I believe a hero is someone who is brave, does whats right, and has a strong moral code. Once they have set out to complete a mission, they don't waver in the face of danger and aren't cowed by opposition. Back in ancient times, whether Norse, Greek, or Roman, a hero would most certainly have been a warrior and that idea still holds true today. You don't have to be a warrior to be a hero, though.
An example of a hero would be Martin Luther King Jr., or various other political figures who advocate for peoples political and civil rights. This shows a major change in the viewpoint of what it is to be a hero. Basically, despite what everyone thinks, a hero is simply someone who stands up for what's right, no matter what.
Interesting comparison of what a hero is and your example of said hero. I think there could be many comparable features between Beowulf and MLK Jr. Would you say that Beowulf also fits within this realm as he had no real ties to the Danes, no true reason to defeat the troll and his mother..was he just a nice guy?
ReplyDeleteI enjoy the reference to the past and present ideals of our heroes. The word hero has really involved to include more than just a person who is able to do physical feats of awesomeness. But even MJK Jr.'s speech is possibly one of the most heoric actions of our day.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I agree that someone like MLK Jr. Is a hero, but the title of your blog was 'epic hero' and I guess I wouldn't describe him as an epic hero like I would Beowulf. Epic heroes seem to always be literature so I can kind of see how it would be hard for an everyday person to compare with 'fighting sea monsters'. But yes, I agree with your notion of a hero can just be someone who stands up for what is right.
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