Heitor e o destino: a trágica jornada do herói épico na Ilía.

Abstract

Produced approximately in the 8th century B.C. and attributed to Homer, the Iliad is one of the oldest literary works in the Western epic tradition and established many fundamental elements of epic narrative. It portrays universally significant themes of the time, such as the religious beliefs of the Greek people, the notion of honor, the role of the gods in human life, and the ideals of heroism and bravery. Throughout its complexity, the tragic fate of Hector stands out as one of the most striking aspects of his story, as he is doomed to face defeat and death at the hands of Achilles, fulfilling the predestined fate assigned to him by the Moiras, goddesses of Destiny. Thus, the overall aim of this work is to analyze how the character Hector's fate is shaped within the plot of the Iliad. To achieve this, the study explores concepts that encompass the ancient Greeks' understanding of fate based on literary theory and Greek myths— discussing the figure of the epic hero, followed by an analysis of the events in the work that lead to the tragic conclusion of the Trojan hero. The theoretical foundation relies mainly on Junito de Souza Brandão's study on Greek Mythology (1986; 1987), particularly his concepts of Fate and the mythology of heroes, as well as Milton Marques Júnior (2007) regarding his discussions on the construction and journey of the Greek hero. Albin Lesky's (1996) views on tragic content and its presence in the Iliad, along with André Malta's (2006) insights on Hector's deceptions and Caroline Alexander's (2009) research on the literary construction of the Iliad, were also considered. Methodologically, this is a bibliographical, exploratory research with a qualitative approach, seeking to interpret the data through readings, discussions, and the development of ideas. Based on this study, it can be affirmed that Hector is portrayed in the work as the principal defender of the city of Ilium, and thus, his fate is directly linked to its inhabitants. Therefore, it can be concluded that his fate becomes tragic, as he is destined to be killed and dishonored by his worst enemy, suffering deceptions and committing excesses that lead to his downfall and that of Troy.