Jason and the Argonauts and the Role of the Anti-Hero Daniel Kekes-Szabo College

While Hector and Odysseus in Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey are seen as clear heroes, the Argonautica differs in its approach to Jason, as his relatively average abilities are matched by his typically anti-heroic habit of letting others do the hard work for him. Hector in The Iliad is perhaps one of the truest heroes in literature, his character and strength reflecting everything a hero should entail. Not only his courage but also his awareness of what is going on around him separates him from an ordinary man: while he fights with bravery, he is not stubborn to say that Troy will stand against the Greeks. The difference between Hector and Jason is also there involvement within the conflicts that arise and the story overall. Hector is very much a warrior for Troy as the most talented fighter they have, and unlike Paris who prefers to be with Helen all day, Hector is out on the battlefield.

In the Argonautica, Jason prefers to delegate tasks to other people in his crew. He is depicted by Apollonius as someone who is not wholly independent and does rely on help when it is given to him. Overall, Jason is somewhat plain in ability and complex in character, his weaknesses showing more than Odysseus or Hector. While he is not as...