the characters of Achilles and Hector

 

Compare the characters of Achilles and Hector.

 

Ans. The Iliad is based on the Trojan war that lasted for long ten Dyears. But this war is greatly affected due to the wrath of Achilles. He is the main character. His inaction and withdrawal from the conflict is crucial to the plot. However, Hector occupies a very special place for his extraordinary qualities. One of the finest qualities of The Iliad is its art of contrast. Hector has been placed in contrast with Achilles Both of them deserve to be the hero of the epic. Yet we are to select one in terms of positive and negative qualities. While Hector represents the civilized ideas of life, Achilles is the personification of primitive brutality. These two heroes differ fundamentally in their characters. They represent two distinct lines of life. Son of sea nymph Thetis and mortal King Peleus, Achilles is the central character of the 'Iliad'. By virtue of his birth he is half man half god. On the other hand, Hector is unmistakably a full man. Homer calls him 'noble hearted' but Achilles is lion hearted'. These two terms bring out the essential difference in their character.