In the final analysis, Hector is a greater man than Achilles. Discuss - Essay Example

The Iliad evokes terror and empathy by unfolding the stories of two men who have been the subject of many debates. The one unifying theme in the poem is “the wrath of Achilles” and the fate that he is subjected to because of his rage and passion and the act of war because of his flaws (MacKendrick & Herbert, pg.14). Achilles and Hector were both great warriors and heroes in their own regard but scholars try to decipher which of the two was a greater man. In his poem, Homer has “greater success with character than with action” and morality and fate are present in both Achilles and Hector (Mishra, pg.3). Achilles and Hector fought on two opposing sides and eventually, Hector lost to Achilles in Book 22 but the war raged on.

It is difficult to compare the two heroes and decide who the better man is because of carious factors. To compare Hector and Achilles or “son of Peleus” is like comparing “virtue to virtue” (Kennedy, pg. 114). Both the heroes were born in praiseworthy lands and descended directly from Zeus and so one did not excel the other as they were both brought up for bravery (Kennedy, pg.114). Hector is the commander of the Trojans and considered a noble hero in Homer’s Iliad. Hector is a heroic figure but is also very tragic.

He desires glory in the battlefield, much like Achilles but he realizes that for him honor links to his family and homeland, which makes him more human than Achilles (Mishra, pg.5). Achilles’ vision of his wife carrying water for the Greeks after being taken captive motivates him never to let that happen and this shows his compassion and love (Mishra, pg.5). His reason for fighting against the Greeks was merely to preserve the honor of his people and family. Achilles fights for “the common Hellenic cause” and becomes known for his heroism and bravery by all.

He plunges into the Trojan War to avenge the death of his friend Patroclus and his heart “burns with anger and grief” which fuels his brutality (Mishra, pg. 6). In a way, Achilles was also fighting for the honor of his dead friend who Hector killed and vowed that he would not bury Patroclus until he brought back his armor (Mishra, pg.6). Hector is a better hero because of his compassion and morality. Some critics believe that he might be “too tame to ignite our spirits” but his death at the hands of Achilles shocks us because his death freezes him as a good family man killed at the hands of a “recklessly explosive” Achilles (Zack, pg.51). Although Hector killed Patroclus and so was not completely innocent, he has more compassion than Achilles who is not only known for his temper but also for his brutality.

In the scene where Achilles and Hector have their final fight, Achilles finally locates a gap in the armor and finds a “deadly place” which is “the tender place of life, at the neck” but instead of cutting his windpipe clean, he lets him bleed to death slowly and painfully (Zack, pg. 51). As Hector beseeches Achilles and asks him to give his body a proper funeral, Achilles makes it clear that nothing will save his body from the dogs that will devour him for the life he had taken of Patroclus (Zack, pg.51). This shows that Achilles lacks compassion and kindness.

What makes Hector a better man is the fact that he seems more human than Achilles. His death in Book 22 is followed by descriptions of his family grieving, which that shows he