Andromache, one of the few female characters in the Iliad, is perhaps part of one of the most tender sections of the Iliad. Along with Helen, she is the only other mortal woman to have substantial lines in the entire epic. Unlike women in general in the Iliad, Andromache's role goes beyond simple spoils of war. Homer treats her as a counterpart to Hektor (she is, in a sense, his "equal"), giving his actions and words greater meaning. Andromache's lament (Book 22, lines 437-515) is particularly powerful because Homer effectively uses literary techniques here that draw out empathy from the audience. In the Iliad, Andromache's lament is a poignant and intense passage that serves as a characterization of Andromache, providing the reader with a greater understanding of Hektor, Trojan life, and the impact of the Trojan War. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Andromache's Lament focuses on the impact of the Trojan War on home life and family. The Iliad focuses on Achilleus, Hektor and other heroes in a warlike atmosphere; Andromache offers a contrast with this decor. Through their behavior, the male characters embody war, aggression and honor, while Andromache becomes the representative of peace, love and family. Andromache's Lament acutely describes the feeling of despair, loss, and sadness that accompanies war. Here, Homer's use of an emotive tone serves to emphasize the feeling of tragedy in a way that the audience could relate to. That is, Homer chooses to use diction suggestive of a child's helplessness, such as "boy", "baby", "child", "cheeks", "tug", "little", and "soft bed". Andromache does not focus her speech solely on Hektor's death or the immediate events of the war. Instead, she focuses much of the passage on her dire predictions about the life of her son, Astyanax, without a father. By focusing on Astyanax, Homer reminds the audience of the bigger picture of the Trojan War and the impact of the war on all people, not just the protagonists of the story. Andromache's speech sheds light not only on the effects of the war, but also on the relationship between Andromache and Hektor. The love between Andromache and Hector is very powerful and the depth of their bond gives the reader a sense of strength and integrity in Andromache and Hector. Because of the way Homer describes Andromache's relationship with Hektor, Andromache's reaction to Hektor's death generates empathy from the audience. Andromache's rampart scene with Hektor in Book 6 provides the audience with advance knowledge of the relationship between Hektor and Andromache. From then on, Andromache's complaint only becomes more powerful and touching. We see these emotions through the imagery used to depict Andromache running out of the house as a "delirious woman with a beating heart (Book 22, lines 460-461)." When Andromache learns of Hektor's death, she too "dies": Homer uses the expression "the darkness of night misted over Andromache's eyes (Book 22, line 466)", which echoes the expression used To describe death throughout the Iliad, "a dark mist gathered around him (Book 20, line 417)." Additionally, the use of a morbid and rancid tone illustrates the great loss of Hektor speaks of "writhing worms" and "dogs" that will feed on Hektor's "naked corpse" (Book 22, lines 509-510); all this gives a miserable picture of Hektor's fate. As Andromache.