Throughout history, epic heroes have been born in many ways. Through real life, through stories etc. They come from all sorts of different cultures. They come in many different shapes and sizes. Each one is different in almost every way. Except for being heroes. There are seven heroes that my English class has learned about, that are crucial to epic story history. Each one brings his own spice to the table, or maybe even a round table. The seven heroes that can be compared in history are Achilles, Odysseus, Aeneas, Socrates, Gilgamesh, Beowulf, and Arthur: and they can be because they are seven of the most important people in human history.
To start off, the first epic hero of history that is important is the great Greek, Achilles. Achilles is important for many reasons. First of all, he is considered to be the first real epic hero. The story really comes to life in the Iliad. Where he battles the Trojans, and his own Greeks. He was his own warrior; he didn’t want anybody taking control of him. Achilles was strong in body and not so much in mind. He was the greatest warrior of his time, and possibly ever. “He has all the marks of a great warrior, and indeed proves the mightiest man in the Achaean army, but his deep-seated character flaws constantly impede his ability to act with nobility and integrity.” (Whitman) In the end of Iliad, this is what kills him. He acts with his body and doesn’t think he can be destroyed. But he does get destroyed.
Next, the second hero was actually really good friends with Achilles, and fought alongside him, this is Odysseus. If you didn’t know, Odysseus was also a great warrior; he fought with courage and strength. He wasn’t afraid to fight any man, he should have though. Odysseus was also the ma...
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Lawler, Peter Augustine. "Our Hero Socrates." The Clarion Review. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. .
Mitchell, Stephen. "Gilgamesh and Enkidu vs. the Standards of Modern Heroes." abneydp. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. .
Snede, Jason. "King Arthur." Wyoming PBS. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. .
Whitman, Arthur. "Analysis of Major Characters." Spark Notes. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2013. .
Often through great literature, there is an epic hero. In the Odyssey, Homer tells the journey of one man’s journey home from the Trojan War. The protagonist of the epic poem Odysseus is often regarded as a great hero. However, Odysseus is not quite the glorious soldier that people often see him as. Odysseus shows that he is an antihero through his pride, disloyalty, and bloodthirstiness.
One of the main similarities in ancient Greek epics is that there are always great heroes who overcome many difficult and daunting challenges and goes on long adventures. The issue of heroic stature and the character of the hero have a great importance on the epics itself. Classical Greek heroes are usually born to do great things, go on epic journeys and in the end they would receive a reward for their troubles.
"The Epic of Gilgamesh." The Norton Anthology of World Literature. 3rd ed. Vol. A. New York: W.W. Norton & Compnany, 2012. 99-150. Print
...e also existed many differences. Most striking was their view on death; one dreamt of immortality while the other adored death and all its glory. At the same time, one must acknowledge the significant effect their friends had on their lives. One cannot help but wonder how each hero's life would have been without what could be considered his soul mate. Regardless, one must accept the fact that Achilles and Gilgamesh were heroes of their time and will remain epic heroes that are continually analyzed and compared throughout the modern era.
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.
The Epic of Gilgamesh. Trans. Benjamin R. Foster. Text. Martin Puncher. New York: W.W and Company, 2013.Print.
The question has been raised as to whether or not Odysseus, the hero of Homers The Odyssey, is an epic hero. An epic Hero portrays many classic properties, including being very strong and courageous. Odysseus is an epic hero, because he portrays many of these and other traits, such as having a goal that is foremost in his mind, and having descended into the underworld.
According to “The Hero’s Journey”, societies throughout history have lifted up exemplary individuals. There is almost always one individual who is a perfect example. He is the guy that leads others and is looked up to. The greeks valued a character that they could aspire to be. Also from “The Hero’s Journey”, the hero seems to be invincible and incorruptible. The hero is tested, but he always seems to prevail. In real life, this can be seen as a world leader or a famous warrior. As quoted from The Odyssey, “ He fought only to save his life and to bring his shipmates home.”(561). The hero always fights for good causes and for others. You never hear about a hero being selfish or foolish. They are always pure and just, so they are often well known and popular among the
People are heroes in different ways for different reasons. American soldiers are heroes because they fight boldly for their country. Corrie Ten Boom is also a hero because she took risks and saved hundreds of Jews. Abraham Lincoln is another example of a hero because he fought for what he thought was right and helped free all slaves. Similarly, Odysseus, the main character in Homer’s epic poem The Odyssey, possesses all of these characteristics and many more, making him a true epic hero.
Everyone has that one character, whether they are fictional or real, that they admire and adore because of their accomplishments throughout their life. The few men that are able to ascend past decades and become known for centuries as a hero are categorized as epic heroes. Epic heroes are able to truly transcend through time and are often times studied by the highest scholars in the world. The most notable hero who is often referred to is one of the world’s first ever heroes known ad Odysseus of Ithaca. His tale involved three main sequential parts. His first challenge was the war at Troy which pulled him away from home for ten years. Next was his ten year journey to get back home as he battled the gods and monsters of all kinds. His third wave was when he had returned home. Odysseus had to fight against the suitors that were plaguing his home to regain his crown. In
Epic heroes do not always have to be a good guy from the start; it’s the choices they make that matter. This was perfectly exampled through Homer’s character, Odysseus. However, it was not easy reaching the goal like when Odysseus was trying to reach home. He knew the dangers he may face and the consequences that go with it, but he continued because of the importance of him being there. And with that, he passed these obstacles with the same motivation every time. Looking back at Odysseus’s expedition over the years, he did not only build a legacy, but defined the true meaning of being an epic
In every epic story, the center of attention will be on the epic hero. Usually all the epic heroes have some kind of special power, which keep them different from other characters. Later on, their epic journey these powers, help them to win the glory, which make them epic heroes. In Beowulf, Beowulf is truly an epic hero, because of his wisdom, strength and bravery.
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:
Picture this: a hero of great legends who travels to the underworld and back to get directions to his home from a blind prophet. It sounds like quite an impossible journey, but that is exactly what makes Odysseus all the more fascinating. The Odyssey, an epic poem orally transmitted by Homer, a Greek poet who wrote The Iliad, had to contain some variety of attributes that Greeks valued in a person. That one embodiment of what the Greeks found intriguing in a character is Odysseus. Odysseus is known as what is called an epic hero. An epic hero is a protagonist of a story that represents the most important attributes of a civilization. Odysseus, being based in ancient Greece, is the embodiment of intelligence, loyalty, and strength.
The Classical mythology contains tales and epics of the ancient Greek and roman literatures and myths. On the other hand, Homer’s two epic poems, the Iliad relates to the events of the Trojan War while the Odyssey details Odysseus expedition after the war. Homer’s epic poems, the Odyssey and the Iliad present a major part of ancient history as modern fictional heroic stories. In ancient Greek, heroes were humans who were depicted to possess superhuman abilities. A key example in the classical mythology is Akhilles who is later known in Homer’s Iliad as Achilles. Achilles is he greatest hero of the Iliad whereas Odysseus is the greatest hero of the Odyssey. The greatest heroes from classic mythology and the modern fictional hero’s stories are mortal, and subject to death. The Odyssey and the Iliad marks the beginning of modern fictional literature.