Pseudo-Heroic Characters

The theme of the 'heroic' in John Milton's Paradise Lost is one that has often been the focus of critical debate, namely in the debate surrounding which character is the 'true' hero of the poem. Most critics of the subject have, however, noted that the difficultly in defining the 'hero' of Milton's work is mainly due to our “vague understanding of what constitutes heroism”1 and the fact that “the term itself is equivocal”2. The 'vague' terming of what heroism can be defined as it what draws critics

groundbreaking book The Image, historian Daniel Boorstin described how our culture had created “a thicket of unreality which stands between us and the facts of life.”2 Taken together, telegraphy, photography, radio, cinema, and television brought forth the pseudo-event, an occurrence staged to call attention to itself. Boorstin was not just concerned with the now-familiar “photo-op” or “media event.” He put his finger on a much larger problem. Americans not only confused the copy with the original but also

The zombie genre in film dates back to 1932, when White Zombie, the first full-length zombie movie was released. George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead (1968) marked a shift in the zombie film genre, because it was the first movie to portray the typical features zombies have in the majority of zombie movies until today. In order to survive, zombies need to eat human flesh, they cannot think, do not feel any pain, and need no sleep. Furthermore, they are corpses, which were reanimated and the only

In this book, John Keegan examines the lives of four well-known commanders and analyzes their command through the lens of what he terms "the heroic." He argues that the first armies began to organize themselves under the command of someone who met this heroic ideal, and demonstrates that, throughout history, successful commanders have adapted this ideal to suit their individual needs given the circumstances of the time.Each Commander is presented in his historical background: political and social

King Arthur Character Analysis Although King Arthur is one of the most well-known figures in the world, his true identity remains a mystery. Attempts to identify the historical Arthur have been unsuccessful, since he is largely a product of fiction. Most historians, though, agree that the real Arthur was probably a battle leader of the Britons against the Anglo-Saxons in the sixthth century. In literature, King Arthur's character is unique and ever changing, taking on a different face in

is consistent with the realistically human portrayal of Jake's character, his role as a heroic figure is stifled somewhat by the constraints of society. Rather than exhibiting gallant feats of bravery consistent with the romantic definition of a hero, Jake's valiance is displayed in a subtler, less tangible manner. By displaying the virtues of tolerance, honesty, patience and understanding, Jake proves himself to be as much of an heroic figure as can reasonably be expected in the real

One character is obviously the comic relief, another the beloved hero. The rest, valiant men fighting for their country, their lives, their freedom. The scene ends and the curtain rises, all of the pseudo soldiers take a bow and go home to their normal lives, far from the hands of death that grasp at the men forgotten in Vietnam, the real soldiers. They

desperate battles against the odds, against the battles of fatigue and torture, against the deadening will to survive. Joseph Heller's masterpiece Catch-22 has enlightened generations of readers to the insanity caused by corrupt bureaucracy and the pseudo-law of Catch-22. Heller's creation of the

important values were courage and integrity. The only factors that could bestow shower fame upon a person were heroic deeds and family lineage. Beowulf, as the paradigm of pagan heroes, exhibited his desire to amass fame and fortune; the only way to do so was to avenge the death of others. This theme of retribution that is ever present throughout the poem seems to color the identities of its characters. Revenge is presented

Many times, Hollywood attempts to get the most emotion out of a film by adding a strong sense of drama. This method is especially used by showing the conditions of the third world. The most common continent to do so would be Africa. On the one hand, it is good that a movie that millions of people watch can make humans from all around the world aware of the poverty and issues in Africa. On the other hand, the people get a false impression of the continent due to the director’s choice of the setting