Ancient Heroes Vs. Modern Heroes

Today in society there are many individuals who can be described as heroic because of their courageous actions towards helping others. People who do not believe in heroes today do not see the change happening around the world for the benefits of future generations. However, in reality many individuals are risking their own lives to fight for what they believe in and for the change they wish to see in this world. Alfred de Vigny asserts that there are no heroes in this world, but even ancient stories like Beowulf provide examples of heroes who risk their lives to save others while we do still have heroes during modern-day times.

No well written character is a hero “just because they are”, they need to have a motive for their actions, and it’s often a personal reason. Even back when Achilles was fighting for the Greek Empire, he initially wanted little to do with the

Present-day heroes oppose the traditional “hero’s journey” by exemplifying how the idea of a “hero” evolved throughout time; the “hero” doesn’t necessarily have to be the “good” guy yet the audience will still promote

Heroes are those who have gone above what the average person would do to ensure the welfare of others. Natural disasters, terrorism, poverty, and war are some of the many things that destroy and end people’s lives. Throughout history, many people have made a difference. However, as history progresses, what we consider to be socially normal changes along with our definition of a hero. In Ancient Greece, Theseus, Hercules, and Perseus were considered heroes, but today only Theseus and Perseus would be considered heroes because Hercules would be shunned by society.

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Today, some of the Greek’s values are still applicable, but as culture has evolved so has society’s outlook on heroes. A Modern day hero is not usually royal or an offspring of a god, and he may not be as physically robust as the Greek warriors, but he still must be superior in character, motivation, intelligence, and altruism to be admired. Modern heroes are characters that are uncompromising in their beliefs, motivated to make a difference in humanity, certain of their actions, and unmoved by detriments to their character. Modern heroes are people like Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Susan B. Anthony; they all are ordinary on the exterior, but their actions and insight changed the modern world forever. A modern interpretation of heroism cannot always relate to characters created almost 3000 years ago, so a hybrid of the ancient and modern values is necessary in order to be applicable to an ancient character. A character from ancient

In contrast, today modern heroes are more virtuous. They have a cause that they are fighting for and are prepared to die for that cause. Self-sacrifice can be seen throughout many modern heroes, whether the cause is civil rights or the protection of one’s country. The cause is more important to the individual than the individual themselves. Another difference is that they do not seek glory. A hero is looked up to, but they did not necessarily ask for the glory they receive, whereas the Greeks sought

Heroism, observable in one form or another in most literature throughout the history of man, is an important contributor to the social values of mankind. Almost every major civilization has a fabled hero of some sort, for example, the Greek Achilles. Heroes are undoubtedly important, raising the question of what it takes to be a hero, or what values are shared by the heroes of our world. Heroism is in essence acting bravely not to receive fame or fortune, but solely for the welfare of others. Though, without explanation of what it truly means to have each of these qualities, this statement alone is insufficient.

What is the point of life? Maybe it’s to create to further civilization, or maybe it’s to further selfish desires of glory. Either way, a sense of purpose has provided one of the main dividers between the world of the living and the underworld. Far north, across foggy, desolate waste, lay Hades’ kingdom; a permanent prison for almost all dead souls. These souls have been deprived of all substance, memory, reason, and will.

Heroes play a significant role in modern day society, as well as throughout history. Heroes are portrayed in many different forms. A hero can be anyone that has committed an act of heroism, by completing a task for the benefit of others instead of oneself. Our first heroes as children tend to be our parents. Society sets a standard, or guideline that determines if a person is correctly defined by the term heroism. A hero’s cause or morals also can evolve as society changes. Heroism throughout the course of history has changed as society has evolved.

Heroes are one of many things; they could be a mighty warrior raised to slay beasts; they may have laser vision that they use to defeat crime, or they may even be a typical everyday citizen that sees a way to improve life for their community. Heroes are often known to bring an end to something that is plaguing a society; something that no one else wants to face alone. For this reason heroes are needed in modern society to boost moral, and bring peace to the public's oppression.

Even though the heroes of the ancient past were facing fantastical odds, the morals of their stories were, in

Today, we define a “hero” as someone who is revered for his or her noble qualities, just actions, and bravery. Compare this to the definition of a “hero” in ancient mythology, where most heroes lack what we define as heroic qualities. While there are similarities between the modern and ancient definitions (i.e. “sacrifice, trustworthiness, devotion to one's community”), the classifications diverge in this idea of the “good, virtuous” hero.

Most heroes hold a high place in our society today. Whether it’s everyday heroes like firemen or supernatural heroes such as Superman most people do have someone they look up to as a hero. For example with the destruction of Hurricane Harvey many civilians with boats are taking matters into their own hands and are saving people stranded which gives others hope and confidence that everything

Throughout the ages, there have been many epic heroes in which we hear about through stories. However, there is a rather common question of what makes them an epic hero. Not only do humans look for the bravery and good deeds in a hero, but they go deeper than that. They wish to know what lies beneath the skin. Literally, what makes them act the way they do. Psychologically speaking, there is no sure way to tell why each person acts the way they do. However, what people can analyze is the actions within a story. Of the numerous heroes in which one could extrapolate upon, there are a few who are ideal for finding the true characteristics that make a hero, those being: Achilles, Odysseus, Aeneas, Socrates, Gilgamesh, Beowulf and of course