The Greek Concept of a Hero: A Case Study of Achilles and Hector in Homer’s The Iliad

This paper delves into the psyche of the two important Greek heroes: Achilles and Hector in Homer’s celebrated epic The Iliad. Both, Achilles and Hector, were endowed with superhuman qualities. They were invincible and at the same time vulnerable. Despite their invincibility, they were mortals, and hence, they were bound to die. The thrust of this paper is to make an in-depth study of the vulnerable and human side of these great and invincible characters. The study investigates the elements which make both these heroes human and bring them down from the high pedestal to the level of the ordinary mortals. The paper also throws light on the Greek concept of a hero and attempts to decode who the real hero is in Homer’s The Iliad.