The Iliad Study Guide

Find two quotes that show Hector's sense of duty in Book 6.

In Book 6 of The Iliad, Hector expresses his sense of duty toward Troy and his family during his conversation with Andromache. Which of the following quotes best illustrates Hector's internal conflict between his role as a warrior and his responsibilities as a father and husband?

Create a mind map showing how the theme of honor is developed through the actions of Hector, Achilles, and Priam. Use bubbles, arrows, or lines to connect each character's actions to the theme of honor.

Have a role-play debate where Hector explains his sense of duty to Troy, while Achilles defends his personal honor. Use evidence from the text to support your character's point of view.

- Example: Hector might argue, "My duty is to Troy and my family, even though it means facing death."

Reflection: After the debate, write a short reflection on how each character’s motivations drive their actions and how their interactions influence the plot.

Choose a passage from The Iliad that contains strong figurative language (e.g. Book 1: Achilles and Agamemnon’s Argument, Book 6: Hector and Andromache’s Farewell, Book 16: Achilles Sends Patroclus to Fight, Book 24: Priam’s Plea to Achilles).

Task: Highlight specific words or phrases and determine their denotation (literal meaning) and connotation (emotional or implied meaning). Then, explain how the connotation affects the tone or mood of the scene.

Discussion: Share your findings with a partner. How do different word choices affect the reader’s perception of the characters and the tone of the text?

Using your understanding of The Iliad, sequence the following words from the most negative connotation to the most positive connotation. These words are used to describe characters' emotions and actions in the epic.

Select a key scene from The Iliad (e.g., Hector’s farewell to Andromache, Achilles’ rage over Patroclus’ death).

Task: Rewrite the scene from a different character’s point of view (e.g., Andromache’s perspective instead of Hector’s). How would the tone and emotional impact change if we saw the scene through someone else’s eyes? Example: Andromache’s point of view might emphasize her fear and sense of loss, rather than Hector’s sense of duty.

Reflection: After writing, reflect on how point of view shapes the reader’s understanding of the characters and events.

In Book 6, Hector says farewell to Andromache before returning to battle, where the scene is told from Hector’s point of view. How might this passage change if it were told from Andromache’s point of view? Use the RACE format (Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain) to structure your response.