Iliad: character of Hector
Hector is one of mightiest warriors in the Trojan army. He leads the assault that finally penetrates the Achaean ramparts, he is the first and only Trojan to set fire to an Achaean ship, and he kills Patroclus. Yet his leadership contains visible fault. He can often become emotionally carried away as well, treating Patroclus and his other victims with rash cruelty. Later, swept up by a rupture of confidence, he foolishly orders the Trojans to camp outside Troy’s walls the night before Achilles returns to battle, thus causing a crucial downfall the next day.
But although Hector may prove more than usually impulsive and insufficiently prudent, he does not come across as proud or imperious, as Agamemnon does. Moreover, the fact that Hector fights in his homeland, unlike any of the Achaean commanders, allows Homer to develop him as a tender, family-oriented man. Hector shows deep, truthful love for his wife and children. Indeed, he even treats his brother Paris with forgiveness and indulgence. Hector never turns violent with him, simply aiming frustrated words at his cowardly brother. Moreover, although Hector loves his family, he never loses sight of his responsibility to Troy. His rejection to flee even in the face of vastly superior forces makes him the most tragic figure in the poem.
Tags: Hector ILiad Epos Homer
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