Heroes
Hero. When we think of a hero, what automatically comes to mind? To some it may be someone legendary. Others might think of a hero as someone of great strength or ability. Perchance an illustrious soldier or warrior. Perhaps someone admired for their achievements and great qualities. To me, it once meant someone that showed great courage.
Two characters that remind me of heroes are Bernie, from the movie Hero, and Arthur, from the story “Arthur Becomes King”. These two characters have many similarities. One similarity is that in both stories, the hero is the last one who would be thought of as a hero. The reason being that Arthur is a meager squire. In Bernie’s case, well, as his ex-wife said, “It was against his religion to be nice”.
Another similarity is that both were not liked by all. Arthur was not liked by Sir Kay. Bernie was not liked because of his cynical way of being. Also, both were not believed when they first told their stories. It took Arthur three or four times to prove that he indeed was the one who pulled out the sword from the stone. Bernie did not even get the chance to tell some one what he had done.
There is also the similarity in that both, Arthur and Bernie, did not realize that they were special or in some way heroes. Arthur thought he was merely getting a sword for Kay. Bernie was so preoccupied with his illegal selling of stolen credit cards and finding a way to buy time for him not to go to jail. Also, both of their actions cause good to happen to the people around them. With these examples we can see that Arthur and Bernie were a lot a like.
Although Bernie and Arthur had many similarities, they also had many differences. A considerably significant difference is that Bernie’s and Arthur’s personalities were as diverse as heavy metal and classical music. Arthur was humble and forgiving. Bernie, on the other hand, was a cynical man who had nobody's interest but himself in mind. There is also the difference in the plot. In”Arthur Becomes King”, Arthur is a young boy who makes everything peaceful in his kingdom. Bernie causes John Bubber to want to commit suicide, although he does save fifty-four lives, including a little boy who receives mass media attention.
What do a trained assassin and a little boy with disabilities have in common? In my opinion short story characters have a lot in common, and are easily compared. A few things that Ivan and Doodle have in common are they are both “Slow”, Loyal, and had a sad death.
Who is a hero? In contemporary times, usage of the term has become somewhat of a cliché. Over the years, the term “hero” has become representative of a wide variety of individuals, each possessing differing traits. Some of the answers put forth by my colleagues (during our in-class discussion on heroism) as to whom they consider heroes pointed to celebrities, athletes, teachers and family members. Although the occupations differed, each of their heroes bore qualities that my classmates perceived as extraordinary, whether morally or physically. Nonetheless, Webster’s defines “hero” as “a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities.” Thus, it is worth considering that individuals become heroes relative to the situation with which they’re faced.
When comparing the two tales, it is very clear that both heroic characters are men with similarities and differences. One important trait that is common between the two characters is that they both possess superhuman strength which makes them dangerous and this remains useful for them when protecting their people. For instance, they encounter near
Alexander the Great and King Henry the VIII both have some similarities in their times. Alexander and Henry both where Ruthless and Blood thirsty which means that they loved war. Both Alexander and Henry killed a lot of people and didn’t die of the battles that they held. Another big similarity that Alexander and King Henry have in common is both had at least one wife and a child.
King Arthur was a very well known person and the story of his life has been told in many different ways. Two different versions of King Arthur's life were "The Passing of Arthur" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson and "The "Death of Arthur"" by Sir Thomas Malory. The two stories shared many similarities, but had no shortage of differences even though they were both about the same person.
One thing is absolutely common between them: they are tragic heroes. They differ and relate, but one thing is certain, and that is they contain all five characteristics that define them. Tragically in the end, both men are fated to suffer for their reaming lives, which will end with their own dramatic deaths. Oedipus and Hamlet. Perhaps they are not completely different.
The definition and guidelines for using the term “hero” to describe a person can be as diverse as the land we live in, however, regardless of your cultural identity the shield of “hero” must be earned. It is defined as “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities, is regarded as a model or ideal (Dictionary.com, 2014). In Classical Mythology, a hero is “a being of godlike prowess, a warrior of special strength, courage or ability” (Dictionary.com, 2014). This describes how we have portrayed our present day heroes, the pedestal that we put them on, after actions reflecting heroism, have been awarded the title. Difficult to earn, harder to retain, but forever remembered.
Although King Arthur is one of the most well-known figures in the world, his true identity remains a mystery. Attempts to identify the historical Arthur have been unsuccessful, since he is largely a product of fiction. Most historians, though, agree that the real Arthur was probably a battle leader of the Britons against the Anglo-Saxons in the sixthth century. In literature, King Arthur's character is unique and ever changing, taking on a different face in every work. There is never a clearly definitive picture that identifies Arthur's character. It is therefore necessary to look at a few different sources to get better insight into the character of Arthur, the once and future king.
These men were similar in the fact that they were both heavily religious men. They both very much hated slavery and both happened obviously in the South. They both were able to articulate a plan and do shake up the South but, much more by Turner. Both these men as well seem as if they are preachers.
A hero could be anyone. A hero could be an ordinary person who has impacted someone or has inspired a change toward greatness in their life. A hero can be passive or active, famous or ordinary, rich or poor. What gives a hero a distinct similarities to other heroes and distinguish them from non heroes is their ability to influence others that they are extraordinary because of their means to overcome obstacles, defeated adversities, and still manage to be a leader, role model, or an admirable person within society.
Hero. Usually when this word is heard we think of Superman, Batman, Iron man and so on, but in reality what exactly is a hero? Who can be classified as heroic? From my perspective a hero is not only someone who wears a cape, has superhuman strength, wears fancy clothes or someone who saves his lady from the bad guy; however he is someone who stands for strength, bravery, humbleness, justice and equality. I believe a hero is someone who truly intends to make the world a better place for all people. He stands for what he believes in even though he may encounter danger and obstacle. We often watch movies with action heroes fighting for a good cause, but these heroes cause us ignore the real life heroes such as Cesar Chavez and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Cesar Chavez and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr are genuinely the definition of a hero.
The life of Julius Caesar is comparable to the life of Abraham Lincoln in a variety of ways. While unique similarities exist in the lives of these two men, distinct differences also exist. Abraham Lincoln was an orator; Julius Caesar a notable author of Latin prose. They were both leaders. Nowadays, people look up to them as heroes. They shared a significant amount of power in their respective nations. Both men were assassinated. Although a little similar, the manner of assassination of Julius Caesar was quite different from that of Abraham Lincoln. The Roman leader and the U.S. President both came from a different era; their backgrounds were also different.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a hero is an individual who is admired for great bravery or fine qualities. To me a hero is so much more than a person who shows great bravery. When I think of a hero many fine qualities come to mind; intelligence, courage, altruism, compassion and great bravery.
Despite, both movies portraying Arthur's character differently, there are some similarities that are present in both movies, as in his personality, his strong attraction towards Guinevere, and his belief that everyone should be treated equally. Taking a wider perspective of the movie King Arthur, one can observe that Arthur is a fearless man who is not afraid to stand his ground even if it is not his own fight. After returning home to Rome, Lancelot gets into an intense discussion with Arthur, insisting that he should not stay and fight against the Saxon as it is not his fight neither Rome's. Regardless of, Lancelot’s persistence for Arthur to stay, he refuses to listen and rather tells him,“Seize the freedom you have earned and live it for the both of us” (King Arthur). Although, Arthur could have departed and seek freedom with his knights he voluntarily decides to stay and fight against the Saxons himself from invading into Britain. Likewise, in First Knight, King Arthur shows no sense of fear when Sir Malagant aggressively confront him to sign his treaty going as far to warning him to watch his words as he says,” Your words are talking you out of peace and into
The Shakespearean playwrights Macbeth and Hamlet are both very well-known tragedies. They have many things in common but are different in some ways. Both plays involve greed but the characters are different. There are some characters that have the same qualities such as Hamlet and Malcolm who both killed for revenge. Macbeth and Hamlet are different in character even though they both killed. The tragedies are the same in that many people are killed but the reasons are very different. Macbeths need for power has caused him to lose control while Hamlets need for revenge causes him to lose his own life.