Troilus and Cressida Act 5, Scene 9 Summary & Analysis

Night is falling when Hector withdraws to a quiet corner of the field and begins to disarm. Unfortunately for him, Achilles and the Myrmidons find him. Just as the day ends, Achilles says, so too will Hector’s life. His men surround the Trojan prince and, heedless of Hector’s plea for mercy and honor (since he is unarmed and cannot defend himself), brutally murder him. Achilles order his men to tie Hector’s body to his horse so he can parade his conquest for all to see.

This brief scene doesn’t just show Achilles to be a completely dishonorable man. It also renders Hector’s honorable action in Act 5, Scene 6 empty and meaningless. It seems that Thersites is right and that war is nothing more than a chance for evil men to express their desire for violence. It’s also notable how quickly Hector goes from being the most formidable fighter on the field to dead, again pointing fortune’s power to unexpectedly disrupt—or, in this case, end—people’s lives.

Active Themes

Troilus and Cressida: Act 5, Scene 9 Summary & Analysis