Is Achilles Justified in Killing Hector and is Odysseus Justified in Killing the Suitors?
Is Achilles Justified in Killing Hector and is Odysseus Justified in Killing the Suitors? Holding the power of life and death is a very serious responsibility. Under most circumstances death penalty is not right and can be handled in a much better way. Because we are made in the image of God we are commanded not to kill. But there are some circumstances in which the killing of a wrong-doer is justified. Actions speak louder than words. Achilles is justified in killing Hector. Hector killed Achilles best friend and has to pay for his actions therefore Achilles has a right to be angry and seek justice. However, Achilles actions are not completely just because Hector deserved to die, but he deserved to die an honorable death. Achilles feels that Hector should die because of the mass destruction and casualties of war, including Patroclus, which he caused. Athena further provokes Achilles actions by helping him trick Hector. This not only deceived hector but encouraged Achilles actions. Therefore Achilles was also deceived. He thought that what he was doing was moral and right because the God’s were encouraging him; as a result, I believe that Athena is to blame for the death of Hector. After Hector’s very last plea was to not have his life spared, but to have a proper burial, Achilles dragged his body around Troy and encouraged the Achaean men to destroy and stab Hector’s corpse. Achilles had a reason to kill Hector, but he had absolutely no reason to destroy his body. Although vengeance may have been practical, Achilles actions were not. As a result of his blinding wrath, as mentioned in the first two lines of the Iliad, Achilles should not be recognized as a Greek Hero. Many times in Homer’s writings, Achilles is