hektor is a greater hero than achilleus
Every civilization throughout history has had its heroes, those who represent the values of their society to the highest degree. In today's society, we think of heroes as super-humans who run faster than a speeding train and leap over buildings in a single bound. In ancient Greece, heroes were people who demonstrated great feats of strength and tremendous courage in battle. Greek heroes possessed wealth, power, and courage which earned them respect and honor in the community. In the Iliad, Homer tells the story of two warriors, Achilleus and Hektor, both of whom exhibit many of the qualities of a Greek hero. Although Hektor fights against the Greeks, Homer expounds on his good qualities and even makes him more heroic than Achilleus. Hektor's shows his heroism in Homer's description of him as the greatest of the Trojans. Homer describes Hektor's strength and greatness several times in the epic. In Helen's conversation with Hektor in Book VI, she appeals to Hektor and makes several statements about him being the best man among the Trojans, much better than her husband Paris. Helen says, "I wish I had been the wife of a better man than this is"(book VI, ll. 26). The "better man" to whom she refers is Hektor. Hektor also receives pr
In the Iliad, Homer brilliantly shows the heroism of two opposing warriors. The contrasting heroes themselves become a major theme and add an interesting element of contrast to the story. Fascinatingly, Homer makes Hektor, a Trojan, the greater hero of the Greek epic, the Iliad. The contrasting heroism between Hektor and Achilleus is one reason we are still reading the Iliad over 2000 years after its creation. Although the Iliad describes Achilleus as a hero, Homer shows some flaws in Achilleus' character that would cause people to doubt his heroism. One major flaw Homer shows in book I, is when Achilleus talks with his mother-goddess, Thetis. In his conversation, he wants Thetis to ask Zeus to help the Trojans push back the Achaians so they will realize that they need Achilleus in order to win. This disgraceful act by Achilleus diminishes my view of him as a hero. Wishing one's army to lose, no matter what the circumstances, lacks true heroism. Achilleus only wants his army to lose so Agamemnon will need him and apologize for dishonoring him. He clearly fights in this war for personal glory and gain as opposed to Hektor, who is fighting for Troy and for honor. Achilleus' treason strongly diminishes his heroic status. Homer makes the honor of man a central theme of the Iliad. Several characters of the Iliad, especially Agamemnon, Achilleus, and Hektor, let their actions be driven by pride and honor. According to the ancient Greeks, living and dying with honor was of prime importance to one's heroic status. The Iliad discusses Hektor's honorable life and death twice. In Hektor's conversation with Andromache, Andromache says she wants him to stop fighting because he is fated to die. Hektor replies, "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"(book VI ll. 117-119). Hektor clearly would rather accept his fate and die
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Approximate Word count = 1303
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
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