Hektor The Dutiful Warrior - 1362 Words

In Homer’s renowned epic, The Iliad, no character is depicted with as much humanity and decency as Hektor, the son of Priam and prince of Troy. Although he could be considered the antagonist of the story, he is nevertheless cast in a very favorable light throughout most of it and is shown as a far more decent person than many of the epic’s Achaian heroes. In stark contrast to his opponents’ lust for glory and bloodshed, Hektor’s defining character trait is his powerful sense of duty towards his family and Troy. Although he undeniably seeks glory through battle, it this sense of duty that drives him throughout the epic and makes him one of a very small number of characters not acting completely out of self-interest. Given his strong†¦show more content†¦She then begs him to draw his troops into the city and to fight from the ramparts (6. 406-434). From here she knows the Trojans will be safe from harm, showing a tactical knowledge for combat and pe rhaps more common sense than many of the warriors actually fighting. Hektor’s reasoning behind his refusal of this request is very interesting and indicative to his nature. First, he claims that he would be ashamed before all the Trojans in the city to fight in such a cowardly fashion. He wishes to â€Å"be valiant and to fight always among the foremost ranks of the Trojans, winning for my own self great glory, and for my father† (6.444-446). While he does mention seeking glory for his father, this seems to be a largely selfish wish for honor won on the battlefield. He fears being viewed as a coward and is concerned about the opinions of the citizens of Troy (6.441-443). However, Hektor then follows by saying that he fears for Andromache’s safety and pride above all. He claims that he dreads the day that she is carried away by an Achaian warrior, but that he wants her to be able to hold herself high, knowing that she was the husband of a truly great warrior (6. 454-461). Thus, he reveals that his motives for seeking glory are not purely selfish, but rather aimed toward gaining honor and prestige for his family. Even his desire to be held favorably by the Trojan people is consistent with this view of his character. Because he is royalty in Troy, heShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Homer s The Iliad Essay1010 Words   |  5 Pageswould possess all of these positive traits, or at least possess them more than other men. In addition, Homer makes it clear that a good leader must also have selfless sense of duty. Who, then, is the character who is dutiful and fills multiple roles at once? Hektor. Although Hektor is indispensable to the Trojan army due to the well-rounded leadership Homer defines, what makes him distinctive is his sense of duty to Troy. This characteristic makes him unique among the leaders in the Iliad. In factRead MoreComparing The Iliad And The Aeneid1517 Words   |  7 Pagesthe frivolous gods to meddle. The Trojan War with its destructive power was a significant setting in both poems and led to the development of each respective plot. In the face of the dreads of the warfare in both epics, even the most powerful of warriors will experience fear, and the poets tell the audience details that both armies regret that the war ever began. The Iliad took place during the actual war. It is very much centralized around the occurrences of the war. Though the status of fighting