Many readers often have a different opinion upon what makes a great hero. The hero Heracles, and Theseus are two classic myths read by readers around the whole school. The myth of Heracles distinguishes a boy who kills monsters/serpents to protect himself in a young age. However, the myth of Theseus distinguishes the life of an ordinary boy, who tries every day to push a rock to discover the rightful identity of his father. While reading the myth of Heracles, and Theseus we can clearly identify the differences between the two myths. When comparing these two myths, it is clear that Heracles is better than Theseus because he kills monsters/serpents when he was the age of 8 months, he stayed loyal to everyone, and last he completed the 12 labours. The first reason why Heracles is better than Theseus is because he killed monsters when he was very young. As an example, he was very powerful and strong even as a child. Furthermore, when Heracles is a baby, he”sat up and immediately set out to kill his enemy’s”(Rosenberg and Baker 217). The significance of this is when he was very young he was able to show how strong and courageous he was by killing the serpents. Furthermore, when he was able to do that his parents developed fear about the fact he was able to that when he was 8 months old. In addition, they were concerned about him in the future.(Rosenberg and Baker) However, Theseus goes on his quest as an adult. For example, he spent his youth trying to push the rock to reveal
Heroes are a rare and amazing phenomenon. Two heroes that stand out in literature are Beowulf and Achilles. Beowulf is a Herot who is a selfless, even tempered, fate fighting warriors who saves his kingdom numerous times from threats, such as monsters and enemies. Achilles is a Greek, selfish warriors in Greece but has a hot temper and is often unforgiving. Achilles wants to help take the kingdom of Troy, but doesn’t agree with the war.
What makes a hero? The novel Things Fall Apart follows the story of a man named Okonkwo, who grew up with a father who was kind, and generous, but was a so dependent on other people and did not pay back any of his debts as well. It was because of Okonkwo’s father that he became the man that he was, Okonkwo felt that since his father was kind and generous he had to be the exact opposite, so he became a hard working young man, but also became violent and aggressive, he lived in fear that he would be buried with shame as his father was, even though he had taken on many titles. Odysseus was quite the opposite though, from the story The Odyssey, was extremely different, he was clever, and kind. Odysseus was ripped away from his son, Telemachus, and his wife, Penelope, and spent twenty years trying to find
Heracles, also known as Hercules in Roman mythology, is one of the most famous heroes in Greek mythology. He is renowned for his strength and courage, and his hero journey is a classic example of the hero's journey archetype. Stephan Fry's version of the myth provides a unique perspective on Heracles' journey, which can be divided into three parts: departure, initiation, and return. The departure stage of Heracles' journey is marked by his exile from Thebes, the city where he was born. As Fry explains, this was the result of a tragic mistake he made, killing his own wife and children in a fit of madness.
Is Odysseus an Archetypal Hero? Greek literature has given birth to highly polished and complex long epics that revolved around heroes. In the epic poem, “The Odyssey,” Homer vivified the story of Odysseus, who used his immortal intelligence and bravery to endeavor unattainable obstacles that hindered him from reuniting with his family. Although Odysseus’ return home sacrificed many, but in the ancient Greeks, people celebrated him for his intelligence. However, as time shifts, heroism seems to enhance not only the heroes’ own glory, but the significance they leave for the world.
People around the world have heard of many heroes of Greek mythology and know of their adventures. Although the stories and myths of each hero slightly vary from place to place and person to person, the great feats that each has accomplished are common knowledge. One of the most accomplished heroes of Greek mythology is Theseus, the hero of Athens. This hero started with humble beginnings and eventually grew to be the most famous and respected demigod in ancient Athens (Ward, 7). Theseus’ mother, Aethra, was a princess and the daughter of Pittheus, the king of Troezen.
The primary sources in which heroes feature. One can only understand the cause for heroes through looking at the epics which they feature in respectively (Sillk, 1965: 1). Both Odysseus and Aeneas features in the Iliad by Homer, but their greatest contributions are made for Aeneas, through Virgil’s Aeneid, and for Odyssey’s through Homer’s Odyssey. One can see the difference in Greek and Roman hero’s through understanding the creation of them (Trypanis, 1987:88) 2 The Life of a Hero
The concept of hero has been interpreted in many ways throughout the ages. Hero have gone from knights slaying dragons and rescuing the princess, to heroes who save the world with their supernatural-like powers, to a modern day hero who is someone who has noble qualities and is regarded as a role model. In the epic, The Odyssey, by Robert Fagles, the heroic Odysseus is a well known in Greek mythology. However, although Odysseus is the most respected, honorable hero of Greek mythology he is not a modern hero. A modern day hero is someone who puts their life on the line to save the lives of other innocent people.
Theseus displayed “not only great strength of body, but equal bravery, and a quickness alike and force of understanding,” which is why his mother, Aethra, decided to now reveal who Theseus’ true father is (Plutarch 5). Aethra brings him to the stone with the sword underneath it and asks him to lift it. Even though the boulder was supposed to be difficult to lift, Theseus did it with ease, proving that he was the king’s son. Once Theseus’ mother asked him to do this task, “The Call to Adventure”
A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. Anyone who puts themselves before others not for recognition or an award, but because it is the right thing to do, is a true hero. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. Throughout his journey, he loses almost all of his men, but Odysseus finally arrives home, concluding his prolonged twenty-year voyage. Odysseus must battle the suitors that have taken his wife Penelope, and may soon kill his son Telemachus.
“A hero is someone who understands the responsibility that comes with his freedom.” (Bob Dylan). A modern hero is recognized by the goodness in their heart. Odysseus, the protagonist of Homer’s “The Odyssey”, is not a good example of a modern hero. Heroes cannot be cross cultural, and Odysseus’ heroics do not transcend time and apply to the modern world.
Hercules and Theseus, two great heroes from mythology, seem to be similar in many ways. Both extremely brave and noble; with a love of danger and adventure mixed with compassion, creates the perfect heroes. Their stories intertwine with one another’s when Hercules has to save Theseus from the chair of forgetfulness in Hades. Theseus saved Hercules when he was distraught with intent to kill himself. In a similar way, they both stood by their friends no matter the cost.
Heroes are, “People who take risks despite fear”(Source 2). In The Odyssey by Homer, Odysseus faces many challenges that make him a hero. He battles monsters, goddesses, and enchantresses. Odysseus is a hero in the way that he uses his brain to think about and approach dilemmas. When he and his men are on the Cyclops’ island, Odysseus tells the cyclops that his name was Nobody.
Oedipus the King and Hercules both reveal the true meaning of becoming a hero through the means of reaching their lowest points, accepting their faults, and
In the world today a lot of people are afraid to try things that have never been done before, or things that are not done often but admire people that do. Theseus was one of the people that took those risks. For example; Theseus went to battle the minotaur by himself, which had never been tried, he gave Athens democracy, which had also never been
The year of the sacrifice had fallen at the time when Theseus had been proclaimed to be King Aegeus’ son , “[and] at once Theseus came forward and offered to be one of the victims”(125). The Athenian's valued Theseus’ courage without knowing that he also planned to kill the Minotaur. Confidence filled Theseus as he decided to look for the Minotaur in the labyrinth. When he finally came across the sleeping Minotaur he decided to attack it, “and with his fists-he had no other weapon-he battered the monster to death”(126). Great strength surged through him as he killed the Minotaur, finally freeing the Athenian's from having to sacrifice their