The Great Hero What is a Hero? In the Novel Mythology by Edith Hamilton it speaks of many Greek Gods and Goddesses, you get a clear outlook on many of the characters in the novel. Many of these gods fit some criteria on what a hero is. An Epic Hero is a character who is brave and takes risks to accomplish tasks not only for themselves but for the goodness of others. A Hero is someone who doesn't only do things to benefit themselves but benefits the people around them and goes on quests to establish their greatness. Who is also glorified by their community. In the Novel two characters by the name Theseus and Perseus meet many of these characteristics. Perseus is very brave and goes on a quest to capture an item that is very dangerous …show more content…
It was very difficult to find a way out. Theseus was in search of the bull also known as the Minotaur which meant it was half bull, half human and doing so he succeeded in the task by murdering the Minotaur and also finding a way out of the labyrinth thanks to the help of Ariadne. Theseus quest of fighting the Minotaur was completed. He went out of his own way to kill a monster that was terrorizing the people of Athens. Theseus was just like any other hero; having ups and downs. Theseus was going through a difficult time. He had went to visit the Underworld only to be tricked by Hades and sit in a chair. The chair was named The Chair of Forgetfulness (Hamilton 219). Theseus stayed in this chair for long while and were not able to arise from it. Hercules who came to the rescue and removed Theseus from the chair, only to see him grow as a god and to show him that he could get up and be a better hero and reflect on his decisions in life. Theseus was not only seeking glory and fame for his accomplishments he also seemed a love life. He married a women named Phaedra, who was Ariadne’s sister. Theseus was humble “A strong affection grew up at once between father and son (220). Theseus is brave for getting up and continuing his life and not giving up, he has a heart and loves his son. Theseus is the better hero because not only does he help his community he also has a heart and loves his family and seeks to do greater. He knows right from wrong and makes mistakes but he sticks to his decision and does not go back on
Theseus, The Great Athenian hero, was the son of Dianae and King Aegeus. Theseus had something that not many children at his age didn’t have, “he grew up strong far beyond others” (210). When he was young his father, King Aegeus, set a hollow sword and a pair of shoes and placed a great
Gilgamesh and Odysseus are similar not only in their physical appearances but also in the way the two of them deal with life's dilemmas. Although Gilgamesh and Odysseus possess great strength and sharp minds, their own flaws blind them similarly, which does not aid in their quest for what they desire. As part of their heroic character, the gods must guide them in order to reach their goals. In every epic from antiquity, the greatest challenge a hero must overcome is not a monster or an evil tyrant but themselves. They wish to have glory, honor, and a place in history forever. Doing something that no one else could ever do again is what a hero desires to do. From Gilgamesh to The Odyssey, epic heroes constantly have to reinvent themselves to overcome their own weaknesses and shortcomings. Each has to learn from their previous mistakes, using the gods? help, so they can fulfill their dreams. In doing this, Odysseus and Gilgamesh will reach their goals.
The hero is the man who fights for what he loves. A hero is someone who rises above circumstance to take back what is his or hers. A hero is a man who was favored by the gods. All of these qualities and more can be found in both Odysseus and Telemachus. Odysseus and Telemachus both showed many manifestations of a hero throughout the Odyssey. It was a journey of change and growth for both men. Out of this journey they returned with much wisdom and personal gain. Odysseus and Telemachus have truly walked the path of the hero’s journey.
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.
In summary, the aspects of a hero are being adroit, caring, and tenacious. A modern mother and Odysseus both display these traits. Odysseus witnessed his men being killed by the Cyclopes when he was on his way home from Troy, but a mom would do anything to save her children. No matter who a person is, they’re still a hero because a hero is someone that never gives up. A hero doesn’t have to be strong or smart; they just have to be themselves. A hero can be anyone, like an average mom or a famous soldier. In life, every single person is hero; whether they saved a life or saved a soul.
Many think being a hero is having super powers, but on the contrary it's more than that. A hero is one who is distinguished for their courage and bravery, and looked upon for their great deeds. A hero like this is not just found in modern society today, but in mythology as well. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus earns the title of a true hero by conveying many qualities such as: determination, courage and leadership.
Imagine going to a new school where there is a student who has more power and control of the class than the teacher. This person stops all drama, helps students, and resolves all the problems. They would be considered a hero to the class. In the book Our Twisted Hero, by Yi Munyol, the antagonist, Om Sokdae, is this person and the twisted hero. Om is the twisted hero because he helps the students get out of trouble but uses them for his advantage.
It is an universal acknowledge that Theseus is a Greek hero, mentioned in myths by people. Which he volunteered to be a tribute and sacrifice to the Minotaur, in order to kill the Minotaur . At the end he successfully slew it with Ariadne's help who fell in love with him and promised to marry him.
Theseus first displays his heroic nature when he was seven years old. Hercules came home and took of his lion’s skin. Convincing as it looks, Theseus friends ran away. “Theseus quickly grabbed an axe and fiercely attacked it” (244). Theseus was ready to risk his life at the age of seven. Theseus friends were terrified but Theseus showed them that he was fearless. Many thrive to obtain the characteristic of fearless and are willing to do anything to achieve the title. Perseus announces that he has no family wealth for the king but Perseus can offer his service. “I would even kill the terrible Gorgon Medusa”(200). Perseus behead the mortal Gorgon with one slice of his sharp sickle. Perseus risked his life just to prove his loyalty and courage. Theseus is a number of heroic things such as strong, selfless etc. Most importantly he is fearless and continuously is able to display it through his actions. Theseus courageously and fearlessly volunteered himself to kill the Minotaur just like how he killed Marathon. This shows that he’s not afraid to kill anyone. He was admired by many, including the Athenians due to his courage and honour. Theseus was known to defeat extremely difficult
Marcus Yallow, who skips school with his friends, is detained by the DHS after a terrorist attack on the Bay Bridge. After six days of humiliation, torture, and interrogation, everyone but Darryl is released. Marcus, who is angry after being humiliated, vows to, quote: “get them” (Doctorow 71) and what ensues are weeks of defiance and resisting the DHS underground. During this period, he meets Ange, who helps him conspire against the DHS. Their movement for civil rights and privacy gain traction and Marcus is contacted by “Masha”, who offers him a way out. Right as he’s about to flee, he realizes that he must stay and fight so he smashes Masha’s hands and is once again captured by the DHS. As the DHS
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
The word “hero” has several definitions. In Greek mythology, a hero was originally a demigod. A hero can be the principle character in a play, movie, novel, or poem. A hero can even simply mean someone who is discerned by outstanding courage, dignity, or power. Even though there a many different types of heroes, they have all been through a journey with many obstacles that they had to overcome. The journey of a hero is one huge cycle, starting at the home of the hero and ending at the same place, the home. There are two very important stages of journey cycle—the road of trials and crisis/salvation. The road of trials stage is basically the obstacles the potential hero had to overcome. The crisis/salvation stage is the disaster that occurred and how the hero was saved from it. Odysseus faced many obstacles, and there were many crises that he underwent. The journey of Odysseus was mythological. He left his homeland of Ithaca to go fight in the Tro...
In T.H. White’s The Once and Future King, Arthur attempt to use the philosophy of might does not make right to guide himself and others in a world where the people around him believe that might does make right. Almost every chance Arthur gets to put his philosophy into practice is faced by a direct opposition. Even in the very beginning of The Sword in The Stone, the might of the people around Arthur, who is referred to as the Wart, stops him from using his own strategy. For example, in the first chapter when Kay wants to fly Cully, the goshawk, he does not let Cully rouse properly before making him fly. The Wart wants to go through the proper steps and be patient, but Kay stubbornly refuses and flies the hawk under the notion that might is
Seven youths and seven maidens from Athens were sent as tributes every nine years into the labyrinth, to be killed by the Minotaur, because King Minos’s son had died due to king Aegeus sending him on a deadly quest (Hamilton 239). Theseus volunteered as tribute, but unknown to everyone, he planned to kill the Minotaur. When he got in the maze, he killed the sleeping Minotaur with his bare hands (Hamilton 241). This was him getting vengeance on Minos for sacrificing the maidens and youths to the Minotaur. Him killing the Minotaur was also out of compassion for the people of Athens, who were afraid of being sacrificed. Another notable instance of Theseus caring about others was after Hercules had killed his wife and kids. He comforted him and saved him from killing himself out of guilt (Hamilton 259). At his essence, Theseus cared so much for others that he put himself in danger to help
To the greek, a hero may be defined as, somebody who does something dangerous to help somebody else. To the Urban Dictionary a hero is “a person or character who, in the face of danger and adversity or from a position of weakness, displays courage, bravery or self-sacrifice.” Two people, Perseus and Theseus, (who also happen to be two of the most known heroes to to the greeks) fit these descriptions perfectly. Perseus and Theseus acquire the traits needed of an amazing hero. The characteristics which they portrayed are, intelligence, courage, and help from the gods. They use these characteristic similarly and differently throughout their life and these next few paragraphs.