From Monty Python's iconic quest for the Holy Grail to the more prosaic Potter sagas, the idea of a person with special goodness, insight, and powers, has motivated readers to be better people. ... " Therefore, Michele "becomes" the classic hero that has fascinated, and continues to fascinate, generations of readers. Like all classic heroes from literature, Michele starts his life off poor and without much guidance from parents. ... In other words, Michele's poor start, his humble surroundings, and his autonomy, put the reader in mind of other heroes who had the sam...

• Word Count: 620
• Approx Pages: 2
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

The title character of Beowulf is on of the earliest examples of an Anglo-Saxon literary hero. He is endowed with traits that 10th century Europeans could admire, such as great bravery and courage. Beowulf also has confidence in his skills as a warrior and as a leader. He also, however, is a...

• Word Count: 399
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

Though the modern heroes are much more popular than classic American heroes, the modern hero has rooted from these same literary works which once amazed people in the days of old. ... He was looked up to by the masses and is still a popular symbol of the classic hero. ... Readers have watched grow and mature as though they were with him the whole time. ... Because he made peace with the Indians, he had a mysterious and dangerous quality in the eyes of the reader. ... This quality always gave the reader confidence in Natty. ...

• Word Count: 2132
• Approx Pages: 9
• Grade Level: High School

Originally written in Anglo-Saxon, it has been translated to give readers the opportunity to enjoy this colorful, heroic poem. ... Beowulf fits these qualities of a common, classic hero, in addition; he stands high above the rest of the crowd, and is larger than the average character. ... The reader comes to terms with the magnitude of Beowulf's super-human courage shown in lines 154-169 because he has, in the past, risked his life against massive supernatural beings. ...

• Word Count: 811
• Approx Pages: 3

Pope is asking the reader to laugh, to see how an event of little significance has been filled with importance. ... Pope clearly and cleverly portrayed the effects of beauty upon various characters, he attempted to persuade his readers that beauty holds to much sway and its importance is overemphasized. ... At the ombre table, Belinda triumphs and courts disaster by rejoicing in her victory, thereby violating the classic stoic ideal. ... As a result, Pope makes us aware of the fact that not only the participants in the drama but also the rest of humanity, including Pope himself and certainly h...

• Word Count: 1581
• Approx Pages: 6

As a result of the depth of his development, Satan cannot be typecast as a traditional epic hero or a classic villain. ... The heroism in Satan is so evident that it can even help the reader see past the omnipotence of God for a moment. ... His determination, courage and iron will are easily admired by the reader. ... While readers are often initially drawn to Satan through these heroic characteristics, they are soon repulsed because of how defiled Satan's heroism is seen to be. ...

• Word Count: 2236
• Approx Pages: 9
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Pope has succeeded in creating a highly effective form of satirical comment, one which seems quite paradoxical in that it could have made the Augustan reader laugh or smile whilst the true nature of their ways was being made clear to them, one can only marvel at such a degree of skill and artifice in a poet. ... They are described, for example, as "the light militia of lower sky" , an obvious reference to military formations that would have been a common feature of the classic epic genre. ...

• Word Count: 2068
• Approx Pages: 8
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate