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Greek mythology in modern literature
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Throughout the classical era, epics were commonly written narratives. They tell the stories of heroes and their journeys, and they were written with the intent to inspire the people who heard it and to display the beliefs of the writer and their people. A positive trait found in some epics is bravery. An example of this is found in the retelling of Theseus. When Theseus was on his journey to Athens, he came across a crew of bandits, and he killed them all, being sure to make sure that none of them were left to be able to ambush any other travelers (page 1029, Elements of Literature: Fourth Course - Theseus, Hamilton). Another example of bravery is seen at the end of the tale of Theseus, when he is merciful to the people of Thebes, and help
Often through great literature, there is an epic hero. In the Odyssey, Homer tells the journey of one man’s journey home from the Trojan War. The protagonist of the epic poem Odysseus is often regarded as a great hero. However, Odysseus is not quite the glorious soldier that people often see him as. Odysseus shows that he is an antihero through his pride, disloyalty, and bloodthirstiness.
Greek mythology is a beloved part of literature that has given humans thousands of stories to tell. From stories about deadly quests, powerful deities, to the even more famed aspect of Greek Mythology, its epic heroes. One of the many authors who took inspiration from Greek Mythology, and will serve as reference for this paper, is Hamilton, Edith. Mythology. 1988. The most well known epic heroes from Greek Mythology which Edith Hamilton writes about in her book are Hercules, Jason, Perseus, and Theseus, but the debate lies in which of these heroes is the best. To which the answer is, Theseus is the better epic hero because he possessed superior strength, intelligence, and courage, he was the most just from all other heroes,
Reading through Beowulf I began to compare it to the last great epic I read, Homer’s Odyssey. While the Odyssey and Beowulf are each examples of both historic and modern ideas of heroism, the acts of Beowulf’s hero seem to fit better within its context.
Chen, Tina. "'Unraveling the Deeper Meaning': Exile and the Embodied Poetics of Displacement in Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried." Contemporary Literature. 39.1 (1998): 77. Expanded Academic ASAP.
In the reading it described that epics are known for their extravagance and that often they have the characteristics of heroism and bravery. I...
Not only did the great characters of the epic serve as models of conduct for later
Epic heroes do not always have to be a good guy from the start; it’s the choices they make that matter. This was perfectly exampled through Homer’s character, Odysseus. However, it was not easy reaching the goal like when Odysseus was trying to reach home. He knew the dangers he may face and the consequences that go with it, but he continued because of the importance of him being there. And with that, he passed these obstacles with the same motivation every time. Looking back at Odysseus’s expedition over the years, he did not only build a legacy, but defined the true meaning of being an epic
When people think of a hero, they picture someone flawless, someone who does no wrong. A hero is humble and is recognized for constantly saving people in dangerous situations. But that is not realistic. Heroes have flaws, and they do not always make the right choices, but they are still heroes because their courageous actions outweigh their rather dishonorable ones. This topic is discussed in the epic poem, The Odyssey by Homer. Odysseus does not always fit his image as god-like, but he is still very much a hero because he has respectable morals and he protects those in need of protection.
Not every hero is a perfect model of character, but these well-known heroes of epic poetry do have powerful senses of honor and endeavor. Perhaps the authors meant these characters to exhibit flaws, or to relate to an idealized hero image that modern readers cannot understand. Regardless, it cannot be assumed that these characters are driven by a simple egotism, but rather by the same desire of many other men to be remembered, especially to be remembered for great things.
Often, epic heroes can be characterized the same way. They are portrayed as superhuman beings, possessing strength, physical beauty, and intelligence. These heroes aspired to live by a heroic code that would ensure immortality by keeping their memory alive in the people. Homer's The Iliad shows how the heroic code was ingrained in ancient Greek warriors. In many cases, the Greeks put this code of honor above their own lives.
Ancient and modern epics follow a very Western tradition by defining heroism as the accomplishments of individual heroes to further the good of the whole, which means some must lose if the hero or heroes are to win. In The Iliad, Achilles comes to his senses and leads his troops to defeat the Trojans. In The Odyssey, Odysseus returns to Ithaca after his long journey and restores order by defeating the suitors. In The Aeneid, Aeneas succeeds in foun...
Since the beginning of time epic tales have been passed on from generation to generation as a form of entertainment. Even though each epic is different in its plot, every epic has certain features in common. The prime example of their similarities is their main character, the hero of the epic. The hero's behavior changes from the beginning to the end of the tale. Since the plot revolves around the epic hero, in most cases, they are made to seem God-like, or larger then life, in their capabilities and strengths. The hero constantly has to conquer major obstacles to achieve their initial and final goal. Usually the hero is tremendously suspicious of other characters intensions. Also, this character usually demonstrates examples of hubris throughout the tale, which ultimately makes his journey more difficult. The epic heroes differences vary but in the epic tale, The Odyssey written by Homer, and the Greek drama, Oedipus The King written by Sophocles, the differences is what makes Oedipus fail and Odysseus succeed. In both these tales, the powerful gods enormously affect their decisions and the consequences they eventually have to face.
A hero has many admirable traits that are attributed to them. Today, one would describe a hero as someone with courage, bravery and a clear conscience to invoke good deeds. In mythology, heroes are also present and hold the same qualities as our modern heroes. Heroes just like Odysseus who after spending ten years trying to return home from the Trojan War, wants nothing more than to get back to his wife, son and reclaim his position as king of Ithaca.. But hardships that appear during his voyage demonstrate his courage and intelligence. Using these traits he is able to reach his ultimate goal and become the hero he is meant to be. But to become the hero, Odysseus needs to fulfill the six steps that were set by Joseph Campbell, who illustrated these steps in his text Hero with a Thousand Faces. These steps include: 1. Leaving home; 2. Deciding upon a quest; 3. Encountering dragons; 4. All-out fights; 5. a wound (left upon the hero from his/her encounter with a dragon.; 6. Wisdom which the hero learns that informs his or her life thereafter, or a wisdom won that can be shared with the hero’s people. Odysseus almost illustrates the true definition of a hero and, goes on a hero’s journey to attempt just that. Odysseus must face many challenges and dangers to reach his objective. Through the way he eradicates them, it is evident that he has successfully completed parts of the hero’s journey but fails to complete the last step.
Without being courageous, a hero would be too scared to answer his or her adventure. Right after Theseus finds his father, he goes on a quest to kill the Minotaur and save the citizens that are going to be eaten. With great strength and courage, he finishes beating the terrible beast, “He came upon him asleep and fell upon him, pinning him to the ground; and with his fists - he had no other weapon - he battered the monster to death” (Hamilton 215). With his incredible strength, Theseus battles the powerful monster to its death without any kind of weapon, only bare hands. A human has to have enough courage and confidence to achieve this goal. Hercules was known as the greatest Greek hero of all time because of his courage and strength. Hercules even has the courage to go against Apollo by lot without any signs of being timid, “Apollo, of course, would not put up with this, but Hercules was perfectly willing to fight him and Zeus had to intervene” (Hamilton 225). A person, is courageous and confident enough that he thinks he is equal to god. The gods need him to fight the giants and he was not afraid to go against Apollo by having an oracle of his own. Zeus, the most powerful god and supreme god, has to interfere and stop the quarrel between them. Not only challenging one of the most powerful Gods, Hercules also has great courage to do the twelve labors. The twelve labors are impossible, and no mortals cannot achieve any of them, “There were twelve of them and each one was all but impossible”(Hamilton 231). A man that can take not only one, but twelve impossible challenges that makes himself clean from the murder of his wife and children needs a tremendous amount of courage to achieve these labors. Courage is always needed in a hero in order for that person to achieve his or her
Not every person in the universe contains unshaken courage, or compassion, or diligence—but a hero does. He possesses the whole hearted allegiance and sacrifice that any average-day man could never acquire, along with the selfless devotion and fortitude that comes along. Those who encompass these reputable traits are to be deemed heroes, yet those who lack these should not. Likewise, in the epic poem The Odyssey written by Homer, the Greek leader Odysseus fails to meet the standards of a hero by not being able to comprise of the proper qualities. Odysseus’s traits of lacking leadership, hubris, and disloyalty solidifies him in not deserving the title of a hero.