Chaos In The Iliad

Throughout the Iliad, chaos reigns supreme. It courses through the veins of every character and is an integral part of every storyline, carving out a meandering path until eventually reaching an ordered end. This chaos affects each entity in a unique way; for some, like Achilles, it helps them to thrive, but for others, it can lead them astray and corrupt their character. Thus is the case of Hector, who initially is a humble, family-oriented man, fighting for his city for purely selfless reasons. However, as his chaotic story winds on, he becomes tempted by the prospect of fame and personal glory and lets his pride get the best of him. The joy of being respected and bringing great honor to one’s name proved to be too tempting even for humble

The height of Hector’s ego and pride are reached when he and his army are driven back into Troy by Achilles and he is left alone outside the walls. Hector is urged by all, including his own parents, not to face Achilles alone. To do so would be to accept one’s death, as Achilles is much too strong and reckless to be defeated by one man, even if that man is the most powerful in all of Troy. Hector does not heed this advice, though, as he is too proud to back down, and instead imagines all the glory and honor he will receive if he defeats the great warrior Achilles. Hector’s decision to take on Achilles can be viewed in two ways: on one hand, taking on the demigod shows incredible bravery, and his refusal to flee even in the face of death is admirable. On the other hand, disregarding the advice of friends and family and throwing himself into battle alone against the most impressive warrior of his time shows an indescribable arrogance that could only be created by pride in one’s self. This situation is one that he never would have in the beginning of the war, which shows the effect that battle has had on him. He never gets to see the light at the end of this tunnel, though, as he is slain by Achilles. On his death bed, Hector makes one last request of Achilles: that he should place his body in the hands of friends, so that it may be brought back to his homeland with his loved ones. However, the cruel Achilles denies his request and instead desecrates his corpse, bringing great dishonor upon Hector’s memory and family. What could have been an ordered, although tragic, end to this storyline is ruined and made to be chaotic by the selfish and enraged Achilles, a theme that is seen countless times throughout the