Cato
05-18-2011, 02:26 PM
Homer's Iliad is an epic story of love, war, heroism, and cowardice, many times all wrapped into one character. The two principle warriors for Troy and Greece are Hector and Achilles. Tragically, it seems to me, Achilles has been heralded for millennia as being a hero in waiting if you will, someone who has to overcome his own conflicts before he can become truly great. I would argue he never reaches greatness. Hector, however, is great from the very beginning and even after his death, caused by Achilles in the heat of battle; his character is celebrated as a hero. This celebration, illustrated by Homer through the great mourning of the Trojans, only accentuates the horrendous behavior of Achilles. In order to be a tragic hero, a character must embody a heroic characteristic at some point in the story, which Achilles never conjures and Hector never surrenders.
A "tragic hero" as opposed to a run of the mill hero, is a hero whose own tragic flaw brings about their downfall, a definition that Achilles does not conform to. While Achilles is the main character of the story, a pre-requisite for being a hero, his flaws do not bring about a downfall. In fact, he is not represented as heroic from the beginning of The Iliad except for the fact that he is the son of Gods, which gives him some esteem over mortals. We hear references to his strength and bravery, "Not so quickly, brave as you are, Godlike Achilles," however his actions in the story all prove otherwise. Therefore, Achilles is a main character and not a tragic hero. While there may be no story without him, he does not actually fit the title of "tragic hero." In contrast, Hector does fit the mold for "tragic hero," because his flaw, if you can even call it that, is his honor. He enters what he knows to be a losing battle, with the knowledge that he will likely not come home alive. This decision brings about his death, and physical downfall, however his heroism is never in question. The same cannot be said for Achilles.
Achilles' behavior in The Iliad is cowardly, immature and selfish, never exhibiting heroic qualities. From the outset of the play Achilles refuses to become involved in a battle that his country needs him to fight, because he has been insulted. This action, or inaction, is made in haste and because of his emotional immaturity. Unfortunately, Achilles gets away with his behavior in part because his mother, Thetis, plays into his manipulative hands and asks Zeus to punish the
Greeks just enough for them to realize how important Achilles is to them. This behavior is not that of a hero, but of a spoiled and self absorbed brat. There isn't one redeeming quality about Achilles that a reader can latch on to and want to root for. The one action that finally signals the end of his selfish journey is the point where he releases Hector's battered body to Prium. This act, instead of being heroic, is nothing more than what should have been done to begin with. Although a soldier is under no obligation to return an enemy body to their family, the circumstances under which this situation occurred called for exactly that. In the end, the only thing that Achilles is able to conquer in The Iliad is his own wrath, which might be something to celebrate if he had not already hurt so many others. The abuse he inflicts on Hector alone is enough to erase any personal emotional triumph on the part of Achilles.
Hector's actions, when compared with Achilles, prove that Hector was the hero of The Iliad. Hector says to his wife Andromoche just before leaving for battle, "...I would die of shame to face the men of Troy and the Trojan women trailing their long robes if I would shrink from battle now, a coward." This single sentence speaks volumes about Hector's honor and strength as a character. He would rather die than to be considered a coward. Whereas Achilles would rather be a coward, than die. Hector takes up the fight for his city and his nation because he is an honorable man who wants to fight beside his men, even though he knows it is a losing battle. It is a battle that they are already embroiled in and he is not about to turn away from it.
Achilles chooses every opportunity to shy away from battle. He turns to his mother, Thetis, for help, begging her to ask Zeus to punish his own Army so they will need him more. This isn't simply a matter of someone pouting or acting immature, it borders on sadistic. Achilles cowardly actions are apparent to everyone but himself, when even his dear friend Patroclus said, "But now at last stop, Achilles, let your heart-devouring anger go!" He can see that it is only hurting him and everyone around him, including Patroclus, who loses his life not long afterwards. When presented with a war that he has nothing to do with, Hector rises to the challenge. Achilles shrinks from the
the very same battle, even though he has a part in starting it. Instead, he lets his best friend fight and die in his battle, and then he turns his anger on Hector for killing him. Hector is only doing what a soldier is supposed to do in war and that is killing the enemy. Achilles has no right to be angry at Hector for killing his friend, when Achilles could have gone to war and possibly protected Patroclus from his death in battle.
The entire point of The Iliad is for Achilles to overcome his own emotions and by doing this he is supposedly considered to be a great hero again. For me a hero encompasses all of those brave traits when you need them the most, in a battle for example, because that is what makes a hero dependable. A hero is someone others turn to in times of need because they have come through for them before. The Greeks did the same thing at the beginning of The Iliad and were sorely disappointed when Achilles chose his own emotional desires over their needs, even staying away so that they would suffer long enough to realize how important he is. Achilles is not a tragic hero because he is not a hero at all. He might have been considered one once upon a time, but in this particular story, under these circumstances he does not even exhibit the decent qualities of a man, let alone a God. The term "tragic hero" is subjective. A "hero" for some people may be a complete let down to others. Achilles was a let down to the Greeks and a let down to me. If I were living in ancient times, I would admire the same character I do now and herald him as the one true hero of The Iliad, and that is Hector.
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/learn_from_classics/105227
A "tragic hero" as opposed to a run of the mill hero, is a hero whose own tragic flaw brings about their downfall, a definition that Achilles does not conform to. While Achilles is the main character of the story, a pre-requisite for being a hero, his flaws do not bring about a downfall. In fact, he is not represented as heroic from the beginning of The Iliad except for the fact that he is the son of Gods, which gives him some esteem over mortals. We hear references to his strength and bravery, "Not so quickly, brave as you are, Godlike Achilles," however his actions in the story all prove otherwise. Therefore, Achilles is a main character and not a tragic hero. While there may be no story without him, he does not actually fit the title of "tragic hero." In contrast, Hector does fit the mold for "tragic hero," because his flaw, if you can even call it that, is his honor. He enters what he knows to be a losing battle, with the knowledge that he will likely not come home alive. This decision brings about his death, and physical downfall, however his heroism is never in question. The same cannot be said for Achilles.
Achilles' behavior in The Iliad is cowardly, immature and selfish, never exhibiting heroic qualities. From the outset of the play Achilles refuses to become involved in a battle that his country needs him to fight, because he has been insulted. This action, or inaction, is made in haste and because of his emotional immaturity. Unfortunately, Achilles gets away with his behavior in part because his mother, Thetis, plays into his manipulative hands and asks Zeus to punish the
Greeks just enough for them to realize how important Achilles is to them. This behavior is not that of a hero, but of a spoiled and self absorbed brat. There isn't one redeeming quality about Achilles that a reader can latch on to and want to root for. The one action that finally signals the end of his selfish journey is the point where he releases Hector's battered body to Prium. This act, instead of being heroic, is nothing more than what should have been done to begin with. Although a soldier is under no obligation to return an enemy body to their family, the circumstances under which this situation occurred called for exactly that. In the end, the only thing that Achilles is able to conquer in The Iliad is his own wrath, which might be something to celebrate if he had not already hurt so many others. The abuse he inflicts on Hector alone is enough to erase any personal emotional triumph on the part of Achilles.
Hector's actions, when compared with Achilles, prove that Hector was the hero of The Iliad. Hector says to his wife Andromoche just before leaving for battle, "...I would die of shame to face the men of Troy and the Trojan women trailing their long robes if I would shrink from battle now, a coward." This single sentence speaks volumes about Hector's honor and strength as a character. He would rather die than to be considered a coward. Whereas Achilles would rather be a coward, than die. Hector takes up the fight for his city and his nation because he is an honorable man who wants to fight beside his men, even though he knows it is a losing battle. It is a battle that they are already embroiled in and he is not about to turn away from it.
Achilles chooses every opportunity to shy away from battle. He turns to his mother, Thetis, for help, begging her to ask Zeus to punish his own Army so they will need him more. This isn't simply a matter of someone pouting or acting immature, it borders on sadistic. Achilles cowardly actions are apparent to everyone but himself, when even his dear friend Patroclus said, "But now at last stop, Achilles, let your heart-devouring anger go!" He can see that it is only hurting him and everyone around him, including Patroclus, who loses his life not long afterwards. When presented with a war that he has nothing to do with, Hector rises to the challenge. Achilles shrinks from the
the very same battle, even though he has a part in starting it. Instead, he lets his best friend fight and die in his battle, and then he turns his anger on Hector for killing him. Hector is only doing what a soldier is supposed to do in war and that is killing the enemy. Achilles has no right to be angry at Hector for killing his friend, when Achilles could have gone to war and possibly protected Patroclus from his death in battle.
The entire point of The Iliad is for Achilles to overcome his own emotions and by doing this he is supposedly considered to be a great hero again. For me a hero encompasses all of those brave traits when you need them the most, in a battle for example, because that is what makes a hero dependable. A hero is someone others turn to in times of need because they have come through for them before. The Greeks did the same thing at the beginning of The Iliad and were sorely disappointed when Achilles chose his own emotional desires over their needs, even staying away so that they would suffer long enough to realize how important he is. Achilles is not a tragic hero because he is not a hero at all. He might have been considered one once upon a time, but in this particular story, under these circumstances he does not even exhibit the decent qualities of a man, let alone a God. The term "tragic hero" is subjective. A "hero" for some people may be a complete let down to others. Achilles was a let down to the Greeks and a let down to me. If I were living in ancient times, I would admire the same character I do now and herald him as the one true hero of The Iliad, and that is Hector.
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/learn_from_classics/105227