Hector Vs Achilles
The Iliad Hector and Achilles were two of the most notable characters in the Iliad. In many aspects of their lives, Hector and Achilles were complete opposites. For example, Hector was a family man whereas Achilles had no family and only cared about himself. Also, Hector went to battle to lead his country while Achilles went for personal reasons. Both men showed distinct opposite characteristics in the book. The following is an analysis of the opposition of Achilles and Hector's characters throughout the Iliad. Two very distinct heroes were portrayed in the Iliad. Hector was the social hero and Achilles, the individual hero. Achilles was a very selfish and greedy person; he seemed to only care about himself. In the Iliad he refused to go
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If I return to my home to my dear fatherland my glory is lost but my life ill be long, and death that ends all will not catch me soon (Homer,63)."
Achilles believes in his fate, as did all the other Greeks. He knew that if he went to battle he would probably die, and for that reason, he decided not to go. Hector, on the other hand, realized that his fate was the same as Achilles', yet went anyway for he is not as selfish as Achilles and did not need a personal reason to fight. A Greek warrior is said to care about one thing, fame. After a warrior's death, his name is carried on and remembered. Achilles fought for this and because of pride and greed. Hector fought because he knew he had to lead the people of Troy. Achilles had the type of character where if he was going to die in battle, he would want to be remembered. He would want his name to be carried on throughout history. Achilles was greedy and not only wanted to be remembered, but to battle for prizes. He was blind to the impermanence of all these prizes that he cared so much about. He was not afraid of death; he just wanted to be sure his death was righteous so that people would think of him highly after he was gone. Hector, on the other hand may have been more afraid of death than Achilles because he had a family to care for and a country to lead. He was not worried about dying and being remembered, he was worried about dying and no one being there to take care of what he would leave behind. Death to these two men was a very different
If I return to my home to my dear fatherland my glory is lost but my life ill be long, and death that ends all will not catch me soon (Homer,63)."
Achilles believes in his fate, as did all the other Greeks. He knew that if he went to battle he would probably die, and for that reason, he decided not to go. Hector, on the other hand, realized that his fate was the same as Achilles', yet went anyway for he is not as selfish as Achilles and did not need a personal reason to fight. A Greek warrior is said to care about one thing, fame. After a warrior's death, his name is carried on and remembered. Achilles fought for this and because of pride and greed. Hector fought because he knew he had to lead the people of Troy. Achilles had the type of character where if he was going to die in battle, he would want to be remembered. He would want his name to be carried on throughout history. Achilles was greedy and not only wanted to be remembered, but to battle for prizes. He was blind to the impermanence of all these prizes that he cared so much about. He was not afraid of death; he just wanted to be sure his death was righteous so that people would think of him highly after he was gone. Hector, on the other hand may have been more afraid of death than Achilles because he had a family to care for and a country to lead. He was not worried about dying and being remembered, he was worried about dying and no one being there to take care of what he would leave behind. Death to these two men was a very different