Throughout time, sibling have had to deal with sibling rivalry. It is been seen even as far back as the 7th or 8th century b.c.e when homer wrote the epic poem, The Iliad. In the Iliad, Homer showed us a huge sibling rivalry between the two brother Hector and Paris. He focus on these two men that both want to become a great legacy and hero. Homer’s comparison of these to characters shows there drive to become the better man. Through all of there rivalries, which include but are not limited to family, behaviour in battle, and how they relate to the gods, Hector shows that he is the more honourable man.
Hector has a family and the way that he shows his compassionate relationship with his family is more honourable then the way that Paris tries to create a family of his own. In book number three we see that Paris is still trying to find a love that will last a lifetime, but the way that he goes about it does not put into consideration the feeling of the woman. When Helen talks to Paris saying the following
“So, home from the wars! Oh would to god you’d died there brought down by that great soldier, my husband long ago. And how you used to boast, year in, year out, that you were the better man than fighting Menelaus in power, arms and spear! So why not go back now hurl your challenge at Menelaus dear to Ares, fight it out together, man-to-man again?” (line 499-507)
We see that she does not think that Paris is being honourable. She believes that the more honourable man would have stayed and fought for her honour. Then in book six there is a scene with Hector and his family. In this scene we see that he really cares about his family .
“Grant this boy, my son, may be like me, first in glory among the Trojans, strong and br...
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...ow of it.”( Line 303-305) Hector knows that he is going to die but he still wants to die with honour. Hectors desire to protect his people and only call upon the gods when needed is a very important quality that demonstrates his distinguished capability to be honour-filled.
While both Hector and Paris conduct themselves to try to make themselves legendary and heroic. But when comparing Hectors’ innate goodness that showcase his riotousness in relationship to his family, behaviour in battle, and idea that gods only should be called upon in dire matters to Paris’ hard time relating to important relationships within his family, unwillingness to battle, and need for the gods to help him though a lot of personal issues you can see a huge difference. Thus, proving that hector is more honourable when comparing him to his brother Paris.
Hector was the brother of Helenus, a seer who advised him and Aeneas to rally the Trojan troops so they won’t be driven back through the Scaean Gates by the Greek army.
...battle that Achilles’ ego needed. However, Hector tried to do the right thing by offering the deceased be returned to their respective camps after the battle was over. It is at this point that Achilles is beyond the common courtesies of war and flat out denied Hector’s request. This action by Achilles shows his arrogance and the bloodlust that was truly in his heart rather than the courage that so many people claim that he had.
Throughout the Iliad, heroic characters make decisions based on a specific set of principles, which are referred to as the “code of honor.” The heroic code that Homer presents to readers is easy to recognize because the heroic code is the cause for many of the events that take place, but many of the characters have different perceptions of how highly the code should be regarded. Hector, the greatest of the Trojan warriors, begins the poem as a model for a hero. His dedication and firm belief in the code of honor is described many times throughout the course of the Iliad. As a reward for heroic traits in battle, prizes were sometimes awarded to victors of war. In Book 1 Achilles receives Chryseis as a prize and a symbol of honor. Heroism had its rewards and its setbacks which ultimately was the backbone of the Illiad in the case of Achilles prize. Hector, arguably the greatest Trojan warrior or even the bravest of the Homeric heroes is very fierce and fights for what he believes is his destiny. In book VI Hector expresses his bravery when Andromache pleads with Hector not to fight when Hector says, “But I would die of shame to face the men of Troy and the Trojan woman trailing their long robes if I would shrink from battle now, a coward. Nor does the sprit urge me on that way. I’ve learned it all too well. To stand up bravely, always to fight in the front ranks of Trojan soldiers, winning my father great glory, glory for myself” (VI, 387).
Homer’s Iliad focuses on the war and its heroes, their emotions and their ultimate glory. In Book 6 of the Iliad, Hector comes home for the last time and shows tenderness as a father, “Then his beloved father laughed out and his honored mother, and at once glorious Hector lifted from his head the helmet… Then taking up his dear son he tossed him about his arms, and kissed him.” This quotation shows us the tender and fatherly nature of Hector while he is still fighting a war. Homer is emphasizing that although one can love his wife and his children, fighting for the city is always the highest duty for a soldier, which transcends all his other personal responsibilities. As Hector leaves, his wife cries; “so glorious Hector spoke and again took up the helmet with its crest of horse-hair, while his beloved wife went homeward turning to look back on the way letting the love tears fall.” Hector’s wife understands that the ultimate glory of a soldier lies in carrying fighting the war bravely and fearlessly, Even though she ...
"Andromache, dear one, why so desperate? Why so much grief for me? No man will hurl me down to Death, against my fate. And fate? No one alive has ever escaped it, neither brave man nor coward, I tell you it 's born with us the day that we are born. So please go home and tend to your own tasks, the distaff and the loom, and keep the women working hard as well. As for the fighting, men will see to that, all who were born in Troy but I most of all" (Homer 6. 579-589). These particular lines demonstrate Hectors ' loyalty to his family and how far he is willing to go for his family. He is willing to die for his family but before he does, he starts to ensure that his family remains safe. Family seems to a driving factor in Hectors ' life, which could be viewed as a negative thing. For him to drop everything in the world for his family, even risk his life for them could stab him in the back if he let it. For example, if his wife was in grave peril and he had to choose between the lives of his people during a war or her life, he would choose her life but a smart leader would choose the lives of his
“ My Hector. It is for him I have come to the Greek ships, to get him back from you. I’ve brought a fortune in ransom. Respect the gods, Achilles. Think of your own father, and pity me. I am more pitiable. I have born what no man who has walked this earth has ever yet borne. I have kissed the hand of the man who killed my son” ( Book 2...
Given his strong familial bonds, it is ironic that Hector’s first real introduction involves him harshly berating his brother, Paris, for his unworthiness on the field of battle. He angrily proclaims that it would have been better had his sibling never been born or had been killed young (3.39-40). Despite this, one must understand that this outburst was likely due to frustration at the long war incited by Paris’ kidnapping of Helen and his subsequent unwillingness to fight in his own war. It is important to note that despite his anger at his brother’s actions, Hektor nevertheless leads the charge against those that would attack his home and family despite seeming to understand that Paris was in the wrong in his actions (3.46-51). Because of his own strong sense of duty, it is likely that he is unable to tolerate the absence of responsibility in others, especially in those related to him, who he most likely feels also have a duty to Troy given their noble positions. Despite his brother’s shortcomings, Hektor feels th...
Hector insults Paris in front of all of Troy. Paris is deeply ashamed and decides to fight the duel. Troy rejoices because if Paris defeats Menelaos, it would be a tremendous victory for Troy, however, if Paris is defeated, Helen is returned and therefore a truce would be reached and the war would be over.
Hector is the true hero of Homer's Iliad. Although Achilles and Hector are both leaders of men, Hector leads with a mature sense that gives his men reason to respect him. In turn, Hector respects his men which gives fulfillment to both parties. Hector is not a man to sit around and mull over strategies and ideas - Hector is a man of action. His men are inspired to fight because they see their captain fighting as well.
Throughout the text, major characters seem to be at constant battle with their different emotions. This inner conflict is mirrored by the everyday conflicts between the gods. Just as Zeus and Hera are constantly at odds with one another, so are the different sides of Achilles: his cultural responsibility, pride, honor, and revenge. No one is completely at peace with his or her conflicting emotions in The Iliad – and therefore, neither are the gods, who represent these emotions. Hector is a prime example of a human who finds himself torn between two forces: his love for his growing family, and his duty as a prince of Troy. He admits to Andromache that he worries about his own mortality, but emphasizes that “I would die of shame to face the men of Troy…if I would shrink from battle now, a coward.” (Homer 6: 523, 525). Hector’s deeply ingrained sense of honor and loyalty to home is clearly established in the beginning of the text. Therefore, when Zeus later grants Hector “power to kill and kill till you cut your way to the benched ships” (Homer 11: 241-242), it is not too much of a stretch to attribute Hector’s dodged perseverance to his upbringing and rigid sense of duty, rather than to the
For example, Hector does not like to fight in battle, the only reason why he fights is because he is the only way Troy could ever win the war. However, Achilles loves the war. He even chose being a warrior over having a long life, something that Hector probably would not do. Achilles is drawn to war because of his anger. As I have previously stated, Hector is only fighting in the war because he has to fight for the city of Troy. Achilles on the other hand, does not have to fight for his city. This is because the Greeks are not being attacked. Also, Hector is human. Although his father is a wealthy king, he does not have any god- like powers. Achilles however, is a demi-god he is an exceptional warrior and great runner because of this. Also, because he is a demi-god he is only venerable in his heel. While Hector, being a human, is venerable everywhere. Lastly, Hector is not dictated by rage like Achilles. Even before their battle Hector showed respect towards Achilles. Hector did so by saying “With all the gods as witnesses, I swear: if Zeus gives me the victory over you, I will not dishonor your corps, only strip the armor and give the body back to the Greeks. Promise you’ll do the same.” (22. 281-285). Hector is the perfect foil for Achilles, everything Hector stands for and everything he is, is the polar opposite of
In Homer’s epic, the Iliad, the legendary, has no two characters that are so similar yet so different as Greek warrior, Achilles, and the Prince of Troy, Hector. Achilles is the strongest fighter in the Greek side, and Hector is the strongest Trojan. They are both put into the mold of a hero that their respective societies have put them into; however; it is evident that they are both extremely complex characters with different roles within their society and with their families, and with the gods.
Paris betraying the Trojans because he would not give up Helen which made the Trojans keep fighting is an example of love causing betrayal. Many say that Paris is just being selfish for doing this because he incited a war. Helen was Menelaus’ wife so that made him extremely mad and that is what started the war. Some people even believe that was his strategy. If that is true, it was not very smart and made him look like a dolt.
In the final points, I think Hector has the most to loose in the battlefield at Troy, because he was killed by Achilles in a horrible way, but Hector is win in the spirit mind because he have many people loving him and celebrated for his funeral as a true hero, his name remembered forever as a great warrior of trojan, and his death body was take back from Achilles by helping of the King of Gods, Zeus, who sent Iris come down to help Priam who is Hector father. Hector has a great family relationship, leadership image, and a superior warrior.
Hector is just mainly a good person. He has his flaws just like every other person who ever lived, but it seems as if his strengths outweighed his flaws. Hector loves his wife and his son more than he loves himself. He was loyal to his wife and wanted the very best for his son. He left them to go fight because he knew it was what he had to do for Troy (Homer 79). In today’s world, people do not merely look for someone who is a great warrior, but also someone who is an overall good person. Hector is very brave and reasonable. He is very courageous and will fight for his country no matter what the cost. Hector does not act like a child in difficult situations like Achilles does, but he acts like a mature man. Along with Hector being a good person, he is also a great warrior on top of all that. The modern world needs somebody they can look up to who acts in a positive way. Hector never turned against his own country like Achilles did when he wanted Zeus to be on the Trojan’s side (Homer 13). The people in ancient times chose Achilles rather than Hector merely because Achilles is an outstanding warrior and he is part god. Fighting is what Achilles excels at, and at that time, that was really the only aspect that mattered. It does not matter that Achilles is selfish, stubborn, and prideful, as long as he can fight well for his country. The Greeks were actually hurt by this because Achilles did not even end up fighting for his country until his best friend died. His stubbornness outweighed his greatness (Homer 178). Achilles was the greatest warrior physically, but he was far from the greatest