Analysis Of Ossian Heroes

Hero, the word strikes a universal chord making us think of exceptional and spectacular stories or deeds that far surpass any common feat. To the Greeks and many other cultures, the birth of these heroes is important. The birth of a hero sets them, apart often even before birth, from common mortals in Greek mythology. Birth is the first of many major events in our lives, our entrance into the world (Leeming). For heroes, that entrance must be as special as their lives will prove to be. A mundane birth is simply not an option for a hero, whether by the machinations of the gods or prophecies from an oracle, even the events surrounding their conception must be spectacular. From Perseus and Danaë to Theseus and Aethra, the myths

The hero that I selected earlier was Wonder Woman from the Western Archetypal Hero list.

What does it mean to be a hero? People have been asking this question for a while now and people ended up with different opinions. Take Odysseus for example. He was a king and leader to his men. Though he doesn’t wear a cape or have super powers, his followers still see him as a hero. Why? I personally think that being a hero means inspiring people and pushing people to be their best selves and this is what Odysseus had achieved during his troublesome journey.

A. Identify Odysseus’ qualities. What makes him an epic hero? Record his traits on the

Heroes in classical mythology are often compared with gods and are seen to be more akin to gods than mortal men. They are famously known for the quests or the deeds carried out by them. These quests usually do not take place near where they originate from. They need to travel long distances and usually transgress geographical, cosmological and physical boundaries. During these quests, they come across and have to interact with a range of divine and supernatural creatures, objects, and people. In doing so, they can be seen helping keep the society more ordered and civilized. Due to their deeds they too like gods have their own cults and/or are worshipped. Many of the heroes also gain apotheosis (immorality). Heroes can have divine parentage which classifies them as hemitheoi (half gods/ demi-gods). All these qualities of heroes truly makes them more akin to gods than mortal men.

An Exploration into the Common Traits of Fictitious Heroes through the Analysis of J.K. Rowling 's Harry Potter and the Philosopher 's Stone

Beowulf became the epic hero he was, from his will for his love to succeed, his strength to never give up even if it meant death .He existed trying to become like his father or even to surpass him. He defeated the dragon and his pride lead him to his death, but he saved so many lives before his inevitable demise. He gave his life for what he believed in, for honor, pride and for his people. Which in turn creates the next hero, Wiglaf who served Beowulf willing to give his life for him, and in the end he defeated the dragon alongside his hero and master Beowulf.

“Hard times don't create heroes. It is during the hard times when the 'hero' within us is revealed” – Bob Riley. This quote explains to us that heroes emerge out of society and out of their fears, they overcome the hard times and become great human beings, so what are heroes? Why are they important to their society? And what do they go through to achieve that name?

Throughout the Odyssey Odysseus’ plays the “godlike” hero which set the standards for values and traits of the Homeric Greek man. Using his cunning intellect and valiant heroism to finds his way home after many trials and tribulations. During his travel home Odysseus gains knowledge about other peoples culture and about different lands throughout Greece. He learns from his own suffering and the mistakes he had made. Odysseus started his journey as the King of Ithaca and the warrior of all warriors known by the gods as a great hero. Odysseus was the commander of the Greek army and a cunning leader with the plan to win the Trojan war, which he accomplished with the Trojan horse. Odysseus had a seriously downfall however, because of his godlike status and other physical characteristics he tended to be challenged by allurement of series of different women. This temptation was one of the major roles played by women in the Odyssey. Another very important role played by women in the Odyssey was the role of support for their husbands and sons during times of war. Despite the importance of women in the Odyssey women continued to be inferior to men, and the double standards are extreme. Along with the double standard is the significant roles women were required to in Homeric Greece. Even the goddess had certain roles required of them. The Odyssey gives us a piece of Greek Culture during this time period and shows us the role of women.

A hero is a man to be admired. Every civilization throughout history has always had a hero. The model of a hero has always changed throughout history. A hero essentially embodies the valued characteristics of a society. In ancient Greece, the Greeks had heroes who embodies the morals and values that are significant to their culture.

Whether in mythological times or present day, there has always been heroes. There are many differences in the heroes of mythological times and today, but one key similarity is courage. Whether it was Odysseus fighting for Greece to overtake the Trojans, or Martin Luther King Jr. standing up for his civil rights, courage was required for both of these actions. It takes courage to fight for one’s country, and also courage to stand up for oneself. A key trait that can be seen in mythological times is the trait of Greek “kleos.” Kleos is the term used for glory and honor that the hero seeks for himself or for his family. In modern day, our heroes can be associated with self-sacrifice and fighting for a greater good. In both mythological

The Western genre can be a variety of works, including texts and films, which are set in the American Old West during the latter half of the nineteenth century. This genre primarily focuses on the life of a cowboy with gunfights, a good guy and a bad guy, and the usually ending of riding off into the sunset. The common misconception that is shown throughout the Western genre is that the male characters are always the hero, whereas the female characters are impediments and less valuable. This relates to Susan Lee Johnson’s quote on how the Western genre always portrays One Big Myth and One True Hero. She states that “Much is held in abeyance when {the} impulse to find One Big Myth and to indentify its One True Hero is indulged.” Johnson

There are many hero stories in Greek mythology. Many of these can be interpreted as metaphors when making comparisons to the lives and encounters people today experience. Many Greek myths influenced important pieces of historic literature which have made it easier for people to find their own ways of making these personal connections and better understanding their lives. The Trojan war involved several heroes however Achilles is one that can easily be related to many athletes. Achilles role in the Trojan war has many common themes that can be related to the story of Cleveland Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel and his journey to the National Football Leauge. Both hero and athlete were considered saviours, they were both very emotional men, and lastly they both enjoyed great success before experiencing failure through their different achilles heels.

Heroes are prevalent in everyone’s life. Whether someone’s hero is a living person or a fabled character from a movie, everybody has come into contact with some sort of hero. In fact, the concept of heroes has existed for hundreds of years, dating all the way back to Ancient Greece. Over time, heroes have drastically changed. As society has evolved, our heroes have evolved with it. Their goals and motivations have changed to coincide with the views of modern society. Modern day heroes have less selfish motives, better qualities, and are portrayed differently than ancient heroes.

The heroes in Greek and Roman mythology had the characteristics of violent masculinity and bravery, the ideology of a patriarchal society in which all the men were elite than the women. According to Kampmen in Gender Theory in Roman Art, “Roman society evolved in such a way as to enable elite men to establish and maintain power over everyone else, ” such men included heroes like Hercules, Achilles, and Pentheus (1996, p.152). They represented the elite males who had stable physical attributes that emphasized their masculinity and heroism. Heroes like the ones mentioned above had been idolized and worshiped with cults due to their works in helping their societies to fight monsters, the gods also favored them. Gender is emphasized by one 's appearance, dressing being the primary attribute. The mythic narratives of Achilles on Scyros, Hercules and Omphale and lastly Pentheus and Dionysus give a rather strange definition on the characteristics of heroes when they crossdress. In this essay, I shall discuss how male heroes characteristics become subverted than emphasized due to the myths of cross-dressing.