Essay On Heracles As A Greek Hero

567 Words2 Pages

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Heracles is a mythological hero, known for his supernatural strength and the favor of the gods towards him, which make him a literary hero. In society, a hero is someone who risks their life to save others. However, despite being blessed by the gods, Heracles does not appreciate his heroic qualities and instead uses his powers to kill his wife and children. This leads to a journey full of difficult situations in order to seek forgiveness and immortality. As a demigod, Heracles is part human and part god, and has been blessed with strength, intelligence, and resourcefulness to conquer his journeys and seek forgiveness. Heracles should have taken advantage of these blessings to protect his family.
The meaning of a true hero is someone who is willing to risk their own life to help others. Not all heroes possess the strength, intelligence, or speed of Heracles. What makes true heroes special is their willingness to help anyone in need. Heracles, on the other hand, performed his deeds to gain pardon from the king and achieve immortality. He acted out of self-interest, with more to gain than to lose. If Heracles truly regretted killing his family, he should have performed good deeds that would have helped him understand the importance of family. Instead of granting him immortality, the gods should have punished him with loneliness. Wrongdoings should be punished, not rewarded. Good deeds should be promoted, and those who perform them should be rewarded with eternal life or other qualities, like Heracles'.

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