Each culture does have its individual images of what the ideal hero should be, but for the most part, the general definition of a hero1 is universal and therefore difficult to escape. In the cultural epics of Gilgamesh, The Odyssey, and Things Fall Apart the idealistic hero is thoroughly depicted. The Mesopotamian, Ancient Greek, and Nigerian cultures each demonstrate similar heroic characteristics of which a hero should have. .
At the turn of the century the Nigerian people found themselves continuously defending their culture against the British colonials. A typical Nigerian hero would be someone that was known as a "freedom fighter". Freedom fighters were warriors and defenders and were ready for when the British began to occupy their land. In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is wealthy and brave. Despite this though he is unable to adjust to the customs of arriving foreigners. Therefore he struggles to understand what it means to be a man in his village. He is a strong like a hero, but he is angry and violent, and this leads to his destruction. Okonkwo is also undeveloped and unable to communicate his emotions and this in turn is his biggest flaw. Taking these flaws into consideration, Okonkwo would be distinguished as a tragic hero. .
Similar to Nigerian culture, the Ancient Greeks were also warriors and defenders of their people. In Greek culture, similar to American culture today, men ran the government because they were considered to be strong and brave. Women had very limited freedom. Olympian athletes also held much respect because of their physical premium. The heroes of Ancient Greece were considered to be the best of people. An Ancient Greek hero would face struggles that looked like he would not be able to overcome but he would then win and complete his quests using the strengths given to him by the gods. Odysseus, the heroic character of The Odyssey, is cunning, brave, and noble. He gains happiness by performing great deeds.
What makes a hero? Alike with all other persons, Ernest Hemingway had his own perceptions of what a hero truly is. In Hemingway's novella, The Old Man and the Sea, Santiago, the old man, attained characteristics that could depict him as an ideal "Hemingway Hero."" ... Hemingway feels that fearing death shows weakness, and a hero is not a weak soul. ... Santiago attains yet another attribute of the Hemingway Hero Code. ...
My ideal existence could not be derived from a single human existence nor a friend or family member. ... In a society where we are bombarded with images of super heroes and homerun hitting sports figures, it would be hard to choose one figure of personality as ones" ideal existence. ... He is nothing compared to this hero of mine. As a Jedi Master Obi-Won epitomizes my idea of what a super hero should be made of. ... His existence is my ideal existence because I look up to him in every way. ...
What is an ideal hero in epics? An ideal epic hero, a king or a warrior, in Beowulf is similar to that in the Odyssey and many other ancient tales. ... The hero is also clever, he outsmarts the enemy with his seemingly mortal capabilities. ... Nevertheless, with all the bragging, the hero must be sincere; everything he tells is the truth (remember, it was larger-than-life). ... However, since the hero is a mortal, he often suffers; it may take him years before he finally achieves success through hard work. ...
Heroes have had changing roles since people have written stories, and all have been the personification of each society, each civilization's ideals. Ideal heroes are described differently throughout periods of history. ... Beowulf is a prime example of this type of hero. ... Heroes are still in a way worshiped in modern day. ... A hero can be a sports start to a working father. ...
This paper contends that Dupin's otherworldly knowledge and perfect combination of deductive reasoning and leaps of faith make him the ideal hero within the detective stories that Poe creates. ... The initial way the reader learns what to consider the ideal hero is when Dupin himself begins to expound upon it. ... This is when Dupin takes it upon himself to go out and investigate the case under a gentleman's agreement, "Le Bon once rendered me a service for which I am not ungrateful, " (53) even though he previously called the inquiry an "amusement. " When Poe made Dupin as the de...
"As representatives of the Greek heroic ideal, both Medea and Jason are flawed, but Jason is more so than Medea. Discuss" It is well known, that in Greek thought, the heroic ideal was an extremely powerful concept. ... Jason becomes a national hero as he defeats the ancient creature and captures the Golden Fleece, however in the play Medea, it is clear that he is no longer the great hero of the Argonaut legend. ... Thus, the form of heroic immortality bestowed by heroic action was the highest aim of the hero. ... However, she still glosses over this in her attempt to construct herself as a ...
Heroes If a hero is properly defined as somebody who does something dangerous to help somebody else, then the heroes of Greek mythology do not qualify. ... Now my example of a hero/heroine would be Mother Teresa. ... We sometimes consider football players as heroes or athletic stars. ... Every ideal, whether old or new, has a tendency for flaws. Even though we have a clear definition of a Hero, it's still a personal preference and opinion who we consider to be a hero. ...
Chris Sujarit Period 6 October 2, 2003 The Bible in Technicolor Societies produce and maintain pop heroes, such as Beowulf in the epic Beowulf, in order to make their religious ideals and ethical values more accessible through the manifestation of a tangible being who embodies them. In a broad sense, epics are fables that show how a hero, armed with the favor of God, can miraculously conquer a much more daunting opponent than he. God's influence in the outcome of a hero's fate is shown through the epic characteristic of Intervention. ... A society's religious ideals are mor...
A hero is someone admirable because of his outstanding courage, intelligence, nobility, or exploits. ... Most heroes would not ever be in those situations to begin with if they were not brave. ... I believe that a hero is made and not born. ... In cases of unintentional heroism, wherein an individual is placed unwillingly in a dangerous situation, a fire for instance, and still tried to rescue other's lives, are examples in which we can site heroes who may be, in a way, not the ideal hero due to the way he lived his life. A fireman may live a vicious life but can still be considere...
