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How Did Hector Get Shame In The Iliad

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In book VI of The Iliad Hector is a devoted man, a husband, a father, and son. He is a family guy, he has no care for shame it's not something he really cares about. He sometimes gets emotionally carried away, treating his victims with cruelty.
“This is the wife of Hector, who was ever the bravest fighter of the Trojans, breakers of horses, in the days when they fought about Ilion.”(Homer, Book VI, 136) Hector is talking to his wife. He’s explaining how he would rather die for his family to live a good life, and if they ever were taken (as slaves) they would atleast be treated slightly better than others. Then for him to live with them and go through pain and suffering. This speaks a lot about hector's personality and him as a person, it …show more content…

And losing brought shame. Shame in Ancient Greek was bad, it would take all this ‘power’ that you have and turn it into nothing. If hector loses to Achilles he would be seen as a failure and put into shame culture, he knows that if he has to fight Achilles he will lose, and he accepts that. But if he doesn't fight he is a shame to the Trojan soldiers and the Trojan women if he runs away from a fight. “...Yet i would feel deep shame before the Trojans and the Trojan women with trailing garments, if like a coward I were to shrink aside from fighting”(Homer, Book VI,116-119) Hector knows that if he doesn't fight he will be a ‘shame’ and a ‘coward’ to the Trojan people, even though he knows that he can not win against Achilles he will have honor and pride looked upon him if he dies fighting. Hector knows that he can win both ways (stay with his family or die with pride and honor) but it still challenges him in a way because he has human-like emotions and that stops him from going and fighting Achilles. Trying to live a fulfilling life when you are torn into so many directions is hard. It's like trying to make a decision but always having that voice in the back of your head telling you to change it. It would be hard way of living life. Hector is like many people in our society today because there are so many of us trying to live life for our loved ones for them to be happy, but then there is always that …show more content…

They strongly believed that the gods would intervene if things got out of control. When Hector and Achilles were fighting, the gods knew that hector had the same strength level as Achilles and the fight would have taken longer than it needed, so Athena gets involved and makes “fate” happen. Hector was suppose to die, athena stepped in to make sure that “Fate” took the right path. Hector was suppose to die, athena stepped in to make sure that “Fate” took the right path. The Greeks always depend on a higher source of power, they were used to someone telling them right from wrong sense the Gods give them that they depend on the Gods more than themselves (the people). Sometimes gods and mortals fall in love with each other, this could be a primary example of ‘Love can conquer all’ and it doesn't matter if you're old, young, rich or poor, attractive or

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