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How does hector in the iliad portray a hero
How does hector in the iliad portray a hero
Describe hector in lliad
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The Heroics of Hector Hector was a selfless, courageous and a honorable hero from The Iliad by Homer. Hector was the oldest child of King Priam and Queen Hecuba. As well as the future heir to the throne of Troy.
Hector: Hector was the crowned Prince of Troy. His parents were King Priam and Queen Hecuba. He was married to Andromache and they had a son named Scamandrius or Astyanax. Prince Hector was considered to be the best warrior of Troy.
One Trojan that stands above all of them is Hector. Known for his clear societal values or foundation, moments of superhuman feats or savage brutalities and even how the gods take a likening to help or oppose him. All these things solidify Hector as an epic hero. But what truly earns him the title of the defining hero the Iliad are the actions he did to resemble one.
Achilles was provoked and driven by anger and due to that he seeks revenge on Hector for killing his "dearest comrade". He then avenges his friend by killing Hector. Which is why I don't believe that Achilles should be considered or thought of as a hero because no hero kills somebody just for revenge or to satisfy himself. I do agree that Achilles was a very brave soldier in the war and he has a loveable heart because he wept when his friend was killed, but heroes don't do the things Achilles did for instance, Achilles acted like a spoiled brat at times, he was even manipulating his mother to put the Greeks into believing that they can't win without him. Achilles was
The depictions of human beings in classical Greek works, like Homers Iliad is comparable to how Job is treated during his trial. In the Iliad during the Trojan War, the gods including Zeus and his wife Hera gather at Olympus to feast. The feast has its course during heavy human’s battles, the pawns are fighting one another for their lives. The gods are unmoved by the mortal’s pain and agony who face the sword. Instead, they indulge laughter and talk about who would be victorious, they viewed it as a sport.
Hector is shown to be devoted to this war between the Trojans and Greeks, and shows this when he refuses wine from his mother Hecuba when he first returns to Priam’s palace, telling her that it will only make him weak, and that instead she should go to the temple of Athena and pray that she pity Troy and its people (Book VI, 11. 275-88, pg. 249). Returning back home and making his way to his brother Paris’ house, Hector is completely ready to chastise him, showing his anger towards him as needed for not being out there and fighting in the war he himself caused (VI, 11. 342-47, pg. 251) but rather sitting in his house with his armor and weapons surrounding him. Hector is also given the opportunity to lay with Helen and relax, but instead says “my heart is out there with our fighting men” (VI, 11. 380, pg. 252). This makes it evident that he is a noble man and that his only purpose now is to fight with the Trojans, seeing himself as “One of the best, to fight in Troy’s ranks” (VI, 11.
Hector, as well as Achilles, does not fear death but shows courage. Homer has many adjectives to describe Hector such as, “Glorious Hector.”(17.845) Achilles and Hector both parade many of the same qualities. Each demonstrates how their society and Homer determines a hero. They’re adored for their noble qualities and the difficult tasks they achieve.
In this way, a Homeric hero can achieve what is his ultimate goal, immortality through an honorable “hero’s death.’ Because, society in which the Homeric hero bases his life on values that are primarily in line with war and deeds of astounding strength and athleticism, this means that the heroes actions throughout the poem seek to reiterate that defining goal. Their every action is a reminder of the strict moral and societal guidelines that they find themselves trapped in. Agamemnon, for example, is introduced as a prideful man often controlled by his emotions. In the first book of the Iliad, entitled “the rage of Achilles” we see how when Achilles demands he give up his prize to the war god Apollo to appease his wrath, his immediate response is a negative and defensive reply.
In the Iliad much of what happens is because of the gods, or the gods will show up at convenient times for the humans, such as when Aphrodite stopped the battle between Paris and Menelaus in the original story. However, veering away from the gods allows Troy to explore other reasons for why the Achaeans would have attacked Troy. One of the main reasons explored in the movie was Troy as a dominating trade port and Agamemnon’s greed and lust for power spurring him on to attack and burn the city. The younger generation in the movie, Hector, Paris and Achilles, were the most openly cynical of the gods, perhaps in an attempt for the audience to identify more with them, as many people no longer share a faith in
It is known that all gods should be perfect and infallible, and should represent justice and equity, but with Oedipus, the gods decided to destroy him and his family for no reason. It might be hard to believe that gods can have humanistic traits, but in fact they do. The gods, especially Apollo, are considered evil by the reader because they destroyed an innocent man’s life and his family. They destroyed Oedipus by controlling his fate, granting people the power of prophecy, telling Oedipus about his fate through the oracle of Apollo, and finally afflicting the people of Thebes with a dreadful plague. Fundamentally, by utilizing fate, prophecies, the oracle of Apollo, and the plague, the gods played a significant role in the destruction of Oedipus and his
Instead of being perfect omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent gods, they have limited power and influence, and are often driven by humanistic emotions and desires. While the gods do show concern over some mortals, they don’t make decisions solely concerning the wellbeing or interests of the humans, but instead, like the humans themselves, usually act with their own interests at heart. Athena and Poseidon both acts in accordance to their desires and emotions, and have a biased view on particular humans. Unlike the perfect deities we have in mind when we think of the divine, Greek gods are just immortal beings who are just as fallible and imperfect as the humans they preside
The Iliad also spotlights the individual qualities of a Greek hero or non-hero. Numerous characters in the Iliad demonstrated exceptional qualities of a Greek person that was valued, such as bravery and helpfulness and that was disproved of like selfishness. One trait that is highly appreciated by the greeks in the Iliad is bravery. In battle Hector killed Achilles´s best friend Pactorlos in battle.
For example, when Hercules is talking to Zeus about being ready to become a god again he says to him ¨ I've beaten every single monster thrown my way. What more can I do¨ (Clements)? This shows that Hercules is loyal to the gods and will do whatever it takes to become one again. While Hercules is trying to become a god, Achilles tries to anger them.
Humans are like puppets; they have the freedom of choice however their decisions are constantly interfered by the gods. The god’s are given respect due to their extreme power, as mortals know, if offended a god, one would most likely have to face severe consequences. Nonetheless, the gods are not all powerful, as they have emotions that drive them hence weakens them. In Ancient Greek society, having the gods in your favor played a critical role in peoples daily lives, as the gods would extremely influence decision, have significant power over one’s fate, and have direct involvement in the lives of humans. “Father Zeus, is there any mortal left on the wide earth who will still declare to the immortals his mind and his purpose?
Iliad is recognized as one of the most famous ancient monuments of literature. The full understanding of this epic poem is hardly possible without thorough analysis of its main characters. Among all the episodes of the Trojan War, Homer chooses the moment of Achilles’ wrath and thus creates a poem in which he becomes the central figure. From the Ancient Greeks’ point of view, Achilles represents the ideal of manliness and pure heroism, for he is brave and fights for heroics, not profits. Today, one can agree with this interpretation, yet Achilles is probably the most controversial character because he combines various personality traits and acts in accordance with his ambiguous nature.
