"Achilles and Hector have more in common with each other than they do with their own people." Compare and contrast these Homeric Heroes.

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  Sophie McKenzie-Howard                                                                                                      29/09/2011  

“Achilles and Hector have more in common with each other than they do with their own people.” Compare and contrast these Homeric Heroes.

Achilles and Hector are both tragic heroes of the Trojan War. Although they were on different sides, both of the Homeric heroes share a lot of similarities. We see a strong parallel between the two warriors in that, ‘Great Hector of the flashing helmet’, is the best warrior on the Trojan side and ‘matchless Achilles’ is the best warrior on the Greek side. In addition to this, both warriors hold great responsibility, Hector has to protect Troy and his family and Achilles is supposedly the best fighter of the Greek army and they need him.

Both Homeric heroes suffer from arrogance and pride. Hector shows this in book 18, when he disagrees with Polydamas’ proposal to retreat to Ilium, refusing to withdraw the camp into the Trojan walls. Hector becomes spiteful, “Don’t put such notions in people’s heads, you ignorant fool.” Such words as these suggest a huge change in Hectors tone. From the Iliad we know that Hector is a caring and loving man – Book 6. However, we see here that Hectors pride gets the better of him, snapping at his fellow comrade in front of a whole Trojan assembly, all because he doesn’t want to look weak as a warrior and give up resulting in a lack of Kelos.

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Achilles shows his suffering throughout the Iliad as he prolongs his sulk and anger. But he particularly suffers in Book 1, when his pride and arrogance are used against him sparking the catalyst to both himself and Agamemnon’s quarrel. Because Achilles is quite an arrogant character, his pride gets hurt a lot, “I see no point in staying here to be insulted,” these words of Achilles imply that because his pride is hurt, as he has been, “robbed” of his prize, he feels the need to cover his hurt by being arrogant. Achilles knows he is a valued warrior ...

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