The Greatest Athenian Hero, Theseus

641 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: An essay about courage

Before Theseus is born, his father, King Aegeus, puts a sword and a pair of sandals under a boulder that Theseus has to lift and retrieve when he is older and strong. When Theseus comes of age, he lifts the boulder and, then, goes to his father to claim himself as the king’s son. After meeting his father, Theseus decides he has to prove to himself that he is worthy of being the heir of the throne (Hamilton 209). A true hero is someone who courageously and humbly takes on an adventure to help his community despite the dangers, trusts others and himself, and thinks before going forward with a plan. Because Theseus is strong, noble, humble, and intelligent, he can be considered a true hero. Theseus shows true heroism when he courageously offers to save his town, trusts others and his strengths, and remains humble throughout his life.
Theseus shows courage when he offers to go to the Minotaur’s cave which makes him a true hero. When the Athenians ask for youths to go to the cave of the Minotaur, Theseus immediately volunteers, and the Athenians admire his nobility and courage for this act (Hamilton 212). Theseus knows for a fact that the Minotaur has killed many people in the past, and there is a large possibility that it could slaughter him too. Since Theseus is courageous, he still continues to offer to go to the Minotaur’s cave. The Athenians “loved him for his goodness and admired him for his nobility …” (212). Being noble can also lead to being prideful. Having pride can be bad at times, but without pride, Theseus could not have volunteered his life. When Theseus arrives at the cave, “he walked boldly into the maze looking for the Minotaur” (212). Bold is another word for courageous. Theseus walks courageously to the chance of ...

... middle of paper ...

... and showing the people around him how to be humble is the greatest characteristic in a true hero who happens to be Theseus.
Because Theseus is courageous, trusts others and his own ability, and is humble during his hunt for the Minotaur and for the rest of his lift, Theseus displays the traits of a true hero. His courageousness when he volunteers to be a victim of the Minotaur shows a quality of a hero, so he can be an inspiration and an example to others. Because he has faith in the people around him and in his own self, he is a genuine person who people can look up to. Humble is the hardest trait in a person, but it is one the easiest traits to see in someone else. After killing the Minotaur, Theseus remains humble. This leads Theseus to being a great leader for the town, Athens. A great hero has to be a great leader.

Works Cited

Mythology by Edith Hamilton

Show More
Related

  • The Hero's Test: A Greek Myth

    240 Words  | 1 Pages

    A Greek myth by Alisoun Witting, “The Hero’s Test,” is about the son of Aegeus, who is the king of a monarchy, that shows that he has strong attitudes, abilities, and actions. Theseus showed he has a great attitude when he arrived at Crete and did not complain even though he did not have a plan. Although he was a kid, he just decided that he would sacrifice himself to the Minotaur, a psychopathic bull and man, and did not even think about it. Then he got on the ship and left his father, who also ruled an autocracy, to save all the Athenians.Theseus proved that one of his strongest abilities was quickness. The Minotaur tried to charge at Theseus, but he was too quick for the Minotaur. Then the Minotaur tried to force Theseus into a corner,

    Read More

  • Leigh Anne As A Hero In The Film Avengers Assemble

    1652 Words  | 4 Pages

    Among the various ideas of what it means to be a hero, boldness and valiance capture the essence of heroism. Being bold is crucial when exemplifying

    Read More

  • Theseus of Greece and Romulus of Rome

    1683 Words  | 4 Pages

    Bravery, strength, and leadership are just a few of the characteristics possessed by Theseus of Greece and Romulus of Rome. Plutarch, a Greek historian, explains lives each of these men. These men were different from any of the other men during Ancient Greece and Rome; according to Plutarch, they were descendants of the divine, which ultimately destined them for greatness. Throughout their lives, they would achieve power through various events and establish the societies and politics of two the greatest cities in history. The paths that each took and the events that occurred in their lives molded them into the heroes while also contributing to the legacy they would leave behind.

    Read More

  • The Heros - Odysseus, Jason and Aeneas

    1685 Words  | 4 Pages

    Odysseus is unique among epic heroes in that his strength comes not from inhuman powers or exceptional physical ability, but mainly from his mind.  Odysseus, regularly uses cunning, guile, and superiority of intellect to overcome obstacles.  In this paper I will compare Odysseus to other epic heroes, both in terms of character and in terms of responses to crises, comparing his reactions with those of other heroes placed in similar situations.

    Read More

  • Is Odysseus A Hero? in the Poem The Odyssey by Homer

    662 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout The Odyssey, Odysseus shows us a vast amount of bravery and courage; the primary thing a hero needs. In book 9, when Odysseus battled Polyphemus (the Cyclops) to try and save the lives of all the crew members held captive in the cave, he was demonstrating bravery the entire time because, the true meaning of bravery is when you have the ability to challenge fear, or danger which is exactly what he did in this situation. Even though Odysseus was afraid to confront the Cyclops, he did it anyway in order to get him and his crew members out of the Cyclops cave alive; despite the 2 men the Cyclops ate. Another way Odysseus demonstrates courage and bravery was when he didn’t give us on his crew even when things got rough for example, when he faced Scylla knowing he would lose se...

    Read More

  • Odysseus the Hero

    1574 Words  | 4 Pages

    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.

    Read More

  • Odysseus The Hero

    745 Words  | 2 Pages

    For a character to be an epic hero, he must possess four characteristics. These four characteristics include the following: (1) he must be high born, (2) the hero must have human weaknesses, (3) he must be brave,and 4) he must be clever. In The Odyssey, Homer’s character Odysseus was an epic hero because he possessed all four of the characteristics.

    Read More

  • Odysseus The Hero

    1489 Words  | 3 Pages

    A hero accepts who he is as an individual, but strives to change himself for the better. In the epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, the main character Odysseus is a valiant king who embarks on a life-changing voyage. While traveling from Troy back to his home in Ithaka, King Odysseus overcomes daunting obstacles, and in doing so discovers his place in the world. Odysseus is truly a heroic figure because he demonstrates courage, improves his character, and wins the support of the gods.

    Read More

  • The Greek hero vs. The Anglo-Saxon hero

    722 Words  | 2 Pages

    The hero stands as an archetype of who we should be and who we wish to be. However, the hero has inherent flaws which we do not wish to strive towards. In literature, these flaws are not used as examples of what we should be but rather as examples of what not to be. This is especially dominant in the Greek hero. While the Greek hero follows his fate, making serious mistakes and having a fairly simple life, the Anglo-Saxon "super" hero tries, and may succeed, to change his fate, while dealing with a fairly complex life. The Greek hero is strong and mighty while his wit and intelligence are highly valued. In the Greek tragedy, the hero struggles to avoid many flaws. Among these flaws are ambition, foolishness, stubbornness, and hubris-the excessive component of pride. He must overcome his predestined fate-a task which is impossible. From the beginning of the tale, it is already clear that the hero will ultimately fail with the only way out being death. In Oedipus, the hero is already confronted with a load of information about his family and gouges his eyes out. At this point, when he tries to outwit his fate he has already lost and is sentenced to death.

    Read More

  • Beowulf A True Hero Essay

    467 Words  | 1 Pages

    A true hero is someone who stands up for an idea that has admirable intentions. In the book “Beowulf,” men were considered heroes based on the way they followed the warrior’s code. The warrior’s code included duty, honor, and chivalry. At the beginning of the book, Beowulf seems to have the characteristics of a warrior, but as the story develops Beowulf starts having a different perspective on what a true warrior is.

    Read More

  • Why Odysseus Is a Hero

    647 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Homer’s The Odyssey, the main character, Odysseus, is stranded at sea after the Trojan War. He must overcome many obstacles in order to reach his home, Ithaca. Throughout the book, we see the many admirable qualities that Odysseus possesses that makes him such an influential literary character: among them being cleverness and loyalty. However, every hero also has his weaknesses, and Odysseus’s main weakness is his pride. We can learn how to live our life from a hero’s good traits and bad traits

    Read More

  • Theseus Or Hercules?

    488 Words  | 1 Pages

    "Theseus was, of course bravest of the brave as all heroes are, but unlike the

    Read More

  • Favorite Greek Classical Hero

    722 Words  | 2 Pages

    Odysseus brave, always able to think fast and able to fight the good fight when the need arises has been one of my favorite hero's since I first read about him. Throughout the Odyssey we are able to how great of a hero he truly is. If there was a defining moment that made Odysseus my favorite classical hero I would never be able to pick just one. This is due to how Odysseus was not just one kind of hero, he was the hero that knew how to think his way out of any problem, as well as a hero that would know the time he needed to use force to get the job done. As we progress in this essay my goal is to show you the classical hero that taught me not only is your strength a valuable ally but your mind and quick thinking as well.

    Read More

  • Epic Heroes: Characteristics Of An Epic Hero

    1353 Words  | 3 Pages

    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

    Read More

  • Odysseus: Not A Hero

    1109 Words  | 3 Pages

    The main character of the Odyssey, Odysseus the King of Ithaca is given a complex personality to an extent where it is hard to identify whether he is a true hero or not. True heroism is only achieved when a person achieves certain qualities that portray heroism. Odysseus is not a hero based on the standards of merciful, selfless, and gentle because of his actions of sacrificing his men, killing the suitors and being ruthless throughout the Odyssey. Along with many others qualities these three are helpful and necessary in a hero. A hero must be willing to do service for others and put the needs of others safety and protection before his own. Odysseus does not even come close to matching these qualities because he is a person, who only serves of himself, and he sacrifices his allies to achieve his goals and often he takes action ruthlessly.

    Read More

More about The Greatest Athenian Hero, Theseus

Open Document