; at least he is the one who is responsible for the war, in author's opinion and in mine also. First, one of the most valuable for us, characteristic of Paris we can read in Book 3 (38-57). This is a description of Paris by Hektor - his own brother. Words of hate were said not somewhere in the forest, not to some god or human, but directly to Paris. We can assume that it wasn't the first time when Paris heard it from his brother. We can also understand from Hektor's words that not only simple people of Troy hated Paris, but also his own relatives: "better had you never be born, or killed unwedded". From Hektor's words we can also understand that Hektor doesn't think that Paris is a brave man. We don't have any reasons not to believe Hektor in this, we can rely on his words as on respectable source.

What else we can understand about Paris from Hektor's words? Paris is

Homer never shows anybody only from the bad side or only from the good side. In the end of Book 6 (510-530) Paris comes to the wall in the armor and offers his help in the battle - something that nobody expected from him. And, though Hektor is ashamed of Paris, he values every fighter, and especially Paris, hoping that in the fight Paris will restore his honor.

beautiful, desirable to women. Paris likes women, likes to dance and rest. Homer shows all these qualities from negative side; we can understand that they were not respectable in Ancient Greek society. Nevertheless, Homer shows that even such a man as Paris had some honor - Paris agrees to fight, and he knows he has very little chance to win.

After the fight (6.350-353), we, from Helen's words, recognize some new but not surprising Alexander's quality: "I wish I had been wife of a better man this is, one who knew modesty and all things of shame that man s

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 620
Approximate Pages = 2 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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