Was Hercules A Hero? Every person has a hero, or at the very least, a person that they look up to in life. The ancient greeks were no exception to this common relationship. Hercules, the son of a human woman and Zeus, king of the gods, was someone greek culture revered and labelled a hero, as he overcame all odds to slay many monsters that threatened greek society. Though only a myth, Hercules’ legacy lives on due to this role model status many have bestowed upon him. However, Hercules is very far from the perfect role model. Although many claim Hercules’ heroism, Hercules does not deserve the title of ‘hero’ that so many have given him, as his heinous crimes and dishonorable traits outweigh the little good he brought into the world. Hercules, the product of an affair between …show more content…
When Hercules became an adult, Hera sent Hercules an uncontrollable fit of rage which resulted in the murder of his wife and children. This event prompted Hercules to seek guidance from the oracle of Apollo to atone for his crimes. The oracle ordered Hercules to complete ten labors, and he would be forgiven and granted immortal life on Mount Olympus after death. Hercules, in the end, completed twelve labors as he did not receive credit for two of the labors for various reasons. This is the reason many consider him a hero, though these acts do not describe Hercules’ disrespectful, selfish, and confrontational nature. Hercules, after completing these acts, was sent into another fit of rage by Hera. This resulted in the murder of a house guest who was at Hercules’ estate, leading Hercules to seek atonement for his crime from the oracle once more. This time, however, the oracle refused to speak with Hercules or give him guidance on how to right the wrongs he has done. Hercules, who became enraged, started to destroy the temple and stole the sacred stool the oracle sat on, and refused to return it until the oracle agreed to help him. This
He was a God and the two servants of Hades, "Pain and Panic," kidnapped him as an infant from his bassinet in order to kill him without being stopped. Little does Hades know they didn't really kill Hercules, they only turned him into a mortal human. In order not to get caught, they leave him,
An epic hero is an ordinary individual who finds strength to endure overwhelming obstacles. In Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, three heros named Perseus, Theseus, and Hercules exhibit different traits that affect their journey in a positive or negative way. Perseus receives supernatural help, Theseus displays incredible strength, and Hercules has a fatal flaw that will end tragically, these qualities are what classify each as an epic hero.
Odysseus Essay: Odysseus of Ithaka. Some historians have argued for years that he is a noble hero, and others say he is just a man trying to get home from many hardship and challenges, however Odysseus is the definition of a hero. During Odysseus’s journey it becomes evident that Odysseus is a hero like the legends say, he meets all the criterias of being a hero such as being brave, smart, fighting against evil, and protecting others from danger. For generations people have been correct to honor the great Odysseus, for his actions along his adventures. Although there has been some evidence that points to Odysseus not being a hero, this essay will give three reasons why Odysseus should be respected as a hero.
Mythology is a collection of myths and stories belonging to a particular belief system or cultural tradition. Even though there are a variety of different myths taught around the world, Greek mythologies are more famously known for their fruitful stories and complex relationships. Greek mythologies mostly concern their gods and heroes such as; Hercules, Achilles, Theseus, and Perseus. Of the many Greek heroes, Jason is the most heroic due to the fact that although he is abandoned at a very young age, he is still able to survive, also he proves to Hera the goddess who hated heroes that he is worthy to be favoured by her, and he completes the impossible quest of the Golden Fleece. Jason is born in a very superior family, having a father who is the lawful king of Iolcus.
The concept of hero has been interpreted in many ways throughout the ages. Hero have gone from knights slaying dragons and rescuing the princess, to heroes who save the world with their supernatural-like powers, to a modern day hero who is someone who has noble qualities and is regarded as a role model. In the epic, The Odyssey, by Robert Fagles, the heroic Odysseus is a well known in Greek mythology. However, although Odysseus is the most respected, honorable hero of Greek mythology he is not a modern hero. A modern day hero is someone who puts their life on the line to save the lives of other innocent people.
Hero — noun. “A person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” A hero can come in many different forms, and can be one for many different reasons. Does one have to match the definition of a hero, or can they be more? In Homer’s
The hero has extraordinary strength, being the strongest man on earth he is sometimes he is unaware of the power he posses, Hercules is invulnerable. Although worshiped as a God, he was properly a hero. In his early years, Hercules defeated Thebes from the armies of a neighboring city. Since he was young
Every past and modern culture over the course of history, has its hero’s. A hero is a person or figure that others look up to and use as forms of protection. Many cherish the hero’s, they make up who we are today. The Anglo-Saxon hero, Beowulf, and the postmodern hero/hero’s, the soldiers, both show the traits of bravery, selflessness, and loyalty. To have the trait of bravery you have to have lots of confidence in yourself and have courage.
In this analysis my main focus would be: why Hercules was famous in Greek Myth? , how did he impact the world and its society? and what lessons can be learnt from him? Hercules, the son of Zeus, was very famous in Greek mythology because he slayed the unbeatable nine headed hydra and the famous Nemean lion. When he was a kid he strangled and killed two venomous snakes with his bare hands and also he was the only warrior in Greek myth who was half god and half human.
Though he may be ridiculously unintelligent and emotionally unstable, he had a burning passion for justice and making things right. No matter how many people he had accidently killed, he always made it right by doing more and more good deeds. He was constantly working to become the best man he could. Though he couldn’t think properly, he was a man of his word. Hercules and Theseus both did great deeds, but Hercules just achieved more because of his strength.
Debi Mazar is an actress who stated, “A hero is somebody who is selfless, who is generous in spirit, who just tried to give back as much as possible and help people. A hero to me is someone who saves people and who really, deeply cares.” Heroes are relevant to everyone, because at some point, everyone has had a hero. Sadly, today’s society degrades the meaning of the word “hero”. Heroes are an important aspect of life, but famous people are not always heroes.
Although the word “hero” has transcended time, the definition has not. When modern-day humans go into reading about Greek heroes, expecting them to resemble our current ones, they are unpleasantly surprised to find selfish people who sometimes indiscriminately murder in the name of honor. In comparison, we value the firefighter that puts their life on the line to save others, the person standing up to the bully with pacifism rather than fists, and those that learn to forgive and forget instead of spending their entire lives seeking revenge on those that have wronged them. Thus, Achilles would not be considered a modern-day hero like he was in ancient Greece, because whilst they valued glory, brutal strength, and revenge, today we value selflessness,
Our culture has defined the word hero in many different ways one way defines it as a mythological or legendary figure, later expanded to include principal male characters in dramatic works (Boyd). There are many of different heroes in myth that have this definition apply to them. One such example of this type of hero is Hercules who is very famous for his twelve labors (Cartwright). Another way our culture has defined the word hero is one admired for his great courage or noble qualities (Boyd). This definition mostly applies to heroes of today an example of one of these heroes is Chelsey B. “Sully” Sullenberger (Boyd).
This is very different to the myth. In the myth, Hera it the one who sent the snakes down to kill Hercules, not Hades. She absolutely loathes him. She is so upset about her husband’s infidelity, she tries to get a baby killed. The change in the movie can be attributed to the common moral of monogamy.
Heroes have always stood out in time as wondrous beings. In literature they possess certain special traits. These traits are ones such as courage, strength, selflessness and intelligence. Theseus an Athenian hero possess some of these great qualities,“... he was as compassionate as he was brave and a man of great intellect as well as great bodily strength” (133).