The difference between a superhero, as we know from movies and comics, and a traditional hero is rather unclear for many people.. In modern times, a superhero is often a being with supernatural abilities. For example, the movies depict them as individuals with super strength, night vision, the ability to climb walls, and so on. The majority of audiences have been spoiled with these unrealistic depictions and are unable to recall the real or “traditional” hero. In the texts, The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Book of Job, and Bhagavad Gita, heroes are not “as seen on television”, but something more. The heroes in these stories carry great strengths such as wisdom, patience, and pride. To illustrate these characteristics, the protagonists themselves …show more content…
For example, according to the text, Gilgamesh is “Two-thirds (of him was) divine, one-third (of him is) human. He was perfection in height, Ideally handsome …”(1.50/60-61); while Job is described something as a wealthy family man without any special powers other than popularity. Arjuna on the other hand, is seemingly weak hearted and fights only with the influence of Krishna. Now, at first glance, each of these men seem to be heroically unequal with such contrasting descriptions. At a level of heroism they may be seen in the order Gilgamesh (the most like a hero), Job, and Arjuna (the least like a hero); while in terms of the stories, no man is more great than the …show more content…
"Now then, who will convene the gods for your sake, That you may find the eternal life you seek? Come, come, try not to sleep fort six days and seven nights." (11.210-212). This is a strong example of patience. Job also demonstrates vast amounts of faith and patience as God tests him through numerous vicious attacks on his family and personal health. Job is stormed by the devil, but, “Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.” (1:22). Likewise, Arjuna illustrates patience and faith in Bhagavad Gita, when Krishna says “...hostile to no creature, Arjuna, a man of devotion comes to me.” (11.57-58). There are numerous examples of wisdom in The Epic of Gilgamesh, “He who has seen everything, I will make known to the lands. I will teach about him who experienced all things… alike, Anu granted him the totality of knowledge of all. He saw the Secret, discovered the Hidden, he brought information of (the time) before the Flood” (1.1-6) as well as The Book of Job. After his journey, Gilgamesh comes to the realization that eternal life will not come, and he is now a better, more mature King to his people. Job is wise enough, throughout his entire story, to not succumb to the Devil’s taunts and attacks. Instead, he remains faithful and patient to see the privileges God gives him in
Epic heroes. Individuals who are larger than life, brave, and noble are the predecessors to our modern day superheroes. Initially, an epic hero such as Beowulf could be compared to Wonder Woman, a fierce warrior and protector of the Amazons. Both possess titles of nobility, travel over vast settings, and are well-versed fighters, all of which are characteristics of an epic hero. While both individuals are quite similar, there are a few distinctions between the two such as one standing alone in battle, being emotionally connected with their followers, and having a weakness that ultimately leads to their death. For example, Wonder Woman often fights her battles along with her counterparts while Beowulf chooses to battle independently.
In both Ancient Anglo-Saxon and Ancient Mesopotamian cultures, works of literature portray heroes such Beowulf and Gilgamesh, and the heroic values that they possessed. The heroes, Beowulf and Gilgamesh, had both similar and dissimilar heroic values, however, Beowulf was by far a better hero than Gilgamesh. While Beowulf and Gilgamesh both possessed remarkable strength and courage, Beowulf was fearless and selfless, which makes him a true hero. After comparing the two texts, it is fair to say that Ancient Anglo-Saxons abide by stricter guidelines in terms of heroic values.
The dictionary defines hero in mythology and legend as, "a man who is endowed with great courage and strength, celebrated for his bold exploits, and born of divine or royal blood. He is a person noted for feats of courage or nobility of purpose, especially one who has risked or sacrificed his or her life." In addition, I believe a hero is one to be looked up to and emulated. What is interesting about epic heroes is that their great deeds and exploits all have to do with defeating themselves, so with help from the gods they can truly become heroic. They can only defeat themselves with the help of the gods.
Response 2 Many times in western cultures heroes or superheroes are thought to have physical strength as well as supernatural powers in which one uses to fight against evil (Chinese Heroism). This differs from the characteristics of a hero in Chinese culture as many times hero’s are considered average in physical appearance and possess qualities of “morally, culturally or intellectually” (Chinese Heroism). These qualities are also used for helping the good of the family or for China (Chinese Heroism).
Varying from time, location and person, what it takes to be considered a hero has remained for the most part unanimous and throughout time has been represented in multiple ways. Most present in dated writing, a hero 's image and pride make up a big portion of most heroes. Their heroes aren’t so humble and they aspire to keep their title of "hero". On the contrary, most heroes in literature today are quite modest and don 't expect to be viewed as or considered heroes (more often than not they themselves do not classify with being heroes). As is the case for Beowulf and Katniss Everdeen, both different and yet also similar in terms of action, motives and thought (their personality being what really separates the two). Perhaps the biggest part of how a hero is treated and acts depends on what their society is like. Throughout time, the overall qualities of a hero have remained very similar. What has changed, is
...ry characteristics which ultimately shaped the outcome of their campaigns. Although they utilized different morals and approaches in some instances, they were successful in their strife. Moreover, their attitudes also highlighted the characteristics of their cultures. Achilles mutiny as well as Sundiata and Rama’s humility points to what constituted the code of ethics in each culture. However, the trio are each a heroic representation of their respective cultures, thus inducing the conclusion that heroes are born relative to the situation they face.
Batman and Superman are superheroes whose qualities are exaggerated in a way that is reminiscent of the gods and heroes in The Odyssey. In Fact, the superheroes from comic books emerge from the epic tradition. Epics, as you know, celebrate the great deeds of one or more legendary heroes. This epic hero is generally involved with a quest to overcome hardship, and he (and it usually is a "he") succeeds. The hero performs superhuman exploits in battle, often saving or founding a nation or the human race itself. Sound familiar? And even in terms of the superhero's body, with his bulging muscles and larger‐than‐life qualities, such figures evoke the images of Baroque masculinity. What Becomes important in these retellings, then, is how the hero makes the journey, how he faces his obstacles, and what he learns in the process.
Heroes, the unordinary beings with extravagant abilities, from powers and competence to skills and talents. Heroes are people who are idealized by society for their courage and individuality. Iconic and well recognized heroes like Hercules, Superman, Spiderman and Achilles are some of the few heroes known around. All heroes have a similarity to each other, for example Beowulf and Batman. While both can be considered great heroes, they differ significantly, yet are similar in other ways.
The Book of Job is one of the three books in the Hebrew bible whose genre is described as wisdom literature.1 Certainly the Book of Job satisfies the literary conventions that qualify a biblical book for such status. 2 Yet Job may be associated with wisdom in a much more literal sense. The Book of Job attempts to deal with a problematic question that confronts suffering humanity: why do bad things happen to good people? The variety and vehemence of commentators' contemporary responses to this chapter of the Bible is testament to the continued relevance of the Book of Job's wisdom thousands of years after it was written. Although the commentators examined herein arrive at differing and sometimes conflicting conclusions after reading the story of "the holy Arab"3, none are left indifferent.
Each hero is a resemblance of their culture 's values and time period. Beowulf is a perfect figure to represent the warring and bloodthirsty era of the Anglo-Saxon whcich did not believe in life after death and had to live a life worth talking about for many years after death. On the other hand, Lincoln is a wonderful example of a modern day hero. He preached about God many of times in his debates within the government and even his Second Inaugural Address. The belief in God led him towards a more humble lifestyle in order to live a happier afterlife in Heaven. Heroes can be very identical on the surface, but what separates them is the civilization 's value and honor
...ation that would be interchangeable with the assessments. Is it a coincidence that many cultures share certain aspects of a hero? No, all societies wish for their champions to hold certain values; such as valor, strength, determination and the ability to overcome when faced with horrible adversities. I believe these traits transcend culture, religion and time; the only difference is that most of the ancient religions are now relegated to mythology.
Centuries ago, two books were written with similar and different ideas. The Epic of Gilgamesh and The Book of Job have different settings although they both discuss friendship, death and mortality, pain and suffering, and characters, but individually the book of Job examines where human beings stand in the world.
Firstly, I'm going to tell you the two different types of heroes and then I shall tell you my beliefs. The first type of Hero is a person who shines, where they are always seen and they perform outstanding task that almost seem almost impossible ( Yudhoyono). Those heroes are the type of heroes that you immediately think about superheroes. This type of hero will always be seen by others due to their amazingly accomplishments. But they are the reason why the true hero is never seen.
The book of Job is essentially one that tests faith. Job was a righteous man of God and lived a prosperous life. Sadly, a series of unfortunate events caused him to lose everything; his source of income, his family, and his health began to suffer. Even though this test was prompted by Satan, God allowed it because he wanted to see if the many blessings he bestowed upon Job were the reason for his loyalty. However, the conservation that transpired between Job and his friends left God very angry. The key to figuring out why is to first know the exchange of words then comprehend the meaning that lies within.
We’ve all had are moments when we wanted to be a hero, to wear a cape, and help others who felt they needed a helping hand. Being a hero can be so much more than saving someone from a life or death situation. In the ancient Greece modern time, a hero was a woman who was well-known and would obtain a status after a death of a lover. To the Greeks, the urgency of heroes was a mythical thing because it molded the future “heroes” (Kreyche p. 82). This dates to today’s heroes. Every mythical and non-mythical story has its heroes, especially the ones kids have created in books and movies. The definition of heroes has progressively changed throughout the years. Today, our heroes consist of a person having “great courage, especially for a noble purpose” (“heroism”). Throughout the years, heroism has been created to show one’s grateful purpose, their effects of being a hero, and what it took to keep the status of a “hero”.