Most Honorable Character Hector or Achilles - 1252 Words

George Honey Mrs. Moore English Literature 3 April 2011 Most Honorable Character: Hector or Achilles? Honor: honesty, fairness, or integrity in one s beliefs and actions; this is the definition by which these two characters, Hector and Achilles, ought to be judged. By taking this definition to heart, Achilles is far from honorable. Throughout the Iliad, Achilles acts on rage and revenge. â€Å"Rage-Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus’ son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaens countless losses, hurling down to the House of Death so many sturdy souls, great fighters’ souls, but made their bodies carrion, feasts for the dogs and birds†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (1, 1-5) From the beginning of the epic the reader learns of Achilles rage and wants for†¦show more content†¦Hector also killed Patroclus. He is well respected by not only his comrades, but by his enemies as well. When he decided to stop and speak in the midst of battle, both sides stopped fighting just to listen to him. He is a loving husband and devoted father, as well as devoted son and sibling. He did n ot hurt his brother when he confessed he would rather sleep around than go into battle. Hector fights in his kingdom, unlike any of the Achaean commanders do, which shows even more honor. Hector has a deep real love for his wife and children. They are his first and foremost thought, not himself such as Achilles. As much as he loves his family, he is always committed to his responsibilities for Troy. When he took the leadership role of Troy, he commits his life to serving his country and follows through with his commitment until his death. Although respected and a mighty warrior, like most heroes, Hector also had flaws. The flaw of his that stands out the most is his cowardice. Such cowardice is demonstrated when he runs away from runs away from Ajax two times. He then receives insults from his soldiers and is emotionally instable for a moment. This causes him to treat his opponents and others very cruelly. When Achilles first challenges Hector, Hector tries to talk his way out of it; yet again showing his cowardice. But, in the end, Hector decides to battle Achilles even though he knows the gods haveShow MoreRelatedHector and Achilles as Classic Heroes of Homers Iliad Essay983 Words   |  4 Pages Hector and Achilles as Classic Heroes of Homers Iliad nbsp; nbsp; nbsp; Literary heroes have been important to stories and poems throughout history. Each author develops his hero through a unique writing style, combining conscious use of detail, diction, tone and other narrative techniques to outline a heros personality. 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