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Recommended: Essay on hercules
While Hercules was the hero of all America, the people of Virginia had their own great hero. That hero was Theseus, the son of the Virginian Governor Aegeus. Theseus was sent to live with his mother in a small town in Kentucky when he was still a baby as Aegeus did not want Theseus to grow up in the spotlight. As Theseus grew up, he became the strongest young man around and spent many days exploring the wilderness around him.
When he turned 18, his mother gave him a test that had been given to her by Aegeus. The test was both mental and physical. Theseus easily passed it and received his father’s shoes, necktie, and pen, along with a note explaining that Theseus was his son. Deciding it was time for Theseus to go live with his father, Theseus’s
... myths are told and some of the history behind the city of Athens, it is certainly clear that there is more going on with why people told the myth of Theseus than just to convey historical information. Myths are entertaining to listen to, and an effective means to disseminate information. The information within them, however, may not be strictly true but the ideas conveyed are. For Theseus, setting him up as a national hero gave later politicians a means to smooth over some tricky political moves that may have upset the general populace and also a means to unite them into a central identity. For this reason, one of the main reasons the myth was told was for propagandist reasons, and not historical. Whether or not there was a disagreement between the Athenians and Cretans is a moot point; the important thing here is who the Athenians were, or who they aspired to be.
All throughout Edith Hamilton’s rendition of Theseus’ story she displays example for all three parts of the characteristic from Theseus’ superior strength, the prime example from the story is when Theseus kills the sleeping Minotaur without any weapons and only his bare hands, an example of Theseus’ intelligence comes during his reign as the King of Athens, he’s described as a wise king who chose a more democratic rule to govern his people, and an example for Theseus’ courage lies in his selfless actions to volunteer himself as one of the sacrifices to enter the Labyrinth to face the Minotaur. Although Hamilton’s description of Theseus’ legacy speaks for itself, “Theseus was, of course, bravest of the brave as all heroes are, but unlike other heroes he was as compassionate as he was brave and a man of great intellect as well as bodily strength (Hamilton 166.)” Just in Hamilton’s quick summary of Theseus’ character is a testament that he doesn’t fit the role of an epic hero but he is the literal archetype which epic heroes strive to be. Theseus isn’t just superhumanly strong, like Hercules, or only incredibly courageous to the point it’d be stupid, like Perseus, Theseus is superior in strength, intelligence, and
Hercules of 1997 got put together by one of the popular Disney directors, Ron Clements and John Musker. Their earlier works include “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” and “The Great Mouse Detective,” which were movies that were astoundingly successful Disney movies that almost everyone enjoyed watching. Hercules without a doubt is one of my top Disney favourite movies, because of its really pop and melodious songs, and its simple yet very intricate plotline.
For a character to be an epic hero, he must possess four characteristics. These four characteristics include the following: (1) he must be high born, (2) the hero must have human weaknesses, (3) he must be brave,and 4) he must be clever. In The Odyssey, Homer’s character Odysseus was an epic hero because he possessed all four of the characteristics.
A hero accepts who he is as an individual, but strives to change himself for the better. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, the main character Odysseus is a valiant king who embarks on a life-changing voyage. While traveling from Troy back to his home in Ithaka, King Odysseus overcomes daunting obstacles, and in doing so discovers his place in the world. Odysseus is truly a heroic figure because he demonstrates courage, improves his character, and wins the support of the gods.
Often through great literature, there is an epic hero. In the Odyssey, Homer tells the journey of one man’s journey home from the Trojan War. The protagonist of the epic poem Odysseus is often regarded as a great hero. However, Odysseus is not quite the glorious soldier that people often see him as. Odysseus disproves his title of a hero through his pride, his disloyalty, and his bloodthirstiness.
His birth name was Alcedes, which later changed to Heracles (Hercules). The story a hero’s journey and the 1997 film both tell hercules story in different ways. Having multiple versions of his story he has multiple archetypes.
The definition of a hero is unique for every individual; however there are several regulations that majority of individuals can agree on. A hero must exhibit traits such as humility, kindness, and courage. Once the candidate expresses hubris, displays cruelty, or retreats from a formidable challenge, he cannot be considered a hero. Lastly, a hero candidate must overcome challenges that defy the odds. He must deliver a gift to society that benefits society as a whole; such gifts can be freedom, liberty, or hope. Odysseus in The Odyssey, by Homer, fulfilled these requirements and rightfully earned the title of a hero. Odysseus is well deserving of the title hero because he has put the needs of others before his own, shown signs of courage in the face of adversity, and displays humility by ridding himself of his hubris.
Monarchs ruled Athens, before the life of Theseus. To kept the monarchy in control and continue the current rulers authority, an heir had to be born. Conflict between the current ruler and those who wanted to take over his position was always inevitable. In Plutarch writing, Theseus was born to the king of Athens, Aegeus, and Aethra, the daughter of the wise Pittheus. After Aegeus’ encounter with Aethra, he left shoes and a sword under a rock so that if he did produce an heir he would return to Athens to be at his father’s side. Aegeus knew that if he did produce an heir that he had to keep the child a secret so that his enemies, the fifty sons of Palla, would not kill the child. When Aethra’s son was born her, her father claimed that little Theseus’ father was the god of the sea, Poseidon, hiding the secret of the real father. In addition, it is possible that Poseidon was said to be the boy’s father because this could boost the boy’s reputation as he grew.
Myths and religious doctrine are generally recognized as two entirely different things. Myths are usually referred to as a fictitious story or a half-truth; often they are stories shared between groups of people that are part of a cultural society. Religion is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, and purpose of the universe, and often containing an ethical code dictating appropriate human conduct. Although they differ in certain aspects, they still hold similarities. Comparable to parables within the Bible, myths have different versions which are both motivating, as well as entertaining. There are not only parallels to the idea of the stories but specific tales hold similar morals and equivalent characters.
“A true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart.” This is a quote from the movie Hercules, said by the person who voiced Hercules in the movie. This completely explains Hercule’s situation. Hera despised Hercules, made him go crazy and slaughter all of the people he loved. He then completed 12 seemingly impossible tasks. His second wife thought he was betraying her, and she killed him, but the gods took pity on him, and made him a god. Hercules should be considered a Greek Hero for three reasons. He went through a lot of suffering, he fought for his own honor, and he accomplished many magnificent, treacherous feats.
In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus’ heroism, or lack thereof, is demonstrated throughout his journey from Troy to his kingdom in Ithaca. Scholars today debate the usage of the word “hero” to describe Odysseus. However, I think that this is a highly ambiguous question. The question cannot simply be whether or not Odysseus is a hero, because the definition of a hero is dependent on one’s perspective. While it may be clear to some that Odysseus is a hero, by other’s standards he is quite the opposite. As written in On Heroes, ancient Greeks considered heroes as “humans, male or female, of the remote past, endowed with superhuman abilities and descended from the immortal gods themselves.” By this definition, whether or not one is a hero is not based on one’s humanitarian qualities or moral traits but on one’s strength, ability, and prestige. Today, heroes range from superheroes on television, to civil rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., to firefighters, even to a neighbor helping another find a lost pet. Heroism is not necessarily associated with brute strength, or even recognition, but with noble deeds to help others. In addition, heroes must follow strict moral codes. One who performs great actions, but has no moral compass is not considered a hero in present day. With these definitions in mind, we can begin to analyze Odysseus’ heroism and find that he straddles the line between heroic and unheroic.
In this world one does not often encounter a hero. A true hero dedicated his life to putting others before himself. Through his actions as a hero, Atticus plants the seeds of morality in his community and watches them grow.
Hercules the great hero and the son of the great god Zeus, was the most famous of all the Greek mythological heroes. Hercules was known for his strength, bravery, and adventuresome personality. Hercules like most heroes had a god as their father, and he had a mortal mother named Alcmene. Hercules like most heroes was not an ordinary mortal and a good example was his superhuman strength.
The Greek God Hercules is a legendary hero whose story has been retold in many ways, and each time his Greek archetype is modified or changed completely. Hercules the Myth is an innocent archetype seeking loyalty from the gods and village people, while in the movie Hercules starts out as an orphan and seeks a place where he belongs. Though there are many different depictions of Hercules, he will still be a hero.