True Heroes

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Recommended: Compare greek mythology and norse mythology

All cultures have heroes and heroines who are present in a variety of myths and legends. But what exactly does it take to be a hero? A hero is a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his or her brave deeds and noble qualities. Thor and Hercules are both perfect examples of heroes. Both heroes are from completely different cultures. Thor is from Norse mythology, and Hercules is from Greek mythology. Despite their different cultures, they share many similarities. Although Hercules is from Greek mythology and Thor is from Norse mythology, the two heroes have many legends about their lives that make them heroic, reveal their culture, and exhibit similar archetypal elements. Hercules led a very different childhood from the very beginning. When he was born, Zeus was his father, and his mother was a mortal woman giving him the title of demigod. Since Hercules was half mortal, he could not live on Mount Olympus and had to live on Earth. Hera, Zeus’ wife, became very jealous of Hercules because Zeus had had an affair with another woman. She did not accept him, and that is another reason Hercules could not live on Mount Olympus. When Hercules was still just an infant, Hera sent two very large snakes to try to kill him. However, since the other half of Hercules was immortal, he had an abnormal amount of strength. Hercules strangled the two snakes with his bare hands, upsetting Hera very much. Hercules’ mother saw this, and knowing he was different said, “Hercules shall become a hero to all people” (Richardson and Baxter 5). As Hercules reached adulthood, according to Richardson and Baxter, “He made a huge club that was so heavy that no one could lift it off the ground. But Hercules could swing it around as if it were a th... ... middle of paper ... ...e similar qualities that entitle them to the name “hero”. Work Cited Daly, Kathleen N. "Thor." Norse Mythology A to Z, Revised Edition. Revised by Marian Rengel. Mythology A to Z. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2004. Ancient and Medieval History Online. Facts On File, Inc. D'Aulaire, Ingri, and Edgar Parin D'Aulaire. D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths. New York: New York Review of, 2005. Print. Loewen, Nancy. Hercules. Mankato, MN: RiverFront, 1999. Print.. Richardson, I. M., and Robert Baxter. The Adventures of Hercules. Mahwah, NJ: Troll Associates, 1983. Print. Schomp, Virginia. The Norsemen. New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark, 2008. Print. White, Pamela. "Vikings." Exploration in the World of the Middle Ages, 500–1500, Discovery and Exploration. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Whiting, Jim. Hercules. Hockessin, DE: Mitchell Lane, 2008. Print

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