Understanding Hektor and Achilleus as tragic characters

A detailed Summary of Understanding Hektor and Achilleus as tragic characters

The Iliad of homer is a poem that is "15,693 lines written in dactylic hexameter."(Intro, 14) and takes place during the tenth year of the Trojan War. The Iliad concentrates mostly, on the lives and tribulations of Hektor and Achilleus.

In this paper I am going to write how Achilleus and Hektor can be understood as tragic figures and why do I think that Hektor is the most tragic character of them both.

Achilleus is one of the most respected and feared warriors on the Greek side. In addition, Achilleus has excellent leadership skills, and cares deeply for the well being of the Greeks. Achilles has a high sense of honor and lives and dies for the "heroic code."

However, Achilleus often feels under appreciated by Agamemnon and the Greeks. Consequently, Achaians ungratefulness, the dishonor caused to him by Agamemnon and the death of Patroklos makes Achilleus a very tragic character in the Iliad.

Achilleus felt deeply under appreciated by the Greeks .in addition, Achilleus is frustrated by his position in the Achaians' social hierarchy. He feels that Agamemnon is exploiting him. For example, Achilleus says to Agamemnon "always the greater part of the painful fighting is the work of my hands; but when the time come to distribute

of Hektor's body, because he realized that the gods were responsible for his tragedy not

the booty yours far greater the reward."(1,165) What frustrates and sorrow Achilles the most about this situation is that he feels he can not do anything about it, .if he leaves, the Achaians would be destroyed by the Trojans, if he stays he has to keep tolerating Agamemnon belittling comments. So, a useful outlet for Achilleus pain was to use words to abuse and undermine Agamemnon authority. For example, when Kalchas was hesitant to tell Achilleus the reason for Apollo's anger, Achilleus told him that "no man so long as I am alive above earth and see daylight shall lay the weight his hands on you."(1,88) Agamemnon saw those comment as a threat and acted accordingly. Agamemnon felt that such comments were out of protocol, and he felt that he had to put Achilleus in his place. Thus, Agamemnon decided to take bruises, Achilleus prize away from him so that Achilleus would know how much greater Agamemnon is. (1,185). Thus, bringing even more tragedy to Achilleus life

Hektor obhsesion with honor eventually destroyed him. Unlike achilleus hektor held honor to the highest stem.as a case in point, achilleus stopped fighting just to teasch agamenon a lesson while hektor fought the war all the way to the end. Hektor though that honor took precedent over life itself. For example hekltor told his wife that he knew that it was just a matter of time before ilion would perish , but he would "feel deep shame before the trojan and trojan women if like a coward I were to shirk aside from fighting"6,442 therefore hektor cares more about the opinion of the trojan mena nd women than he does about his wife.

Achilles never got over the death of Patroklos, even after he killed Hektor

Things are finally going Achilleus's way. The Achaians are slowly

Beyond all others, as well as his own life"(18,18) Achilleus blames himself for Patroklos

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Approximate Word count = 1301
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English