The Characteristics The Characteristics of the Greek Heroof the Greek Hero

When you think of the word When you think of the word “hero,” what comes to “hero,” what comes to mind?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? Firemen?Firemen? Policemen?Policemen? Musicians?Musicians? The “Everyman?”The “Everyman?”

What about…?What about…?

What about…?What about…?

What about…?What about…?

What about…?What about…?

What about…?What about…?

What about…?What about…?

What constitutes a What constitutes a herohero in Greek Mythology?in 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

**meaning “of low meaning “of low character/quality”character/quality”

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

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

Unusual Conception / Unusual Conception / BirthBirth Heroes are often called “Demi-gods” because one Heroes are often called “Demi-gods” because one

parent is immortal and the other is mortalparent is immortal and the other is mortal

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

To further complicate things, often the heroes’To further complicate things, often the heroes’

actual births involved strange actual births involved strange

circumstancescircumstances

Prophesy / Abandoned Prophesy / Abandoned at Birthat Birth The fates or the oracle often had The fates or the oracle often had

something to say about the birth of a herosomething to say about the birth of a hero

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

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

Hercules killed two snakes Hercules killed two snakes as a youngster, Theseus as a youngster, Theseus moved a gigantic rockmoved a gigantic rock

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 godsusually they were favored by the gods

A child of Zeus would get help on a quest by A child of Zeus would get help on a quest by

Zeus or another OlympianZeus or another Olympian

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

Favored by the GodsFavored by the Gods

Their Quests / LegacyTheir Quests / Legacy Heroes made the world a safer place by defeating a Heroes made the world a safer place by defeating a

monster, killing an evil king, or righting a wrongmonster, killing an evil king, or righting a wrong

Wanted their names to Wanted their names to

live forever since they live forever since they

could notcould not

Songs had to be sung that Songs had to be sung that

would perpetuate the stories would perpetuate the stories

of their great deedsof their great deeds

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

Ignoble DeathIgnoble Death The hero had larger than life attributes, but he also had The hero had larger than life attributes, but he also had

larger-than-life flawslarger-than-life flaws

Aristotle would have called this “hamartia,” and it was Aristotle would have called this “hamartia,” and it was usually brought on by hubrisusually brought on by hubris

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

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

Works Cited

Information/images adapted from:

http://www.worldofteaching.com/powerpoints/english/The%20Characteristics%20of%20the%20Greek%20Hero.ppt