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I always liked Hector better than Achilles-- bit of a sulker, him.
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Last year I had to do a paper on this very topic - why modern audiences find Hector more sympathetic than Achilles.
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Actually, they seem fairly dissimilar to me-- Earandil risked everything to get help for Middle Earth and Achilles was just out for glory and revenge.
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Yes. Tolkien's heroes are much more northern in their outlook. I think that if parallels must be sought it is more fruitful to seek them in the
Kalevala, the
Elder Edda, and the like than in Homer. Not that Tolkien didn't like the Hellenic classics as well, but I don't think they were really sources of inspiration.