Consequently, when rulers are very kind and express a lot of trust, people take advantage of them, but when leaders are very tough and harsh, people want to get rid of them and create wars. By extension, Macbeth was a leader who led himself to his own misery because he was not morally strong and had harsh and cruel qualities. Leaders need to have strong morals, unlike Macbeth that shows himself as very weak of morals in the scene where the witches tell him that only a man that has not been born from a
Snape had also invented a curse , Sectumsempra (Half Blood Prince), which is rare for a student. He demonstrated no qualms to use the word “mudblood” (a foul word used for the muggle born or the impure) in the most derogatory sense (as Harry witness during his visit into Snape’s worst memory in the Order of the Phoenix). He also fancied a nickname for himself, The Half Blood Prince, highlighting his wizarding heritage. These small facts, taken together, are indicative to the reasons Snape may have chosen to become a Death Eater. His words
It is said that he is two thirds god and one third human, he was outstandingly strong not only physically but also mentally. In spite of being godlike he was very cruel and has gained inferior habits such as giving himself the right to rape any women that charms him by utilization of his power. That clearly shows dictator-like actions not leader-like. He then goes on a quest to find himself eternal life which clearly indicates that he is self-centered, failing miserably. Being wise and strong doesn’t make a leader if it was misused, but it develops a dictator who get what he wants on other’s expense.
Beowulf might have served as a good moral story to the Anglo-Saxons, but when adapted to christian values, it contradicts itself. As an illustration, Beowulf was originally written to represent the perfect hero according to the Anglo-Saxons. This is evidenced since throughout the whole poem, Beowulf not once demonstrates a fault, and even at the moment of his death, he has not failed in his purpose, as he has defeated the dragon, has died a heroic death: (lines 2702-2711) “Once again the king gathered his strength and drew a stabbing knife he carried on his belt, sharpened for battle. He stuck it deep into the dragon 's flank. Beowulf dealt it a deadly wound.
This applies to Beowulf because although he saves the Danes from Grendel, he still has imperfections. One thing that Beowulf does to make himself a hero is he uses his weaknesses as an advantage. Beowulf is not the largest man and does not have great eyesight, but he uses cunning to defeat even the most difficult enemy. Furthermore, Beowulf specifically applies to the theme of how even heroes are not perfect. Nye illustrates that a hero can use his weaknesses as advantages.
I. Machiavelli In his famous work the Prince Niccolo Machiavelli exposes what it takes to be a good prince and how only this good price and keep control over his state. There are many different qualities that make a man a good ruler but there are some that are more essential than others. In this work Machiavelli stresses the importance of being a warrior prince, a wise prince, and knowing how to navigate the duality of virtù and vices. Without these attributes there was no way that a prince could hold together their state and their people. This is a work that still influences us today and is still relevant in today’s complex society.
In a society where heroism and bravery are honored as essential aspects of culture, the contrasting values of these characters, or foils, help define Beowulf as the model hero. He becomes often associated with the image of a perfect, almighty warrior, able to prove his fame in any situation. However, the foil characters can do more than purely illuminate his positive values. With the contrast they provide, Beowulf’s faults are revealed and criticized as well. Although foil characters often point out the greatness of Beowulf, they also serve to highlight Beowulf’s flaws, teach him lessons, and allow him to change, as seen in his interactions with Unferth, Hrothgar, and the dragon.
I then go on to describe Beowulf’s heroic actions, such as his grand speeches and his epic, justly fights. Within these arguments, I explore Wiglaf displaying similar characteristics of a hero, even though he is not the traditional hero of Beowulf. We Are Capable of Being a Hero: Wiglaf in Beowulf Traditionally, Wiglaf is not the hero in Beowulf; the poem is not titled Wiglaf. Yet, he is the only warrior willing to fulfill his devotion to the leader, Beowulf, and
Beowulf 's job as a king was to "keep" the warriors and their treasure. Are Beowulf 's sacrifices and his bravery good enough to call him a great king? To reflect this model of kingship in this period, Beowulf tends to emphasize wisdom in national political crises, despite an obvious admiration for kings who pursue the glory of the old Germanic heroism. In
Emma Arent Mrs. Aumann Honors English 9 Block 3BC 5 February 2017 The Great Man Odysseus When looking up the definition of a “good guy” you find the description being a morally correct person or character : a hero. In the book The Odyssey, translated by Robert Fagles, the main character Odysseus can be described as “good guy”. When Odysseus sets out from his home, Ithaca to fight in a long war, he is faced with many problems that lead him to fighting for himself by occasionally being violent to protect himself. The issue with this is that some readers get the idea that he is just violent, which makes him a bad man. Although Odysseus can be violent sometimes, he is a good man because he is a good husband, he always looks out for his crew and