The Iliad: Book 6 Flashcards
World of the Hero (MSD)
Plot Summary
Book 6 of The Iliad, titled Hector and Andromache, explores the emotional and personal side of the Trojan War, focusing on Hector’s relationships with his wife, Andromache, and his family. This book juxtaposes the heroic, brutal nature of the battlefield with the tenderness and vulnerability found in the bonds of family.
Hector returns to Troy
As the battle rages outside the city walls, Hector, the greatest Trojan warrior, returns to Troy to visit his wife, Andromache. He is concerned for his city and his people, but he also feels the weight of his responsibility as a husband, father, and leader.
Book 6 of The Iliad, titled Hector and Andromache, explores the emotional and personal side of the Trojan War, focusing on Hector’s relationships with his wife, Andromache, and his family. This book juxtaposes the heroic, brutal nature of the battlefield with the tenderness and vulnerability found in the bonds of family.
Plot Summary
The encounter between Hector and Paris
On his way to meet his wife, Hector encounters his brother, Paris, who has been absent from the fighting since the duel with Menelaus. Hector chastises Paris for his cowardice and encourages him to return to the front lines and help defend Troy. Paris agrees, and the two brothers embrace before Hector continues on to find Andromache.
Hector and Andromache’s Emotional Farewell
Hector meets Andromache, and the emotional intensity of their exchange underscores the personal costs of war. Andromache, who has already lost her father and brothers to the war, pleads with Hector not to return to battle, fearing for his life. She imagines the pain of losing him and the future of their son, Astyanax, growing up without a father.
Hector, however, remains firm. He knows that his duty to Troy, his city, and his people is more important than his personal safety. Despite his love for Andromache and their son, Hector recognizes that his fate is sealed and that he must continue to fight.
The sorrowful departure
The farewell between Hector and Andromache is one of the most poignant scenes in The Iliad. Their conversation highlights the contrasting perspectives of war — Hector’s sense of duty and honour versus Andromache’s grief and fear of widowhood. Hector leaves his wife and son behind, but not before giving a final, tender moment with his son. This farewell is charged with the anticipation of Hector’s tragic death, as he acknowledges the impossibility of returning from the battlefield.
Hector’s return to the fight
After leaving Andromache, Hector returns to the battlefield, where he continues to lead the Trojan forces with great valour. His return to battle marks a decisive moment in the ongoing conflict between the Greeks and Trojans. However, the sorrow of his farewell lingers as a forewarning of his eventual death.
Hector
The Trojan prince, hero, and warrior. In this book, Hector is portrayed as a loving husband and father, yet committed to his duty as a warrior. His emotional connection to his family contrasts with his heroic duty to fight for Troy.
Andromache
Hector’s wife, who embodies the human cost of war. Her sorrowful pleas to Hector to stay and her fear of being left alone with their son highlight the devastating effects of war on families.
Astyanax
Hector and Andromache’s infant son, who symbolises the future and innocence that is at risk because of the war. His eventual fate is tragic, as he will be left without a father (and thrown off a building).
Paris
Hector’s brother, who has not been participating in the battle. His encounter with Hector shows his guilt and the differences between the two brothers — Hector being the steadfast hero, while Paris is more concerned with his own safety.
Hecuba – Priam’s wife and queen of Troy
Makes a sacrifice to Athene on Hector’s orders, which is ultimately denied by the goddess.
Helenus – Trojan prince and soothsayer
Advises sacrificing to Athene to protect the Trojans.
Menelaus
Captures Adrestus alive; about to free him until
Agamemnon persuades him not to.
Glaucus and Diomedes
Demonstrate the importance of honouring xenia.
Theme 1 - War
Adrestus supplicates Menelaus, who is ‘inclined to agree’ until Agamemnon dissuades him – believes that no Trojan should be left alive.
Andromache’s heartfelt plea to Hector underscores the emotional toll of war, especially on those left behind. The book emphasizes the psychological and emotional suffering of families affected by conflict.
Theme 2 - Heroic code
Hector and Helen scorn Paris for withdrawing from the battle – question his aidos (sense of shame). Hector, on the other hand, does not stay with Helen and Paris because he feels duty-bound to return to the battlefield.
Hector prioritises the battle over his family – ‘if I hid myself like a coward and slunk from the fighting, I would feel nothing but shame…since I have trained myself always to be a good warrior, to take my place in the front line and try to win glory for my father and myself.’
Theme 3 - Family and relationships (Father/mother and son relationships)
Hecuba and Hector: Hecuba’s immediate instinct is to care for Hector by fetching him wine to make libations and to refresh himself – ‘you must be exhausted after fighting so hard for your loved ones’
The tender moments between Hector and his family illustrate the deeply human side of the Trojan War. While Hector is a warrior, he is also a father and husband who cares deeply for his loved ones. This juxtaposition highlights the personal sacrifices made in the name of duty.
Theme 3 - Family and relationships (Spousal relationships)
Paris and Helen: Helen has nothing but disgust for Paris –
‘he hasn’t a brain in his head’.
This contrasts with Andromache and Hector’s
relationship, where Andromache is devoted to Hector: ‘you are father and mother and brother to me, as well as my strong husband.’
Theme 4 - Women
The fate of women in war – Andromache will be sold into
slavery when Hector is killed: ‘May the earth be piled high over my dead body before I hear your cries as they drag you off’
Theme 5 - Xenia
Glaucus and Diomedes exchange armour, as their
grandfathers shared a guest-friendship. They agree that
they will not fight each other in honour of this xenia.
Theme 6 - Fate and mortality
Hector is fully aware of the inevitability of his death, which adds a layer of tragic inevitability to the narrative. His knowledge that he may not return from battle gives his farewell to Andromache a profound emotional weight.
Scholarly views on heroism:
Chris Careystates that the relentless pressure of deaths
gives theheroes meaning to their lives, making them ‘heroic’.
Careyalso argues that the heroes have an immense
sense of self-importance but that this is not vanity. They
are just ‘great-hearted’, in the words of Aristotle.
William Allanargues that the heroes of the Iliad have to
balancetheir desire for personal glory with the demands of theircommunity.
Imagery
Homer’s descriptions of the interactions between Hector and his family, particularly the scene with Andromache, are rich in imagery. The contrast between Hector’s heroic stature on the battlefield and the vulnerability he shows with his family deepens the emotional impact of the narrative.
Foreshadowing
Hector’s recognition of his potential death and his emotional farewell to Andromache foreshadow the tragic events that will unfold later in the Iliad. The book is steeped in an awareness of mortality, and Hector’s death is inevitable, given the way the narrative is structured.
Pathos
The emotional weight of Hector’s parting from Andromache creates a powerful sense of pathos. Homer uses this pathos to humanise Hector, making his tragic end all the more poignant. Andromache is tearful on several occasions in this scene. ‘When I lose you, I might as well be dead.
There will be no comfort left when you have met
your end – nothing but grief.’
Bittersweet humour
Moment where Astyanax is afraid of Hector in his helmet, and Andromache and Hector laugh. Andromache is ‘laughing through her tears’.
Direct speech
The dialogue between Hector and Andromache is filled with emotional depth. Hector’s resolute speeches about duty and honor contrast with Andromache’s emotional pleas, highlighting the tension between personal desires and societal expectations.
Symbolism
Hector’s parting from his son Astyanax symbolizes the loss of the future. The boy, who is still too young to understand the war, will grow up without a father due to the conflict, representing the broader theme of generational loss in war.
Similes
Glaucus likens the family of man to ‘the leaves on the
trees’ – life is transient, and generation follows
generation.
Dramatic irony
The Trojans pray and sacrifice to the goddess Athena – who shakes her head.
“Hector, my dear husband, may you return from this battle safely.” (Andromache)
This line speaks to Andromache’s deep fear and sorrow for Hector’s life. It emphasises her vulnerability as the wife of a warrior and the human toll of war on those who are not on the battlefield.
“I wish that I could be a young man once more, standing in the line of battle.” (Hector)
This quote reflects Hector’s understanding of the gravity of his role in the war. It shows his love for his people but also his internal conflict, as he desires to be with his family but knows his duty to his city calls him back to the frontlines.
“I would rather die than see my city fall.” (Hector)
This line highlights Hector’s ultimate commitment to his people and his willingness to sacrifice himself for the greater good of Troy.
“But I fear that I shall never return to my home, for the hand of fate is upon me.” (Hector to Andromache)
This moment is a direct foreshadowing of Hector’s tragic death. It shows his acceptance of fate and the inevitability of his sacrifice for Troy.
“May you be as happy as I am when the day comes that I bring Troy’s destruction.” (Hector to Andromache)
This line marks the tragic hope of Hector that his sacrifice will somehow lead to peace for his family, though he is aware that it will not save him or his city.
Summarisation
Book 6 of The Iliad, Hector and Andromache, brings out the personal and emotional dimensions of the Trojan War. Through Hector’s poignant interactions with his wife and family, the book explores the themes of duty, honor, and the human cost of conflict. Hector’s recognition of his likely death and his farewell to Andromache add depth to his character, making his eventual fate all the more tragic. The book’s rich emotional narrative and use of literary devices such as foreshadowing, imagery, and pathos enhance the reader’s engagement with the story, reminding us of the personal sacrifices made during wartime and the inevitable toll of conflict.
