The Concept Of Heroes Essay

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

Being a hero is something everyone is capable of with bravery and intelligence. You don’t have to be a Greek God to be a hero, you can be a simple, average person living in a regular town. Heroism is not your social status and ruling the land, it is the qualities you possess and how you use them. Both the short story “The Hero’s Test” by Alisoun Witting and the short story “The Red-Headed League” by Arthur Conan Doyle shows heroism and how anyone can be a hero.

In the fiction world heroes have been one of the most entertaining figures. It has always been fun and interesting to read about heroic stories and about different obstacles that heroes had overcome. When someone mentions the word "hero" it is more likely to think of characters like Batman or James Bond, but it is for sure that if we had the chance to ask the same question centuries before, the answer would have been different. From comics or TV it is seen that heroes change physically and spiritually through time, but the heroic pattern stays always the same when moving from ancient times to today's heroes.

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.

The meaning of hero has changed over time. The ancient heroes were defined as the people who were stronger and braver than average people. One example of that would be Beowulf. Beowulf was a well-known hero simply because he was able to kill three monsters that on one else would be able to kill. The heroes that are similar to Beowulf are many and they share similar personal traits. The

A hero is someone who is admired for their courage and their dedication for helping others . Heroes put others before themselves and care for others without wanting anything in return. According to the about definition, Odysseus, the main character in the epic poem The Odyssey, does not deserve to be called a hero. As great as he is seen to be, Odysseus had weaknesses that lengthened his and his men’s journey back to Ithica, a major trait being his ability to not be dependable. Before the Trojan war began he feigned insanity but was caught.

The term hero is can mean many different things in just as many different cultures. For example, modern day Americans would refer to a hero as someone who sacrifices oneself in order to protect and save others. While this current definition of hero is similar to that of the past, the first generation of heroes certainly had their differences. Two unique examples of these heroes are Gilgamesh and Rama. Gilgamesh was the king of Uruk in the Middle East who ruled as a tyrant, while Rama was the king Ayodhya who ruled with compassion. While these two individuals are clearly heroes, they couldn’t be more dissimilar.

A hero is something that society has formed an idea about the characteristic it should posses from history. Through the stories told from the past a hero is developed through their qualities and characteristics they value. When one views a hero from a different culture they can form an opinion on what matters to that culture. One will notice that through all these different heroes that they all share common features. In ancient Hebrew culture Moses represents a hero and for ancient Greek culture Odysseus represents heroic figures.

and powers beyond the range of any human. The hero himself bring a mystical quality to the story

Across societies, throughout the globe, and in the roots of religions as old as civilization itself. These are the places heros rein strong. Although each has a unique face, name, reputation, and story, every hero has one trait in common: they better the lives of those around them.

A hero is someone who is admired for their noble qualities. For example Odysseus in the story has the necessary qualities to classify him as a hero. Odysseus shows determination throughout the book, his entire journey back from war is all determination to get home. He exhibits strength and great powers at many different points like, when he is killing the suitors. Odysseus is brave even when times are rough, he mostly can push through anything. These traits can be seen as heroic today because they all demonstrate not given up, pushing for what you want and persevering through the tough times. Odysseus is coming home from the Trojan War but faces many obstacles on his way home. Once he finally reaches Ithaca he reunites with his son,

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.

Hercules was favored by the gods from few quest and even a labor. For the sixth labor the goddess Athena helped Hercules by scaring off the Stymphalian bird he had to do this because the birds were causing a plague with their numbers. Hercules shot arrows at the birds when Athena scared them. Hercules had many terrible experiences with love because of Hera. ”He was helped by Athena to drive them out of their converts. ”(Hamilton 172) Hercules was considered the greatest hero of gods because he had the most strength out of all and great emotion. When he was a baby Hera sent two snakes to kill him but Hercules held them both up and killed them. Even though he is called the greatest this didn't mean he was necessarily good most of the times when he did bad things it was hera controlling his mind. He killed his wife and three children when he was being controlled. “When Megara had borne three sons he went mad.” Later he killed his wife and children.

There are many types of heroes (such as the ones in comic books, myths, movies, or even just everyday life heroes) but all of them have perseverance when they’re going through a conflict. Heroes are role models and they’re people that we look up too. They all have unique and special qualities that make one another different from each other. For example policemen battle crime everyday and when they’re overcoming a conflict they have determination, courage and other traits that people admire them for and that make them as a hero. Typically a hero is admired for their achievement/actions and qualities.

What does it take to consider someone a hero? During Greek and Roman antiquity a hero could be defined as a strong, virtuous man who can bravely lead others. In this time period, earning honor for yourself, your family, and your city-state was the most important for a man to achieve. Achilles of Homer’s epic poem Iliad and Aeneas of Virgil’s Aeneid are depicted to be great heroes, although they can only achieve their goals with the assistance of divine intervention. Looking at the relationship between “heroes” and the gods, Achilles and Aeneas could not have succeeded without help from the gods, leading them toward the inevitable fate the gods wanted for them.