Achilles vs. Hector: What Makes a Hero

In the Iliad there were plenty of great male characters, they all had their special strengthens and weakness, they were all trying to win the Trojans war, they were described as having a sharp human side. but none of them brighten up its light clearly like Achilles and Hector did. Achilles who fought for the Greeks, and Hector who fought for the Trojans, They both had lots of similarities and differences that combined them together and created the comparison between both, they both were example of the word “HERO” in their special way, even though both of them were fighting for an opposing armies and they meet each other in the battlefield with hatred.

The Iliad that Homer tried to deliver it to us, it was a huge conflict between tow valuable structures, the one who always cared about the individual side (Achilles) and the one who cared about the whole people united (Hector), Achilles cared about Pride and glory because he known he would either lives a short but glorious life or lives a long life where no one remembers his name, he chose the glory and pride where he became the most admirable and respected warrior between the Greek army and he was the mightiest of them all, where hector fought for his community and without caring about the individual achievements even though he was also pitiless when he killed Patroclus and wanted to throw his body to the dogs.

Get quality help now

Writer Lyla

Verified writer

Proficient in: Bravery

5 (876)

“ Have been using her for a while and please believe when I tell you, she never fail. Thanks Writer Lyla you are indeed awesome ”

+84 relevant experts are online

Hire writer

But he was doing it for his people. Both of those two mighty warriors defined the “HERO” expression in his special and own way, both had different standards even though they had many in-common characters, but they displayed it differently.

Achilles was an outstanding warrior famed with his power and strength that led the Achaeans to win lots of battles and fights, he cared about the individual side. We know the “HERO” is a person who’s admired, respected and glorified for courage, amazing achievements, noble characters, these were all applied in him, in addition to that his honorable behavior for the ones he loved, he lived a life full of courage and pride. Although Achilles was indeed the mightiest warrior in the Achaean army with no doubts, he always humbled for the pride and glory and he’s ready to sacrifice everything to achieve that max level of glory and to let everyone remembers and admires his legacy.

Hector the worthy, a loving husband, a caring father, champion of Troy, “Homer said he’s a ‘noble-hearted man but Achilles lion-hearted”, Hector was always aware of his obligations and his tasks, Hector says - 'No wine for me, my dear mother; you will cripple me and make me forget that I must fight '. He was gracious and pity even to his cow-hearted brother who was going to destroy a whole empire because of his stupidity and selfishness, he’s an example of an educated and cultured human, he defended his people and his empire and sacrificed his life for them, latter when Achillies came to kill him, Hector is a true loyalist.

Along the Iliad Achilles and Hector tried to show us they both born and distend to be a great and mighty warriors and leaders even though they had different standards for showing it, but both believed in glory and love is a big factor in life, but the pride and glory was more important to Achilles than it was to Hector, while hector cared about his empire and people more than he cared about himself, he also reproved his brother Paris due to his lack of respect to his people when he stole Helen, 'Look, your people dying around the city, the steep walls, dying in arms -and all for you''.

Resources:

• https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/iliad/a-plus-essay/

• https://www.ancient-literature.com/greece_homer_iliad.html

• https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/i/the-iliad/critical-essays/the-hero-and-homeric-culture

• https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/i/the-iliad/character-analysis/achilles

• https://www.ukessays.com/essays/history/study-on-the-leader-achilles-history-essay.php

• https://www.bartleby.com/essay/Achilles-as-a-Hero-P3CL8ZYVJ

• http://www.enotes.com/iliad-text

• http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text.jsp?doc=Perseus:text:1999.01.0133

• http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/iliad/a/Iliad.html

• https://dailyasianage.com/news/83259/who-is-a-braver-hero-hector-or-achilles

• http://masculineepic.com/index.php/2017/04/15/achilles-vs-hector/

• https://www.123helpme.com/assets/17070.html

• https://www.gradesaver.com/iliad/q-and-a/how-are-achilles-and-hector-contrasting-heros-69571

• http://masculineepic.com/index.php/2017/04/15/achilles-vs-hector/

• https://www.ukessays.com/essays/history/comparison-and-contrast-between-achilles-and-hector-history-essay.php

• https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2016/feb/16/achilles-homer-iliad-brutal-vain-pitiless-hero

• (Cook, n.d.)