Within the Iliad, human agency is constantly constrained by the gods and motivational factors. As Hector prepares to return to battle, he is held back by his wife, Andromache. She begs him to stay, but Hector feels he must go back to war. While Andromache’s plea is an expression of natural determination, Hector displays some resistance, but his agency is limited by honor, shame, and the will of the Gods as they dominate his decision to return to battle, ultimately highlighting how one values shame
Homer’s Iliad is a twenty-four book epic about the glories of the wars of mortal men and the constant machinations of the gods on Mount Olympus. Throughout the winding tale, influential characters clash verbally and physically as the ambitious Argives attempt to ransack and destroy Troy, home of the Trojans. On the surface, it seems as if The Iliad’s cast of characters act of their own volition throughout the pages upon pages of conflict and interpersonal turmoil and have the power to make decisions