What is a Hero Essay - 1140 Words

According to the Oxford English Dictionary, a hero is â€Å"a man who exhibits extraordinary bravery, firmness, fortitude, or greatness of soul, in any course of action, or in connection with any pursuit, work, or enterprise; a man admired and venerated for his achievements and noble qualities.† Throughout history there has often been a need for such a human. The epic poem Beowulf narrates the story of a hero named Beowulf who rescues Denmark from several monsters that terrorize it: Grendel and his mother, and later, a dragon. In doing so, he becomes a heroic figure. In addition to his unique birth and purpose, Beowulf performs many impossible feats, and truly is devoted to Denmark in his last breaths. In contrast, the Holy Bible tells the†¦show more content†¦As it has been used in this context as such, it is possible that lines 943-945 are addressing the fact that Beowulf was given as a gift from the Lord of Ages. Regardless if she is a virgin or not, it is clear th at Beowulf’s life–like Christ’s—was given by God. God, however, did not grant these live without reason; indeed, both Beowulf and Christ were born to serve a specific purpose. Beowulf is born to rescue the Danes from Grendel, who routinely attacks its mead-hall called Heorot. In the beginning of the poem, when Hrothgar is talking to Wulfgar, he says that the â€Å"Holy God has, in His goodness, guided him [Beouwulf] here to the West-Danes, to defend us from Grendel† (381-383). No other but Beowulf can defeat Grendel. In Unferth’s speech, he says that, â€Å"no one has ever outlasted an entire night against Grendel† (527-528). This passage confirms that Beowulf is the only solution to the Danes’ problem. Likewise, Christ is the only man â€Å"Who gave himself for our sin, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our father† (Gal. 1.4). His purpose on Earth was to die on the cross for our sins. Every human is born in sin (Rom. 3.23), and consequently, ev eryone is destined to die (Rom. 6.23). God’s remedy to this was to give his son, Christ, to die for the sins of the world so that â€Å"†¦whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life† (John. 3.16). His life on Earth served a greater purpose: it allowed allShow MoreRelatedWhat a hero is1160 Words   |  5 PagesWhen the word hero is spoken, everyone has different thoughts. Some will think of super powers like flying and saving people from villains; while others have a certain person they know or have heard of that come to mind who have done something to make a difference in the lives of others but who is a hero to you? To answer this question you must first ask yourself what a hero is; what comes to your mind when someone says the word. When I am confronted with these questions I always have the sameRead MoreWhat Makes A Hero Or Hero?812 Words   |  4 Pagesthat man may be, in essence, a hero. Because of this stereotypical â€Å"heroà ¢â‚¬ , we do not see the real heroes in life. What really IS a hero or heroine? A hero is what we make of them, although some are undeserving of this title. We make a hero. You, me, society; we all make heroes. We give them this title. Heroes are role models, and role models, in my eyes, should possess three very significant qualities. Courage, humbleness, and morality; these form a hero. The classic hero. Ah, he’s brave and bold. HeRead MoreHero Essay : What Makes A Hero A Hero?832 Words   |  4 PagesWhat Makes a Hero a Hero? As I have recently sat down with my grandmother, Mary, I asked her questions about a hero and herself being a hero. My grandmother has such an impact on me in daily life along with being a personal hero to me. She is such an inspiration to me in so many ways that I could never think of taking for granted. I chose my grandmother as my hero because of obstacles I have faced, she was the one to show me the love and support I was in need of at the time. Mary shows theRead MoreWhat Makes A Hero?1168 Words   |  5 PagesSuperman, Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, what do these three have in common? They’re all heroes. But what truly is a hero? Is it one who wins independence for his country, or one that helps an old lady cross the street? And should we aspire to be like this person? Using Brecht’s Life of Galileo, Beethoven’s Heiligenstadt Testament and Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, we’ll attempt to answer that question. A hero typically in today’s culture is considered as someone who is admired for his courage and otherRead MoreWhat is a Hero? Essay528 Words   |  3 PagesWhat is a Hero? There are many types of heroes (such as the ones in comic books, myths, movies, or even just everyday life heroes) but all of them have perseverance when they’re going through a conflict. Heroes are role models and they’re people that we look up too. They all have unique and special qualities that make one another different from each other. For example policemen battle crime everyday and when they’re overcoming a conflict they have determination, courage and other traits that peopleRead MoreWhat Makes a Hero?1209 Words   |  5 PagesWhat is a Hero? What is a hero? What makes him or her different from everyone else? In Phillip Zimbardo’s article â€Å"What Makes a Hero?† he states that heroes surround us. One in five or 20 percent of people qualify as heroes. Seventy-two percent of people report helping another person in a dangerous emergency. Sixteen percent report whistle blowing on an injustice. Six percent report sacrificing for a non-relative or stranger and fifteen percent report defying an unjust authority (1). AlthoughRead More What Is A Hero? Essay1173 Words   |  5 Pagesthrough their determination and unselfish deeds. However, we may not notice some of society’s other heroes. One such heroic person that comes to my mind is Arnold Schwarzenegger. Many people perceive Arnold as only a blockbuster movie star and not as the hero he truly is. People see the glittery and glamorous fascade of the actor but not the truly heroic acts of the humanitarian. Through his charity work, Arnold has truly touch ed the lives of those who are less fortunate. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;ThereRead MoreWhat Makes A Hero?1541 Words   |  7 Pages What is a hero? Is it superman? Is it your mom or dad? Is it your teacher? There are many people that are considered heroes. Some are just every day people, and some are super-human. Characteristics of heroes vary from era to era. Now people who are just simply a good person are considered a hero. But, back in ancient times to become a hero took much more. It took honesty, wisdom, and in some cases, wealth and superhuman abilities. With time new stories and beliefs are uncovered. In ancientRead MoreWhat Makes A Hero?934 Words   |  4 Pages Most people have theories on what makes a hero a hero. Many authors over time have created books, comics and so forth on heroes and what they feel makes them the hero. There are also the ancient legends and myths from all over the world. So what is it that makes them a hero? Well Joseph Campbell has a pretty good outline of what he thinks should define a hero. A hero is a person who in some way breaks the molds of a normal huma n being. Their wisdom, courage, and durability ect. exceedsRead MoreWhat Makes a Hero1664 Words   |  7 Pages2011 What Makes A Hero What makes a hero? Saving a puppy from a burning building? Or what about being a single mother raising three kids and working two jobs? Both of these could be good candidates for heroes since they both possess the characteristic of strength—not just physical strength, but mental strength. This is one of the most important traits of a hero but it is not the only one. Courage, intelligence, and morality are also necessary in order to really get penciled in to the â€Å"hero† category