The Hero Of A Hero

‘Honor’ is a vital part of tradition and reputation within the Greek Society. Greek Literature expresses the theme of honor and its significant impact on the lives of the Greeks. An impactful representation of honor is in the Iliad, when Odysseus is in constant pursuit of it. Odysseus surprisingly gives himself a no-name, and escapes the Cyclops, then finally says his name, just so Cyclops can tell everyone about Odysseus and truly how great he is. Honor is of the utmost importance to their society, whether its representing themselves with character, or being a part of a significant and important war. Men were sought out to be excellent or “aretē” with a competitive edge over others during battles or an “agōn”. “To excel means to do better than others; one cannot have aretē alone in a room. How did a man show that he had aretē? He defeated someone else in a competition, called agōn…” (Burger, pg. 39)

The great and mighty Hercules once said, “A true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.” The word hero comes from the Greek, literal meaning of “protector” or “defender”. A great example of a tenacious protector is Beowulf, “Higlac’s follower and the strongest of the Geats - greater and stronger than anyone anywhere in this world,” (Beowulf 195). A man beloved and looked up to by his people- a noble warrior at heart. On the other hand, there are kings, like Oedipus, who can be heroes and highly regarded just because of their societal status. Since ancient times heroes have been a quintessential part in all societies, from the poverty and slums of Africa to the proud, flourishing Hollywood. They

People of Homer’s time placed high value on war heroes and military strength. Men and women who fight for our country today, are still highly appreciated, but in Homer’s time military strength almost defined who a person was. An example would be Odysseus. He was highly respected in his society because

Warriors of ancient Greece were considered heroes by following the Heroic Code of excellence. They achieved this by acquiring a kleos; establishing fame, glory and a positive reputation. It was not an easy task to become a Grecian hero. Building and maintaining kleos meant that a warrior must be brave and strong, be “a speaker of words and a doer of deeds.” The solider had to protect his friends and harm his enemies, respect the gods and his elders, and most of all value his honor over his life. To die in battle, and be spoken of after death was the most important act of honor for a hero. The Greek tragedy, Iliad, attributed to Homer, portrays Achilles as the most gallant hero of the Athenian army. The story tells of Achilles, who develops into the greatest hero of the Trojan War. While the end of the end of the poem does portray Achilles as the solider that the story foretells throughout the poem he does not act like that. Many times in the story Achilles actions are perceived as unheroic but ultimately they shape the course of the few weeks of the Trojan Wars described in the Iliad, the Achaean’s final victory at Troy and his emergence as a hero.

The heroes of Ancient Greece had a code that they were supposed to live by. The Heroic Code was a social construct of Ancient Greece, which is proven based on how society treated Achilles after he repeatedly violated tenets of the heroic code. Achilles’ actions albeit indirectly influenced the Heroic Code and society as a whole.

Greeks looked up to people such as Achilles and Odysseus, who fought for their country and won. Everybody wanted to attain kleos and have glory for themselves and their families. The Greek heroes, in general, had big egos because of all of the praise and glory they received from the people of their lands. The Greeks did not fight because they wanted to, they fought because they had to in order to attain glory. Another key aspect is that the hero wanted to make a good name for their family, and wanted their glory to be passed down through generations.

Homer’s Iliad depicts a tale of war that focuses on various human-centered themes that focus on describing the kind of people that ought to strive to become. This is characterized by the heroic code, which is the ultimate desire of each hero in the epic poem. The heroic code, according to Homer, focuses on the simple premise of a hero achieving honor, which is also understood to be peer-received esteem. Homer depicts this important value as what most humans would seek to achieve, because this important value would indicate the selflessness of a person. This selflessness is widely signified as an important human trait for an ideal person.

As is already known, Homeric literature served as the model for educating Greek boys and young men, as well male Roman citizens later on in Antiquity. The passages of Homer and Hesiod instructed a decorum which defined proper behavior as unyielding bravery in the field of battle, and the continuous desire for besting an opponent through strident competition, or agon in the Greek. Achilles defined this part of heroic conduct, while Odysseus, through his renowned ability for persuasion, defined the other. Ideally therefore, both ways melded together provided a path to immortality and glory, which was the ultimate goal for every male aspirant in Classical Athens. As can be witnessed in Homeric literature – especially the Iliad – the real meaning of this immortality lay in the recognition of one’s achievements by his peers. And while immortality naturally meant being remembered for one’s actions, the potential for infamy also was part and parcel of this method. Therefore, this path to everlasting glory may been seen as highly individualistic, with no lasting contribution to the society left behind. Yet this masculine-nihilistic

In Homer’s The Iliad and Thucydides's History of the Peloponnesian War, warriors are defined by their moira, the allotment of life each mortal is awarded. Both Achilles and Pericles achieve greatness as the leaders of their respective societies, but both are destined to die when fate commands it. The impact they create before they reach death is dictated by their virtues, the guiding, moral principles that determine their beliefs and aspirations. Though both Homeric and Athenian traditions value warriors’ acceptance of the balance of victory and grief within their lives, Achilles exemplifies the Homeric virtues of personal glory, while Pericles embodies the Athenian virtue of devotion to one’s people.

In historic Greece, the characteristics of a hero were for the most part left only for men to achieve. Heroes were viewed as those who were kind to friends, vicious to enemies. They were also men who risked

A hero can be many different types of people and have many different qualities. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a hero as a person admired for achievements and noble qualities. Tom Hanks said “A hero is somebody who voluntarily walks into the unknown”. Heroes are strong and courageous, but they can also be quite and work behind the scenes. Eleanor Roosevelt once said “We do not have to become heroes overnight. Just a step at a time, meeting each thing that comes up... discovering we have the strength to stare it down.” Eric Blehm portrays many different heroes in his novel. Some are obvious heroes, but some of them are low key and stay behind the scenes. Throughout the novel Fearless there are many heroes;

The Iliad, by Homer, is an epic poem that portrays a 9 year war between the Trojans and the Greeks. The objective of the war was to retrieve Helen, the wife of Menelaus, from Paris, a Trojan prince, but it resulted in a brutal, prolonged battle. The Iliad begins with the ire of Achilles who decides to sit out of the 9 year war because he is unwilling to fight for the Agamemnon any further, as Agamemnon is, in the eyes of Achilles, a coward who is unwilling to fight his own war. In the Greek world Honor and Glory were essential elements in defining the “worthiness” of a man. Honor took form in taking the reputation of another, and Glory took form in recognition of an accolade. Hence, In The Iliad, Homer degrades the ideology of Honor and Glory through Achilles’ rejection to participate in the war.

One of the central ideas of the Iliad is the honor that soldiers earn in combat. For an ancient Greek man, the ability to perform in battle is the single greatest source of worthiness. The glory earned by soldiers on the battlefield enabled them to live on in legend, becoming heroes who would be remembered long after death. The characters of the Iliad often make reference to the great heroes of past ages, such as Hercules and Theseus. For the ancient Greeks, the term “hero” meant something stricter than it does today: the hero’s military glory could make him nearly as important as a god.

The heros of Greek epics are often considered the most valiant people in history. Demonstrating unfathomable feats of greatness, these heros hastily take over the plot whenever they are introduced in a story. Specifically, in the Iliad written by Homer, Achilles, a Greek demigod, becomes the protagonist in a 24 book series. Achilles is considered to be an invulnerable Greek warrior and throughout the Iliad we’re able to see him develop and change his morals. He evolves from a conventional Greek warrior into someone with relatable morals and values. Before analyzing Achilles, however, one must first understand who the Greeks were and what values they traditionally instill in their people.

In Homer’s poem, The Iliad, describes the events of siege on Troy, implemented by the Greek army. Homer’s epic expressed the notions of pride, honor, and heroism. The Homeric vision of a hero is a great warrior, who is respected and honored by others. Though the Trojans and Greeks had their hero’s and warriors, but no one compared to the strong, swift, and godlike, hero Achilles. Although Achilles was flawed, his attributions proved that he was a tragic hero.