'Hector is a better hero than Achilles.' How far do you agree with this statement? In your answer you should refer to the prescribed books of the Iliad.
Model answer
Whether Hector is a 'better hero' than Achilles depends on what we mean by a hero. By the standards of the Homeric warrior - strength, success in battle and glory (kleos) - Achilles is clearly superior. By the standards of duty, care for others and moral behaviour, many readers prefer Hector. The prescribed books give evidence for both views.
The case for Hector is strong. In Iliad 6 he is a responsible leader: he refuses his mother's wine in case it weakens him, will not pray to Zeus with blood on his hands, and organises the offering to Athena to protect 'the Trojans' wives and little children'. He fights for his city and his family, not for himself. With Andromache he shows both heroic values and human warmth: he would feel shame to hang back, because he has learned always to fight in the front line, but his worst fear is the thought of her as a slave. He takes off his helmet when his son is frightened and prays that the boy will be 'far better than his father'. In Iliad 22 he chooses to face Achilles rather than face blame, and when he realises that Athena has tricked him, he refuses to die 'without a struggle and without glory' and charges like an eagle. He even proposes that the winner should return the loser's body, showing respect for the dead.
However, Hector is not a flawless hero. He admits that his own recklessness has destroyed the army, and when Achilles comes on like the war god he turns and runs, three times round the walls. His decision to stay outside is driven partly by fear of what others will say, rather than by pure courage.
Achilles, in Iliad 22, is the greater warrior. He is compared to a prize-winning horse, the dog-star and the war god; he runs Hector down and kills him with one thrust through the gap at the throat. But his behaviour falls far below Hector's. He refuses any agreement - there are no oaths between lions and men - says he wishes he could eat Hector's flesh raw, and drags the body behind his chariot. These acts offend the gods and the heroic code itself.
Yet Iliad 24 complicates the picture. When Priam kisses his 'man-slaying hands', Achilles weeps with him, raises him up, pities his grey head and speaks of the two jars of Zeus. He has the body washed and lifts it onto the bier himself, controlling his own dangerous anger. This pity for an enemy is arguably a greater heroism than anything Hector achieves, because it requires Achilles to overcome his strongest passion.
In conclusion, I largely agree with the statement if 'better' means more admirable: Hector fights for others, respects the gods and the dead, and dies bravely. But Achilles is the better hero by Homer's own measure of excellence in battle, and his pity in Book 24 shows a moral greatness that comes from understanding suffering. Hector is the better man throughout; Achilles becomes a great one by the end.
Explanation
This is one of the classic essay questions on the Iliad. A Level 5 answer defines the standard of heroism being used, gives detailed evidence for both characters from Books 6, 22 and 24, admits the weaknesses of each (Hector's flight and recklessness; Achilles' cruelty) and reaches a conclusion that follows from the argument. Narrative summaries of the duel will not get beyond Level 3.
