Heroes in Greek epics mutually express a few common character traits. These traits define a hero in almost every Greek epic. Muhammad Ali, formerly known as Cassius Clay, displays many of the same traits as these heroes. From his time growing up on Grand Avenue in Louisville, Kentucky to his many mission trips to foreign countries, Ali is considered "The Greatest of All Time" by many. Muhammad Ali's strength, courage, positive impact, and outstanding accomplishments validate him as a modern day epic hero in the eyes of millions of people.
Muhammad Ali excels in both physical and emotional strength. Ali attended the dedication of Muhammad Ali Center at the age of 63 without any medical staff assisting him and asking for no sympathy from his fans (Jet Magazine). He lost and regained boxing championship titles many times. This struggle made him the only man to be a heavyweight champion on three separate
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Growing up, he was never a great student, graduating high school placed 367th in a class of 391. Upon opposing the Vietnam war in the 1960s, he was deprived of his boxing title by state commissions across the nation (Lifefile: Muhammad Ali). Many tests and punishments followed his decision to not be inducted into the Vietnam war. Not only did Ali face a 5 year prison term for his refusal to be drafted, he was also found guilty of violation of the Selective Service Act and fined $10,000 along with a five year jail sentence. Following a gold metal victory, he returned to Louisville, his home town, where he was refused service in a restaurant and subsequently became involved in a fight with a motorcycle gang leader. He emerged from the fight without serious injury, still possessing his Olympic gold metal which one of the gang members demanded as a souvenir from the brawl. Following the incident he threw the same metal into the Ohio river in disgust (Jet
A large part of being an epic hero is reflecting a trait from his society. In Greece, all of the people abided by the Xena Contract. It stated that all Greek people had to be very hospitable, and the
Muhammad Ali is a retire heavyweight boxing champion and claimed the title 3 times in his 21 year career. Muhammad Ali won fifty six boxing matches during his boxing career and has only lost five matches and knocked out his opponents thirty seven times. Muhammad Ali has appeared on the cover of sports illustrated thirty eight times just behind retire basketball player Michael Jordan. In 1964 he joined the islamic religion and changed his name to Muhammad Ali.
He also witnessed certain hate crimes that happened around where he lived, such as the Emmett Till murder that influenced him heavily. Muhammad Ali was born in a segregated black only section of louisville Kentucky and was taught by his mother at an early age to not discriminate anyone and treat everybody equal. His grew up in an average family, neither rich, neither poor, but his father couldn’t get a better job than a
Of the hundreds of boxers to have been a world champion at some point, none have held the title as long as Joe Louis did. For 11 years and 8 months, Louis, a black man, was king of the boxing heavyweight division. During that time he beat a Nazi, enlisted in the army, and did everything he possibly could to familiarize white America with black boxers. During his career, Joe Louis used his boxing prowess and earned wealth to fight against the segregation and racism he experienced, leading him to have one of the greatest boxing careers of all time and to pioneer a pathway for the careers of other black athletes like Jackie Robinson and Muhammed Ali.
birthed Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., better known as Muhammad Ali on January 17, 1942. Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky, and was also raised there. Being from the South, Ali faced racism as a young child, and all the way through his adolescence. Biography.com shows his toughness by saying, “At an early age, Muhammad Ali showed that he wasn't afraid of any bout — inside or outside of the ring. Growing up in the segregated South, he experienced racial prejudice and discrimination firsthand”.
Jackie Robinson’s contribution to the civil rights movement made him a true American hero. Through his contributions in the military, his breaking of the color barrier in baseball, and his legacy after his career, Jackie Robinson did what no one else could. Jackie Robinson enlisted in the United States Army in 1942, where his fight for civil rights began. While the iconic Rosa Parks is known for refusing to give up her seat on a bus, Jackie Robinson did a similar thing while serving in the Army. “While Robinson was preparing to be sent overseas, he was court martialed for insubordination for refusing to sit at the back of the bus.”
In 1964, Muhammad Ali, one of America’s most polarizing and famous athletes for his boxing career, was being drafted to the military. Ali fizzled the U.S. Military qualifying test in light of the fact that his written work and spelling aptitudes were below the national standard. Because of the Vietnam War spiraling down as a lost war effort, the test norms were brought down in November 1965. Ali was then ultimately eligible for the draft and was to be named into the military. He was also going to be called for an act of duty due to the lack of soldiers in Vietnam, an already unpopular war (Cassius Marsellus CLAY, Jr.).
He was a sport icon of his era as well as a dynamic figure in the racial and cultural battles of his time. Ali grew up in the south when racism was at its highest. According to Remnick, David he stated that “Like any black child of his generation, Cassius Clay Learned quickly that if he strayed outside his neighborhood to the white neighborhood of Portland,
He gave people hope that they can turn their life around during the depression. He lost everything including his children as many Americans did. However, he got that back by boxing which was all he had in the end. He thought risking his life was worth getting his children back, which inspired many people. In addition, made lots of people risk everything.
Cassius Clay, or more popularly known “Muhammad Ali”, was a very
The did not indict Ali Drew and released him soon after his arrest in July 1929. Noble Drew Ali, or Timothy Drew, died on July 20, 1929, in his Chicago home. His official certificate of death states he died of “tuberculosis broncho-pneumonia”Perkins, W. E. (1996). Droppin' Science: Critical Essays on Rap Music and Hip Hop Culture, Temple University Press. The Chicago Defender and many members of the Moorish nation believed his death to be at the hands of police and “that the ordeal of the trial together with the treatment he received at the hands of police in an effort to obtain true statements are directly responsible for the illness which precipitated his death.
Do you know any epic heroes that show heroic qualities? Some heroes that you might be thinking of would be Batman, Spider-Man, or even Thor; but those aren't the epic heroes I'm talking about. I'm talking about the real heroes the ones who don't need any powers to achieve anything. The type of hero that does not need to fly or shoot lasers out of it's eyes. One hero that would be considered an epic hero would be Odysseus; you might not know who he is, well he's a character that comes out in the Iliad and the Odyssey.
Muhammad Ali was an athlete formally known as a Cassius Clay before he changed his name to Cassius X and later to Ali after joining the Nation of Islam. He is well known due to his mark on the world as an athlete in boxing. Besides him being an iconic boxer he also remembered as a person who fought for social and political change through his outspoken political positions and this the point where his greatness excelled . Ali had a great political influence on many individuals in the United States. Different occasions portray Ali’s stand on political and social change.
If you were to think about a man with great abilities like being strong, courageous and intelligent, you could think of people you personally or like me, you could think of someone such as Odysseus. Odysseus fits the definition of an epic hero because he is quick thinking, strong and courageous. Odysseus is one quick thinking individual. He has gotten him and his crew out some some sticky situations with his clever plans. One of these plans were how to get away from Polyphemus, a cyclops who was the son of Poseidon.
He is considered to be this because he is a heroic and honorable man that has been through many trials and gotten passed them all alive. He is a well-known hero throughout the world. Odysseus qualifies to be the ideal epic hero in all of the categories. For one he was born of royalty. For two he has a special weapon-his brain.