Though the Illiad is a continually brutal tale of bloody battles and epic struggles, I do enjoy how Homer specifically inserts uneventful, day-to-day interactions into his work. These brief moments vividly remind the readers of the innate humanity of the characters and allow the audience to actually see the warriors as people and not just mere pawns. The individuals showcased in these scenes also tend to become the role models for the warriors they fight alongside.
Hector is, in my opinion, a perfect example of this. Every Trojan soldier in the Illiad is currently fighting to both protect and defend their homeland, but Homer decides to go even deeper than duty when he introduces Hector's wife and son. The interaction between Hector and his wife, Andromache, near the end of book five was so incredibly relatable and real. Her expressed worry for her husband as he continued to fight beyond the safety of the walls of Troy and her paralyzing fear that their son, Astyanax, would never know his father are both very realistic concerns. Still, Hector sees his family as people who are worth dying to save. From Hector's point-of-view, it would be nobler to sacrifice himself to freely deliver those he cares about than to die with his family at the hands of the Achaeans.
This concept is one that Hector's younger brother, Paris, does not seem to understand. A somewhat cowardly young man, Paris played a major role in starting the war his older brother is risking his life to win. His wife, Helen, is the person over which the entire battle is being fought. However, Paris would much rather hide away in his chambers polishing his armor than go out and defend his nation, not to mention his own spouse, from invaders. Only Hector's brutal honesty can move his brother into action out beyond the walls of Troy.
While I do feel as though Hector's character is primarily meant to be a tool for behind-the-battle-scenes moments, I also believe that Hector will eventually guide Paris to his destiny. Since the young man had such a huge role in starting the main conflict of the novel, I feel as though it would be silly for Paris not to develop into a stronger, more assured character sometime down the road. But who knows? Maybe the lessons Hector tries to teach his younger brother will simply fall on deaf (or quite literally, dead) ears.
Edit - Replied to Isabelle Ferguson and Rachael Gregson.
Hector is, in my opinion, a perfect example of this. Every Trojan soldier in the Illiad is currently fighting to both protect and defend their homeland, but Homer decides to go even deeper than duty when he introduces Hector's wife and son. The interaction between Hector and his wife, Andromache, near the end of book five was so incredibly relatable and real. Her expressed worry for her husband as he continued to fight beyond the safety of the walls of Troy and her paralyzing fear that their son, Astyanax, would never know his father are both very realistic concerns. Still, Hector sees his family as people who are worth dying to save. From Hector's point-of-view, it would be nobler to sacrifice himself to freely deliver those he cares about than to die with his family at the hands of the Achaeans.
This concept is one that Hector's younger brother, Paris, does not seem to understand. A somewhat cowardly young man, Paris played a major role in starting the war his older brother is risking his life to win. His wife, Helen, is the person over which the entire battle is being fought. However, Paris would much rather hide away in his chambers polishing his armor than go out and defend his nation, not to mention his own spouse, from invaders. Only Hector's brutal honesty can move his brother into action out beyond the walls of Troy.
While I do feel as though Hector's character is primarily meant to be a tool for behind-the-battle-scenes moments, I also believe that Hector will eventually guide Paris to his destiny. Since the young man had such a huge role in starting the main conflict of the novel, I feel as though it would be silly for Paris not to develop into a stronger, more assured character sometime down the road. But who knows? Maybe the lessons Hector tries to teach his younger brother will simply fall on deaf (or quite literally, dead) ears.
Edit - Replied to Isabelle Ferguson and Rachael Gregson.
I agree that it was an incredibly cool move to introduce Hector's motivations for winning the war, and frankly, their love for each other is amazing. I do want to point out, though, that Hector's sole purpose in fighting for his family might endanger all of Troy. Will Hector's loyalty to the throne and to the city of Troy be tested in this way? Good observation!
ReplyDeleteWow! That point you made about Hector potentially guiding Paris to his destiny was right on the money. I definitely look forward to Paris' character possibly being more fleshed-out as the story continues ahead.
ReplyDelete