Achilleus And Hektor Research Paper

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.
Here, his wife, Andromache, says, “There were so many Achaians/whose teeth bit the vast earth, beaten down by the hands of/Hektor”(book XXIV ll. 286-289). Andromache makes it very clear that Hektor fought bravely and dominated the Greek forces. Even the gods concede Hektor’s greatness in their speeches. In book XVIII, Thetis warns Achilleus that Hektor has great strength and that Achilleus should not go to fight him without divine armor. Homer’s description of Hektor’s power and strength lays a solid foundation for proving that Hektor’s heroism exceeds that of Achilleus because he is the greatest of the Trojans. Priam does not fight due to his age and Paris does not help the Trojan forces, so Hektor burdens the entire weight of the war on his own shoulders. He gives his help for the good of his city. Hektor shows his love for his community several times in his speeches to fellow Trojans. In his talk with Paris, he urges Paris to join the battle for the sake of Troy, especially since the war is being fought for him. Also, in his talk with Helen, Hektor says, “Already my heart within is hastening me to defend/the Trojans, who
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