Epic Hero Essay The Iliad, a 15,693 line epic poem written by Homer in around 800 B.C., is one of the first of its kind. It covers the tenth and final year of the Trojan War, in which the Achaeans lay siege on the city of Troy. Specifically, it explains the conflicts between Achilles and Agamemnon, and how they affect the Achaeans’ defeat of the Trojans. In the Iliad, Hector and Achilles are both considered Epic Heroes, but I believe that Achilles has friends and enemies that are more powerful than Hector’s, and he has worked more miracles, making him the better example of an Epic Hero.
The first Epic Hero characteristic shared between Hector and Achilles are their powerful allies. Achilles’ friends are Hephaestus, Thetis, and Patroclus. Hephaestus, …show more content…
“And first Hephaestus made a great and massive shield, blazoning well-wrought emblems all across its surface…” (483) Thanks to Hephaestus, Achilles now has a godly shield to protect him in battle. Thetis comes to Achilles’ aid when he needs to appeal to the king of the gods to solve his problems. “Reaching out his arms, again and again he prayed to his dear mother… and his noble mother heard him… I shall go to to Olympus… and repeat your prayer to Zeus”” (89-91). In Book 16, Patroclus, as the title implies, fights for Achilles, and he dies in the process. Hector’s friends are Zeus, Paris, and Sarpedon. Zeus is quite influential and almost all-powerful. Throughout Book 6, Hector is referred to as “dear to Zeus,” a title that indicates that Hector is in Zeus’ favor. Paris is Hector’s …show more content…
How could Hector be the better Epic Hero when he is killed by his opponent? Achilles’ success only proves his superiority as an Epic Hero. Thematically, this epic poem shows how Epic Heroes make readers want to be successful. The heroes’ single-minded focus to, in this case, win the Trojan war inspires readers to take control of their lives, win their own battles, and defeat their own
The first Epic Hero characteristic shared between Hector and Achilles are their powerful allies. Achilles’ friends are Hephaestus, Thetis, and Patroclus. Hephaestus, …show more content…
“And first Hephaestus made a great and massive shield, blazoning well-wrought emblems all across its surface…” (483) Thanks to Hephaestus, Achilles now has a godly shield to protect him in battle. Thetis comes to Achilles’ aid when he needs to appeal to the king of the gods to solve his problems. “Reaching out his arms, again and again he prayed to his dear mother… and his noble mother heard him… I shall go to to Olympus… and repeat your prayer to Zeus”” (89-91). In Book 16, Patroclus, as the title implies, fights for Achilles, and he dies in the process. Hector’s friends are Zeus, Paris, and Sarpedon. Zeus is quite influential and almost all-powerful. Throughout Book 6, Hector is referred to as “dear to Zeus,” a title that indicates that Hector is in Zeus’ favor. Paris is Hector’s …show more content…
How could Hector be the better Epic Hero when he is killed by his opponent? Achilles’ success only proves his superiority as an Epic Hero. Thematically, this epic poem shows how Epic Heroes make readers want to be successful. The heroes’ single-minded focus to, in this case, win the Trojan war inspires readers to take control of their lives, win their own battles, and defeat their own