Is Hector A Hero In The Iliad

The Trojan War was being fought in the 13th or 12th BC which was a period of time known as the Bronze Age. In Greek Mythology, the war was fought against the city of Troy after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband who is the King of the Spartans. Many people fought wars to achieve and gain pride or themselves and their family. Although in Ancient Greece many were fearless and brave: in the Trojan War, Hector, a fierce Greek warrior, portrays the most hero-like qualities, in the epic poem, the Iliad, by stepping up and leaving his family for the sake of his city, Troy, knowing that there was no chance of survival and being able to return to his family. In a famous article, Man in the Water, a heroic man single-handedly gave up his life for …show more content…
There are many aspects that go into being a hero. Being a hero means that you put other people's needs before yours no matter what the situation may be. The Man in the Water identifies as a hero because after the plane crash, "Every time they lowered a lifeline and flotation ring to him, he passed it on to another of the passengers. “In a mass casualty, you’ll find people like him,” said Windsor. “But I’ve never seen one with that commitment” (Rosenblatt). In the article, they portray how and why this …show more content…
Even after having a fight or flight response, his courage and bravery take over his feelings of fear and he is able to face the most feared man that fought for the Greeks, Achilles. Hector may at times make the wrong decisions which make him human, but his good doing outweighs the bad. Many heroes exist in our world, but most will not take a bullet for strangers. In both The Man in the Water and the Iliad the show extensive amounts of heroism leading them to carry this title throughout