The Characteristics Of A Heroic Folktales

A typical hero can be defined as someone who stands up for what is right and is courageous enough to sacrifice themselves for others. A person does not need superpowers to be a hero, but it is their possession of certain characteristics that makes them heroic. Heroes come in many forms and there are many different characteristics to a hero that make them stick out like a thorn. It is these very characteristics that contributes to the hero facing challenges alone, as it is only they who possess them, and the heroes having that ability to do so. In many heroic folktales the author selects a character to be the one who saves the day, and it is this character who is instilled with hero characteristics that single them out from the rest of the characters.

Their defiant characteristic allows them to be independent and this helps them overcome being alone. Selflessness is a rare characteristic to see and typically the hero possesses this characteristic, as it makes them stand out more and allows for them to be able to stand out for a good cause. Lastly, courage is the most popular trait seen in heroes and it is courage that the heroes have that others do not and is key in the hero pushing forward to fight for what is right. A person may want to stand up for what is right, but their lack of courage is what holds them back and is what propels the heroes forward.

In the heroic folktales, it is the hero who is the one to point out an injustice or problem in the society. According to Ignatius Chukwumah, PhD. “the hero is a character of resistance, which, in many ways, is in conflict with the laws made unbearable for others” (Chukwumah 73). It is the hero who is the one to take action and armed with their characteristic of defiance, they refuse to accept the situation and are determined to not only change the situation, but defy all odds in the process. Take for example the tale, “Flying Head”. It is the woman who puts her foot down and says enough is enough. The woman was sick of