Monday, May 18, 2020

The True Hero Of The Iliad - 2162 Words

Talha Yousaf Theodore O’Neill Human Being and Citizen I 27 October 2014 Hector – The true hero of The Iliad Throughout human history, mankind has venerated heroes because they possess the ideals that people strive to achieve themselves. The appearance and importance of heroes in The Iliad form a major part of what makes it such a celebrated tale. The concept of heroism, however, for the ancient Greeks and modern society is quite different. The Greeks viewed heroes as humans usually descended from the gods and in possession of superhuman strength and an aptitude for battle . Achilles clearly fits the above definition and therefore it comes as no surprise that he has historically been viewed as the main hero of the epic. However, the modern day definition of heroism, more than just strength and prowess in battle, encompasses the idea of a moral responsibility: defending one’s people from harm and sacrificing one’s own desires or life for the sake of others. Hector proves to be a great warrior, referred to as ‘man-killing Hector’ by the Achaeans, and therefore can b e seen as a hero by the Greek perspective. However that is not the defining characteristic of the Trojan Prince. His character revolves around a sense of moral responsibility towards his people, his culture and his family, and using his power to defend them, sacrificing his own life in the process. The goal of this paper is to prove that Hector, not Achilles, is the true hero of The Iliad. Early on in the tale weShow MoreRelated The True Hero of Homers The Iliad Essay890 Words   |  4 PagesThe True Hero of Homers The Iliad The Iliad is a story in which many men should be recognized as great war heroes. They all show a tremendous amount of courage to fight in such a barbaric battle. But this paper?s main focus is between two great leaders of opposing sides. Achilles, who represents the Achaians and Hector, who represents the Trojans. 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