The Characteristics The Characteristics of the Greek Heroof the Greek Hero

When we think of the word When we think of the word hero, what comes to mind?hero, what comes to mind?

Masked men in spandex, tights, and capes?Masked men in spandex, tights, and capes? Tortured loners with no one to love?Tortured loners with no one to love? Cool cars, hot women, and high-tech gadgets?Cool cars, hot women, and high-tech gadgets? Superman?Superman? Batman?Batman? Spiderman?Spiderman? Fireman?Fireman? Policeman?Policeman? Everyman?Everyman?

What makes a hero in What makes a hero in Greek Mythology?Greek Mythology?

Having one immortal parentHaving one immortal parent Being born into royaltyBeing born into royalty Having an unusual conception or birthHaving an unusual conception or birth Being favored by the godsBeing favored by the gods Being the subject of a prophesyBeing the subject of a prophesy Being abandoned at birth or while very youngBeing abandoned at birth or while very young Performing an amazing feat at a young agePerforming an amazing feat at a young age Going on a questGoing on a quest Traveling to the underworldTraveling to the underworld Marrying a princessMarrying a princess Dying an ignoble deathDying an ignoble death

Unusual Conception / Unusual Conception / BirthBirth

Heroes are often called “Demi-gods” because Heroes are often called “Demi-gods” because one parent is immortal and the other is mortalone parent is immortal and the other is mortal

Most famous heroes were the offspring of Zeus Most famous heroes were the offspring of Zeus or Poseidon, but sometimes the parent was a or Poseidon, but sometimes the parent was a goddess such as Aphrodite or Thetisgoddess such as Aphrodite or Thetis

To further complicate things, often the heroes’ To further complicate things, often the heroes’ actual births involved strange complicationsactual births involved strange complications

Born into RoyaltyBorn into Royalty

Heroes were almost always the offspring of a Heroes were almost always the offspring of a princess or queen princess or queen

Typically the god responsible for the hero Typically the god responsible for the hero either came disguised as the husband of the either came disguised as the husband of the queen, or the princess slept with a god and a queen, or the princess slept with a god and a mortal on the same nightmortal on the same night

Invariably the hero was claimed by his earthly Invariably the hero was claimed by his earthly father as well as his Olympian onefather as well as his Olympian one

Prophesy / Abandoned Prophesy / Abandoned at Birthat Birth

The fates or the oracle often had something to The fates or the oracle often had something to say about the birth of a herosay about the birth of a hero

Often the prediction so frightened the parents Often the prediction so frightened the parents that they abandoned the child in the that they abandoned the child in the wilderness, but since the heroic child was wilderness, but since the heroic child was favored by the gods, he was saved and raised favored by the gods, he was saved and raised by someone other than his parentsby someone other than his parents

Sometimes, through no fault of the parents, the Sometimes, through no fault of the parents, the child needed to be raised away from home child needed to be raised away from home

Performing an amazing feat Performing an amazing feat at a young ageat a young age

Young heroes invariable Young heroes invariable found a way to “strut their found a way to “strut their stuff” when they were wee stuff” when they were wee tykes.tykes.

Heracles killed two snakes Heracles killed two snakes as a youngster, Theseus as a youngster, Theseus moved a huge rock and moved a huge rock and fought what he thought was a fought what he thought was a lionlion

These events were a heads These events were a heads up that great things were in up that great things were in

store for our heroesstore for our heroes

Since heroes were the offspring of gods, Since heroes were the offspring of gods, usually they were favored by the gods. usually they were favored by the gods.

A child of Zeus would get help on a quest A child of Zeus would get help on a quest by Zeus or another Olympianby Zeus or another Olympian

Special gifts such as helmets, winged Special gifts such as helmets, winged sandals, and golden bridles were loaned sandals, and golden bridles were loaned to the heroesto the heroes

Favored by the GodsFavored by the Gods

Quests, Kleos and Aristea Quests, Kleos and Aristea Heroes made the world a safer place by Heroes made the world a safer place by

defeating a monster, killing an evil king, defeating a monster, killing an evil king, or righting a wrongor righting a wrong

Heroes wanted their names to live Heroes wanted their names to live forever since they could not.forever since they could not.

Songs must be sung that would Songs must be sung that would perpetuateperpetuate the stories of their great the stories of their great deedsdeeds

Travel to the UnderworldTravel to the Underworld

The hero had to confront death and come The hero had to confront death and come back stronger and rejuvenated back stronger and rejuvenated

Heroes were mortal, so confronting death Heroes were mortal, so confronting death allowed them to face their own mortalityallowed them to face their own mortality

Married a PrincessMarried a Princess

Heroes invariable Heroes invariable married a princess, married a princess, but instead of but instead of marital bliss, this marital bliss, this frequently brought frequently brought turmoil and turmoil and unhappinessunhappiness

Ignoble DeathIgnoble Death

The hero had larger than life attributes, but he The hero had larger than life attributes, but he also had larger than life flawsalso had larger than life flaws

Aristotle would have called this hamartia, and it Aristotle would have called this hamartia, and it was usually brought on by hybriswas usually brought on by hybris

Very few heroes could come to grips with their Very few heroes could come to grips with their gifts and their mortality, but that humanity is gifts and their mortality, but that humanity is part of their appealpart of their appeal

That appeal is what allowed their societies to That appeal is what allowed their societies to forgive them and is also what kept the heroes forgive them and is also what kept the heroes alive for thousands of years after their deathsalive for thousands of years after their deaths

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