Arrogance of Greek Heroes

Arrogance of Greek Heroes

Often readers will criticize the champions of classical and medieval epics for egotism. Critics cite examples from the Odyssey, the Aeneid, and Beowulf of conceit and egocentric behavior. Odysseus, Aeneas, and Beowulf display a well-known arrogance befitting their accomplishments. The motivation for this arrogance, to complete these tasks, to perform these feats, is often over-generalized to the point of inaccuracy and confusion. One must not let such misinterpretations interrupt the humanization of these characters. Through the examination of the desires and behavior of these epic heroes, we can discover an underlying need for recognition or honor. In classical and medieval western epics, the hero’s desire to complete a given quest is fueled by their desire to gain or maintain honor or fame.

The first hero to be considered is one of the original Greek champions. Odysseus, often characterized as a braggart and self-centered, displays all the traits of a man doing his best to leave his mark. He will never take the simplest of routes to solve a problem; he would much rather use his cunning and inventiveness to contrive a plan that exploits the weaknesses of his foe and uses all the resources at his disposal:

“‘God help me!’ the man of intrigue broke out…

‘Come weave us a scheme so I can pay them back!

Stand beside me, Athena, fire me with daring, fierce

as the day we ripped Troy’s glittering crown of towers down.

Stand by me—furious now as then, my bright-eyed one—

and I would fight three hundred men, great goddess,

with you to brace me, comrade-in-arms in battle!’”(l.437-47, VIII)

Odysseus would rather orchestrate a plan that ensures a total elimination of the suit...

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... wife and home as well as his place in Carthage in the name of the gods, in the name of a quest that does not directly benefit him. From this pursuit, he does not stand to gain spoils, and the most that could be said of his fame would be drawn from his descendents. It is this moral stance, this understanding of universal placement, of purpose, that sets Aeneas apart from other heroes.

Not every hero is a perfect model of character, but these well-known heroes of epic poetry do have powerful senses of honor and endeavor. Perhaps the authors meant these characters to exhibit flaws, or to relate to an idealized hero image that modern readers cannot understand. Regardless, it cannot be assumed that these characters are driven by a simple egotism, but rather by the same desire of many other men to be remembered, especially to be remembered for great things.