Heroism
Whether a hero is fictional or not, they should possess the traits to be selfless. Since the beginning of time, everyone has an idea of what a hero is, and what heroism represents. Heroism means many things to people, but all ideas of heroism have common features of encouragement, strength, and inspiration. A hero gives people hope and puts the needs of others before their own. Heroism has been described at times, as someone who is willing take a risk despite the danger there may be. Ordinary people have been inspired to help others and put their own safety at risk. While others, such as firefighters and police officers do it on a daily basis.
The epic of Gilgamesh
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The hero’s duty was to fight. “He who saw the deep/everything”. ( ) “Against the king the small ones were thrown”.( )Through his heroic action on the battlefield, he gained glory and immortality.
The heroes in the lliad were both male and female. They had superhuman abilities and were descendants of the immortal gods. “warfare in the Iliad depends entirely on the strength and courage of the individual fighter.”( ) This epic and the stories within it set standards for heroism by revealing the deeds and actions of heroes such as Achilles and Thetis. “Let glory zeus of the wind blows go fourth with him.”( ) These standards were based on personal honor and courage.
The heroic code is also prevalent in Beowulf. This epic poem is dedicated to conveying and acknowledging the attributes of strength, courage, and honor. Over the course of the poem, the hero Beowulf, transforms from gallant warrior into a wise leader.
Beowulf, an Anglo-Saxon hero, is not only strong and courageous, but unlike many other warriors is humble and honorable. He shows in the epic that a hero may need strength, but it is not enough if he does not have courage. “Each of us must abide accept the end of our life in this world and gain glory before death”.(
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He has learned that the responsibility of being a ruler is that all those lives depend on him and his decisions. He evolves as a brave warrior and fighter into a wise and noble leader.
A hero is a person that will do anything for another no matter what the cost. Many times, acts of heroism just occur without hesitation or thought. One of the stories that makes me think of heroism was on the news recently. A man had a seizure and fell onto the subway tracks, without hesitating another young man jumped on the tracks to save him. He was unable to get him to the platform, but was able to keep them both safe down between the tracks while the train passed over them. He said he didn’t feel like a hero or did anything spectacular, he just reacted.
Across cultures, heroism is deeply valued. It consists of actions that help others in need despite the possibility of personal consequences. At times, personal risk and sacrifice define a hero. At other times, a small act of kindness, generosity, compassion or even kind words make a
In Beowulf, the essence left behind by a true hero is extremely important. In epics such as this one, leaders tend to have the determination and boldness of a hero. On the other hand, the main character, Beowulf, does not display these certain traits. In this heroic poem, respect and trust come naturally. Honor and integrity are present throughout the poem.
Although not every hero shouts “Avengers Assemble” before a worthy deed, heroism is shown in all aspects of the everyday world. Webster Dictionary has exactly 5 definitions under the word hero and still no two people explain heroism the same. Superman and Captain America are a glimpse of the fictional characters society titles a hero. Firefighters and Military portray heroism each day in the lives of every civilian. As Sullivan and Venter stated “individuals are referred to as ‘heroes’ for seemingly different reasons” and even through endless studies the adjectives referring heroes is ever changing. Among the various ideas of what it means to be a hero, boldness and valiance capture the essence of heroism.
The Epic poem of Beowulf is a story of heroism, loyalty, ego, and fate. To be a great leader of men; a great king of the people, you must be respected and trusted. Loyalty is given to those who earn the respect and trust of their people. Beowulf was blessed with great physical strength, the pride and fearlessness of a warrior, and an equally strong command of the spoken word, which he used skillfully to his advantage. He gained the respect and trust of nearly everyone he came in contact with, largely because he possessed the characteristics of a true hero, but in the end it was his ego that sealed his fate. Although it could be said that Beowulf’s character was flawed by an enormous ego, fueled by thoughts of immortality, it is this very trait that made him an ideal hero and king.
All in all, heroism is a vague word that could be defined as many of things. Such as bravery, courage, honesty, morality, trusts...etc. If Beowulf was defined as a hero then the knight should be defined as one also seeing as he gave the old women the choice to be old and good or pretty and bad. Or if the Author of The Art of Courtly love cannot be heroic and then write in a way of being heroic how can one decide what heroism is. All three of these studies show different forms and fashions of heroic people, feelings, and attitudes. Overall heroism is and always will be based on personal opinion, what one person defines as a hero can be completely different from what another person sees it as.
What does it mean to be a hero? Heroism can’t be confined to one set defined definition. Instead is a forever evolving term that change as society changes. Since it seems it isn’t the actual individuals that are labeled as the hero that are setting the standards to what it means to be a hero. Instead, society deems itself
In the epic poem Beowulf, the main character Beowulf demonstrates that he is a warrior who places heroism and bravery over his own well-being and life. These actions exemplify the pagan warrior mentality. God has granted him the greatest strength, allowing him to defeat all of his enemies. However, Beowulf also possesses a sense of morality. He will not harm any of his companions, even while intoxicated. His good deeds, and successful battles make him well-liked and respected.
Fear is a painful emotion excited by the expectation of evil. In “Beowulf”, translated by Charles W. Kennedy, fear is not an option, or emotion, nor does it even exist for the hero. The hero, Beowulf, is also given strength equivalent to thirty men. These things are demonstrated in the tale of the most celebrated hero of Anglo-Saxon times, Beowulf. A man, of which people loved and respected throughout the entire region where he lived. He made the people feel that they had someone to rely on through times in which failure seemed unavoidable. Beowulf, from the epic poem “Beowulf”, is an extremely courageous hero and confronts his many difficult battles without fear.
Between sacrifice and success, sacrifice contributes more to heroism. A hero is someone who would be willing to sacrifice almost anything for something greater. Heros also show great courage, leadership, and sometimes other qualities. Usually, a hero will sacrifice themselves to protect other people, displaying that they are caring. Being a hero can be defined or seen in several ways, but sacrifice is still important to heroism.
The story of “Beowulf” is one of the oldest epic poems that represents a hero back in the days. Beowulf is a character in the story that has all the qualities of an Anglo-Saxon hero. He is strong, fearless, brave, and courageous, which are typical characteristics for a hero but are these qualities considered him as a hero by the standards of modern day? This Anglo-Saxon poem does have “heroic” characteristics like bravery and honor but it is not a true representation of an actual hero. Although Beowulf is idolized throughout the poem as a hero figure, he shows an egocentric nature to seeking glory for himself and not giving credit to those who aid him by his side.
Heroism entails several things; a selfless act, courage, or the accomplishments of bold and daring expeditions. A hero can also mean courage in the face of death. Others may view this type of hero as stupid, or a martyr. Every hero has faults and these faults along with heroic deeds make the man or woman; a hero, heroine.
Perhaps one of the main reasons the Epic of Gilgamesh is so popular and has lasted such a long time, is because it offers insight into the human concerns of people four thousand years ago, many of which are still relevant today. Some of these human concerns found in the book that are still applicable today include: the fear and concerns people have in relation to death, overwhelming desires to be immortal, and the impact a friendship has on a person’s life. It does not take a great deal of insight into The Epic of Gilgamesh for a person to locate these themes in the story, and even less introspection to relate to them.
From the beginning of time, mythology has appeared to be one key method of understanding life’s confusions and battles. Within these myths lies a hero. From myth to myth and story to story, heroes experience what may be called a struggle or a journey, which lays down their plot line. Bearing tremendous strength, talent, and significant admiration, a hero holds what is precious to their audience, heroism. Over time however, no matter the hero, the hero’s role remains indistinguishable and identical to the position of every other hero.
Myths have been a great example of the hero’s journey. Many heroes have journeys and trials to face throughout their life. Most of their journeys start out with their origin and end with the return. However, the hero’s role remains identical to every other hero. Most heroes like Gilgamesh has heroic traits because of the stages in the hero's journey. Gilgamesh is a man who can turn into a hero by changing himself, even when he has unusual circumstances surrounding his birth. Gilgamesh is viewed as a hero due to the stages of the hero's journey.
Two of the several Anglo-Saxon values showcased in Beowulf are bravery and strength. A hero must have the courage to complete a journey which must be traveled or a task which must be completed. Beowulf’s courage and strength is made obvious in many instances of the epic poem
Heroism is defined as an act of courage and an act of selflessness. They reflect the highest levels of morality in society. Heroes have embodied the morality codes of civilizations throughout the ages. When heroes display courage, observers often identify with that courage. The refusal to take the easy way out and the ability to act in spite of fear, is what makes a person a hero. This is the way everyone wishes to react in the midst of a crisis. As witnessed in literature and real life, mankind needs heroes to provide an inspirational role model, an escape from the mundane, and a guide for morality.