Origins And Background Of Greek Mythology And Superheroes

Hercules, born of Alcmena and Zeus, was conceived when Zeus took the form of Alcmena’s husband and lay with her. Her true husband lay with her again later that night and she conceived twins. One would be born to her human husband, and the other fathered by Zeus himself (Hamilton). Zeus bragged about his soon to be born son alerting and infuriating Hera to Hercules existence. Hera was notorious for tormenting her husbands’ illegitimate offspring since she couldn’t harm Zeus outright for his infidelity (Hamilton). Hera persuaded Eileithyia to slow Alcmena’s labor in a fit of piqué, almost killing her (Hamilton). Alcmena in fear of Hera’s wrath gave her son to nature. Zeus (in some accounts Hermes) stole him away to Olympus, where he suckled at Hera’s breast while she lay sleeping, granting him immortality (McLeish). When Hera awoke during the suckling she pushed Hercules away and the milk that sprayed out formed the Milky Way (Leeming). Zeus took the infant and placed him back in his crib before departing to Olympus again. Enraged Hera sent two massive serpents to kill Hercules and his brother as they lay sleeping

A hero can be described as someone who goes through various obstacles and is able to overcome them. Both the Bible and The Odyssey depict heroism through two similar characters, David and Odysseus. In the Bible, David rises above all others through his heroic qualities and by ending the war between the Israelites and the Philistines with the aid of God. On a related note, in The Odyssey, heroism is demonstrated by Odysseus in the way that he conquers multiple enemies, also with the assistance of the gods. However, heroes are not always perfect and they often make mistakes throughout their journey. David and Odysseus are successful as heroes because of the positive and negative characteristics that they possess, as well as their firm relationship with the divine that ultimately assists them in overcoming their challenges. This demonstrates that individual efforts were not enough to be a hero in their community and the help of the divine was crucial.

Many think being a hero is having super powers, but on the contrary it's more than that. A hero is one who is distinguished for their courage and bravery, and looked upon for their great deeds. A hero like this is not just found in modern society today, but in mythology as well. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership.

Since long ago, people carried an image of what it means to be a hero. It is evident in some great books one might even say. As in The Epic of Gilgamesh, Antigone, and The Iliad, heroism is displayed and exalted, but what does being a hero mean? Overarchingly, in regards to these works, the heroes earn their titles as heroes by notably doing what is right when the time is right, with humane purpose, and an everlasting message. However, Gilgamesh, Antigone, and Akhilleus, being different in their purposes, everlasting messages, type of heroism as whole, can not compare in regards to heroic status.

But because of the similar traits it as relatable. Batman is famous through comic books, movies, and series on television. While Odysseus is famous through oral storytelling from Homer. Also in the Odyssey people among the trip home that they met have heard of Odysseus before, recognizing him. While some believe that Odysseus was real, Batman is someone that people know is a made up fictional character. The lesson in Odysseus story is that “man is not more powerful than the higher power” or “to never give up”, while the theme for Batman is “justice”. Batman and Odysseus goes through different journeys with different lessons, but their traits of what made them what they are and how the stories are built up is similar. So people do have similar traits in their heroic stories today as 3000 years

Batman is like an epic hero because he is very strong and powerful. Odysseus shows his mental strength and physical strength when he finds a way to escape from the Cyclopes. In the text it states in book 9 online, “Odysseus and his crew finally escape, having lost six men per ship. A storm sent by Zeus sweeps them along for nine days before bringing them to the land of the Lotus-eaters, where the natives give some of Odysseus’s men the intoxicating fruit of the lotus.” Odysseus shows that he is mentally and physically strong and powerful. Batman is equally as much of an epic hero as Odysseus was because Batman is and was very strong mentally and physically in all the comics and movies.

“A hero is an ordinary individual, who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.” -Christopher Reeve. Heroes are extraordinary, people like them and respect them. A Greek hero is defined as a person, who always achieves his goals, faces monsters and many dangers, and is a leader and accepts challenges and problems. A modern day superhero is defined as a type of character possessing great or supernatural powers and is dedicated to protecting the public. However some heroes do not need the superpowers to be classified as a hero. A hero can simply be someone, who thinks of others before themselves and can either save people or protect someone. Greek heroes, like Odysseus from Homer’s The Odyssey, and

Heroes are viewed differently today as the average person who is admired for courage or outstanding achievements such as firemen and police officers. The ancient Greeks viewed heroes as those that acquire more than just courage, they must be strong and inspiring as well. Although Achilles proved to be several of these entities, the Iliad begins with

The trait of heroism is something that has changed over thousands of years. Today’s heros have different traits than those heroes of the Trojan War. However, a few have survived the test of time. Many of modern day heroes, as well as past heroes, do hold these long enduring traits, like Nelson Mandela, Marcus Luttrell, Louis Zamperini, and the fictional Iron Man. Odysseus, the main character in The Odyssey by Homer, portrays the traits necessary to be dubbed a hero. One is a hero if he or she shows leadership, bravery, resilience, and creativity throughout their actions.

Daedalus carefully explains to his son, Icarus, how to use the wings he has invented. Even though Icarus is very mischievous, Daedalus trusts that he will take his warnings into consideration; however, his warning foreshadows Icarus’ downfall. His instructions connect to Icarus’ death since Icarus both melts the wax from the feathers and becomes too heavy to escape the waters. Given Daedalus’ instructions, Icarus was determined to fail since he had to delicately fly in between the waves and the sun, no explicit boundaries are in place. It is ironic that Daedalus fails to predict his son’s behavior, yet he equips Icarus with a such an instrument that requires a high skill to operate; therefore, Daedalus indirectly kills his only son.

In most stories the typical hero is a person who is selfless, strong, uses their power, if any, to help others, and are usually nice and humble. Greek heroes however tend to vary in comparison. For instance, in the Iliad by Homer, the Greek hero Achilles is very strong and well loved, but he only fights in battles to gain personal glory, not to help others however, he is still a hero nonetheless. The ideal of heroism fluctuates between cultures, therefore the notions of heroism set forth can be contradicting. The heroes in the short stories Theseus retold by Robert Graves and The White Snake by the Grimm brothers show similar and dissimilar traits in both character, and the concept of heroism; but, both of the main characters are still considered heros.

When we hear the word 'hero,' more than one idea comes to mind. Not only do we think of people that we look up to in our world, but we also think of heroes in the fictional world. To be a hero can mean a variety of different things. Leaders, singers, and even parents can be a hero that someone looks up too. But in the fictional world, a hero is someone who has learned from his or hers journey to come out a changed person. Some characters complete the journey, while others do not quite make it to the end. In The Odyssey, Odysseus takes more than one leap of faith on his journey to become a hero by learning from his mistakes, making personal sacrifices, and becoming a better man.

What defines a hero? Many will say qualities such as strength, loyalty, and tremendous courage. From slaying the great monster to rescuing the innocent from certain death, heroes by definition perform heroic feats and demonstrate abilities far beyond those of the average person. However, despite their record of accomplishments, all heroes have flaws. Interestingly, western literature uses the Biblical concept that all men have sinned and fall short in some way. Homer’s epic The Odyssey illustrates this point in a very direct and precise manner. Odysseus, the main protagonist has the strength of a hero, yet at times his pride consumes him and leads him to make dubious decisions. We should admire Odysseus for his strength and cunning, but at the same time take note of his pride and poor judgment.

Heroes show a variety of different traits that set them apart from others. These traits can make or break a character in a book or movie, and likewise affect us in our everyday lives. I think Odysseus, a male hero fighting to get home, shows many of these traits. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus shows that he is very loyal, and I believe I exhibit this trait as well. Odysseus is very loyal throughout the book.

Some people think of a hero as someone with courage, determination, or someone that have risked their lives for others. Others think of a hero as someone who has outstanding strength and is clever. A hero, not only has physical strength, but also has mental strength as well. Odysseus, ruler of Ithaca, proves he is a hero by having all of these traits. Odysseus fights through hard times and overcomes obstacles, he kept his men together for most of the story, and he avenges himself when returning to his home, Ithaca. All of those are very heroic.