Epic Hero Essay In the early morning of August 31, 1997 Princess Diana of Wales became involved in a fatal car crash. Though her death struck the nation with tragedy she will forever be remembered for not only being a princess but for all her other heroic deeds. Heros can be everyday people, fictional or nonfictional, or in this case a princess. Most great stories are based off of epic heroes, the hero will have a noble birth, great courage and strength and of course show national heroism, they do what is right even when the task is hard. Princess Diana stood up for what is right even when inconvenient, and looked she crazy, she is a true hero and a great role model. Princess Diana embodies the characteristics of an epic hero because she …show more content…
Diana, the youngest in her family of four, remained close to the Royal Family of Britain even at a young age. She may not of been royalty in her younger years, but she came from a wealthy family; “Born Diana Spencer on July 1, 1961, Princess Diana became Lady Diana Spencer after her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer in 1975” (“Princess”). Diana had a noble birth because she came from such an aristocratic background. Diana became a public icon and the press, along with her people, loved her. In Diana’s childhood her mother and father divorced, her father won the custody battle of all four children. Not until later did Diana go on to marry Prince Charles, the ceremony took place on July 29, …show more content…
She was an extremely strong woman who stood up for what she believed was right, even when not easy. In 1196 Diana and Prince Charles divorced, a mutual agreement on both sides; “The two became estranged over the years, and there were reports of infidelities from both parties” (“Princess”). Some women would have felt so blessed to experience this amazing new world where they are treated like a princess and decide to continue on, but Diana was different.Instead of enduring the rest of her life in a marriage she was not involved in, Diana decided to show great strength and divorce Charles. However Diana was still involved in her children's life, and still continued to take part in her charity work, she even began dating an Egyptian film producer named Dodi Fayed. Though she was no longer a princess, everyday she still continued to show her everlasting heroism. All through Princess Diana’s life she showed many qualities of an epic hero. Diana and her aristocratic childhood is a great example of a noble birth, at a young age she played and later married the future king of England. Her global charity work continues on and has impacted many lives for the better and therefore makes her a national hero. Diana is capable of great strength, by divorcing her husband but still continuing to see her children, taking part in her charity work, and dealing with the
The film The Princess Bride, directed by Rob Reiner, is describe as “Thrilling, exciting, very funny and absolute magic”. No wonder the film has entertained audiences since its release in 1987. While its entertainment value in generally agreed upon, The princess Bride is not precisely inventive, nor original. Westley, the hero, fits closely the profile of the Classic Hero. Similar, the film’s plot mirrors the path followed by the classic hero, across thresholds and into a fantastic adventure. And, like the Classic Hero, Westley must undergo a series of ordeals before he can achieve his goal, to rescue “Buttercup”, and prove true love can overcome all obstacles. The Princess Bride, like most contemporary fantasies, is a retelling of the Heroic
It can be argued that Westley of William Goldman’s The Princess Bride is the hero of the story. While he does not portray one in the beginning, depicted as a seemingly incompetent farm boy, he manages to prove himself as one in the end.
Who is a hero? In contemporary times, usage of the term has become somewhat of a cliché. Over the years, the term “hero” has become representative of a wide variety of individuals, each possessing differing traits. Some of the answers put forth by my colleagues (during our in-class discussion on heroism) as to whom they consider heroes pointed to celebrities, athletes, teachers and family members. Although the occupations differed, each of their heroes bore qualities that my classmates perceived as extraordinary, whether morally or physically. Nonetheless, Webster’s defines “hero” as “a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.” Thus, it is worth considering that individuals become heroes relative to the situation with which they’re faced.
Loewen defines heroification as “a degenerative process (much like calcification) that makes people over into heroes” (Loewen 11). During this process, negative or controversial facts are often ignored or altered in regards to these heroes, which create “perfect creatures without conflicts, pain, credibility, or human interest (Loewen 11). When one changes or omits facts concerning figures in history for this type of glorification, we are left with an invented story of the event or person; in other words, history has become a myth. History textbooks are filled with these types of glorifications, especially older texts. The purpose of heroification is to present events or people in a favorable light and to give ideal role models in which to follow. In my own words, I call Loewen’s heroification an effective form of brainwashing. For example, I was always taught that the Civil War was fought to free slaves, but later learned this war was about states succeeding from the Union. Many people still believe the Emancipation Proclamation’s purpose was to free the slaves; however, it was actually the last resort Lincoln used to win the Civil War. Of course, this is not how these events were portrayed to most of us in History class. Heroification alters the purpose of these events so that we, as citizens, can feel proud that America did away with slavery because our forefathers felt it was morally wrong. Loewen also points out how heroification can lead to role models in the case of Helen Keller, “the blind and deaf girl who overcame her physical handicaps, as an inspiration to generations of schoolchildren” (Loewen 12). The problem with Keller being used as an exemplary model for American schoolchildren is that only her early life is portr...
During the 1980’s and 1990’s, Princess Diana was loved among many. She is remembered as the "People's Princess" because of her widespread popularity and global humanitarian efforts. Diana was born July 1st, 1961 in Sandringham, England, where she was adored among the British elite. Princess Diana married Prince Charles on July 31st, 1991, and later gave birth to two boys--William and Harry. Diana served as a strong supporter of many charities. She worked to help the homeless, people living with HIV and children in need. As her popularity spread, the paparazzi's began documenting her every move. Diana steadily became the most photographed person in the world. Charles and Diana eventually became estranged and finally divorced in 1997. Even
In studying different types of heroes this semester, we have come across several examples of heroes and heroines. From the Trojan War to the Italian renaissance, tragic heroes have been consistently present in the stories we have read this semester. In this essay I will expose the similarities and differences between tragic heroes that we have encountered in The Iliad (as recorded by Homer), The Aeneid (by Virgil), Oedipus the King (written by Sophocles), and in The Prince (written by Niccolo Machiavelli).
As a young child, she had it rough. Her mother raised her as her ugly duckling which I find very strange. I can not imagine being told I was ugly by my own mother and can not even fathom that leading to a life of beauty and in fashion none the less. When her family settled in New York, Diana was about ten years old and was enrolled in Brearly school where she did not last long. Not being able to speak English made it a very lonely and difficult place. After...
The Hero Journey undergoes different points in someone’s life. In 1949 a man named Joseph Campbell shared Mythic and Archetypal principals with the world. Christopher Vogler fulfilled all of the Hero Journey steps. In the Princess Bride film directed by Robert Reiner is based on the book written by William Goldman. In the film Westley the farm boy leaves the farm, and goes on an adventure to provide for his true love. Westley is a Campbellion a Hero because the story has Mythic and Archetypal principals and follows most of the twelve stages of the Hero Journey.Westley begins his Hero Journey with a call to adventure out of his ordinary world.Westley is a farm boy, who works for a beautiful girl named Buttercup. The farm is filled with animals, and orders from Buttercup. The only wodds Westley says is “As you wish” (Princess Bride). Westley shows that he loves Buttercup but does not want to live on the farm anymore so that he can get a better life for the both of them. When Buttercup realizes she truly loves Westley, and wants to spend the rest of her life with him. Buttercup would tell Westley to do things just so he could say the magic words. “ Farm boy fetch me that pitcher” ( Princess Bride). This shows that Butercup loved Westley even though she did not show it, and this would send him on his adventure. Tom Hutchsion expressed in his article that “ There is a call to a new experience. This might appear like good news or bad news” (Hutchsion, Tom). Westley does not refuse the call because he wants to provide a better life for Buttercup. Westley entered his special world by getting on the ship, and starting his new life. While on the ship Dread Pirate Roberts keeps Westley on the ship as a passenger, and trains him, and he becom...
Not only her family and her friends but the whole nation to whom she had become an icon.. The forth rule in tragedy is that it is partly brought about by the victims own actions. For Diana it was the fact that she had been taking a slight risk in asking her driver to try and escape from the pa... ... middle of paper ... ... y come a few seconds earlier she could have prevented
Throughout history, there have always been heroes. Those strong-willed, brave individuals who perform courageous acts for fame and glory are prevalent in most cultures.. Societies have these heroes as standards of their cultures’ moral codes. Every society has their own definition of these codes are, so a unifying definition of hero can be hard to achieve. However, Philip Zimbardo says “Simply put, then, the key to heroism is a concern for other people in need—a concern to defend a moral cause, knowing there is a personal risk, done without expectation of reward.” With this basic definition, I will be examining various epic heroes I’ve studied throughout the course of my senior year for characteristics. From the copious amounts of studying, I’ve deduced that Achilles, Odysseus, Aeneas, Socrates, Gilgamesh, Beowulf, and Arthur all have characteristics that make them heroic.
From hitting No. 1 on the charts to rehabilitation centers, Britney Spears was a 90’s icon who had many ups and downs in her life. She faced obstacles and challenges, but still found time to produce No. 1 singles and albums. Britney Spears is an example of a tragic hero because she was a sensational singer of her time who was brought down by the many struggles in her life.
Even twenty years after her death, the world continues to remember the princess who perpetually remembered them. Princess Diana lived as one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. She devoted her life in the spotlight to bring recognition to causes that she felt others should care about, such as AIDS, homelessness, leprosy, and landmine removal. Diana believed that love and kindness served as the remedy for any sort of suffering. She once stated in an interview with BBC journalist, Martin Bashir, “I think the biggest disease this world suffers from in this day and age is the disease of people feeling unloved. I know that I can give love for a minute, for half an hour, for a day, for a month—I’m very happy to do that and I want to do that” (Roisin Kelly). While the matter remains certain that people were initially starstruck having a princess in their midst, it is undoubtedly Diana’s kindness that attracted and continued to attract beings to her presence. She held the hands of those deemed unsafe to touch and broke down stigmas in the process. Diana became a hero for those who had no one to speak up for them, or the trials they endured, through simple acts of kindness, such as a warm smile or a gentle handshake. While Diana aided those around her, she herself desperately craved love and kindness, as discussed in the following quote from the New York Times’ Article, “Diana in Search of Herself”. “Indeed, Diana's unstable temperament bore all the markings of one of the most elusive psychological disorders: the borderline personality. This condition is characterized by an unstable self-image; sharp mood swings; fear of rejection and abandonment; an inability to sustain relationships; persistent feelings of loneliness, boredom, and emptiness; depression; and impulsive behavior such as binge eating and
"I am the wretch created by your beloved Elizabeth," cried the vaguely female wretch. "Elizabeth has passed the limits of the human realm and in her feverish pursuit of the essential knowledge of the world she has spawned the being that you now see before you!"
Princess Diana once said,“I would like to be a queen in the hearts of the people.”, and if there is anything she has done it has been to take over our hearts with her compassion and generosity. Princess Diana dedicated her life to helping others and using her fame to do it. She was humane and humble never seeing herself above others, even as royalty. This considerate woman would show up to hospitals just to talk and encourage people with her kind words. Princess Diana supported more than 100 charities in her lifetime, although she mostly impacted AIDS/HIV patients and landmine usage.
In literature, there are two types of heroes, epic and tragic. An epic hero reflects their society’s values, immortalized in the eyes of their people, and shows courage in the face of adverse situations. Achilles is an epic hero because he embodied the honor that was so highly regarded in Greek society, chose to die early in battle and be remembered gloriously rather than living a long anonymous life in his homeland of Pthia, and avenged Patroclus’s death.