As a hero, then, Hektor is not only an extension of his father, he is also an extension of his mother, and when she begs him to come into the city of Troy, she assumes the position of a suppliant, appealing for mercy on the battlefield. In this culture, there was a great concern for women, because they were dependent and, like young children, they were vulnerable to enslavement. In the code of that era, the son fights like his father, but the son is also raised by his mother, and she teaches him that he must be a hero, fighting for her and for other women who will also raise heroes. Hektor's relationship and attitude toward women and children is deeply embedded in Homeric culture. Hektor also expresses concern that Andromache might be taken captive by the Greeks, suggesting that he sees, through Helen, the wrong that Paris committed. Hektor's obvious love for Andromache symbolizes his belief in proper domesticity, and his image of her being taken captive and working the loom for another man represents his deep fear of disorder. Unlike Helen, Hektor's wife Andromache is associated with social order and the continuation of the family. Hektor does not blame Helen but being improperly married, she is a symbol of disorder and a threat to the social systems of both the Trojans and the Achaians. Paris also pirated some of Menelaos' material treasures, but the fact remains that Helen is still a wife without a dowry, a matter that runs counter to Troy's social codes. Helen is a guest at the Trojan court, and she is also the wife of Paris. Helen also places Hektor in an untenable position, and her being a woman complicates the problem. Thus, the heroic code binds Hektor into an uncomfortable, untenable position. Paris' behavior places Hektor in a dilemma: It is socially necessary to protect Paris, but it is also morally and socially correct to rebuke him. Virtuous and faithful to the gods in all respects, he refuses the wine that his mother, Hekuba, offers him because he is tired and unclean and he fears that wine may cause him to forget his duty to his troops.Īn example of Hektor's concern for virtue is evident when he rebukes Paris for kidnapping Helen, the act that perpetrated the war. He focuses his energy and although he fears Telamonian Aias (Ajax), he bravely battles with him until nightfall. In addition to Hektor's social responsibilities and his heroic qualities, he is also a thoughtful commander. However, both are great warriors and the leading soldiers on their respective sides. In contrast, Achilles seems superhuman because of his extremes and excesses. Hektor has dedicated his life to the service of others he is an example of a "model" Homeric man. As a mature man with a family and with strong feelings about his responsibilities, Hektor is a contrast to Achilles' frustrations and passionate outbursts of emotion. Throughout the epic, Hektor functions largely as a comparison and contrast (or a foil) to Achilles. That is, Hektor continues a fight that everyone, including himself, knows is doomed by fate because he grasps at the illusion of Trojan victory. But it should be stressed that Hektor is trapped by the illusion of a Trojan victory, a victory that was seemingly guaranteed by Zeus himself. As a result, Hektor will shortly become the victim of Achilles. Unwittingly, however, Hektor (the Trojans' best warrior) acts as an agent to bring back Achilles (the Achaians' best warrior) into battle, because after Hektor kills Patroklos, Achilles believes that he has no choice except to revenge Patroklos by killing Hektor. His concern for the Trojan women and for the Trojan community in general define him as a "norm" for Homeric society. He is also viewed as the future king of Troy, and as such, he already shows his responsibility to the community. No other Trojan warrior approaches Hektor's courage and valor. Hektor is the undisputed commander of the Trojan army.
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