Epic Hero Essay

What qualities do you need to have to be an epic hero? An epic hero is human but has some kind of ability that makes them different. Epic hero’s also do things to help other people. They also protect and lead and sometimes can be kings. For the most part epic heroes are usually good guys trying to take out a bad guy because no one but him has the power to. What does it take and what classifies you to be a epic hero. Throughout the entire epic Gilgamesh shows outrageous skill as a warrior and leader.

In Tablet I it is said that, “Gilgamesh is strong to perfection. ” Also, “He is an awesome beast with unmatched strength and a chant that fosters armies. He leads his tribe into battle fearlessly and defeats everyone they come into battle with, it is said that, “Gilgamesh’s tribe is invincible, and aroused by small insults this shows his awesome leadership ability, in that his tribe is eager to fight knowing that their King will not let them down. He shows his great strength by fighting the mighty beast Humbaba.

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To prove that fighting Humbaba was not a simple task I would like to point out that, “The awful monsters reputation made Urok’s gentle people fear for their great king. The elders of the town even spoke to Gilgamesh and warned him to be careful in battle and to let Enkidu lead the way through the forest. Even such an enemy was still no match for Gilgamesh’s extreme skill. He was able to slay the beast and return home safely all of these things prove that he has the skill of a warrior and leadership ability beyond imagination but that is not all that is required to be a hero.

But I still consider him to be an epic hero. Shadow of darkness over the enemy field. Beowulf risks his own life for the Danes, asking help from no one.. After Beowulf had served his people as King of the Geats for fifty years, he goes to battle one last time to fight a horrible dragon that is frightening all of his people. Beowulf is old and tired but he defeats the dragon in order to protect his people. Even in death he wished to secure safety for the Geats, so a tall lighthouse is built in order to help the people find their way back from sea.

Beowulf is the prime example of an epic hero. His bravery and strength surpass all mortal men; loyalty and the ability to think of himself last make him reveared by all. Beowulf came openly and wholeheartedly to help the Danes which was an unusual occurrence in a time of war and wide-spread fear. He set a noble example for all human beings relaying the necessity of brotherhood and friendship. Beowulf is most definitely an epic her. To glow across the land and light.

Therefore, as Maya so cleverly explained, a hero is not a hero unless he has a fault that he must overcome, and it is how he overcomes this fault that makes him memorable and epic. Achilles possesses superhuman strength, has a close relationship with the gods, has all the marks of a great warrior, and indeed proves the mightiest man in the Achaean army, but his innate character flaws constantly hinder his ability to act with nobility and integrity. He cannot control his pride or the rage that surges up when that pride is injured.

This attribute so poisons him that he abandons his comrades and even prays that the Trojans will slaughter them, all because he has been slighted at the hands of his commander, Agamemnon. Achilles is driven primarily by a thirst for glory. Part of him yearns to live a long, easy life, but he knows that his personal fate forces him to choose between the two. Ultimately, he is willing to sacrifice everything else so that his name will be remembered, and it is this eagerness that makes him a heroic figure. You will pay in a lump for all those sorrows of my companions you killed in your spears fury” Can you be a regular person with no extra abilities and be an epic hero. An Epic hero is a leader of noble birth. Always will have super human qualities. No matter what the cause is they will be very brave, intelligent, and resourceful. If any human like person can do something that is abnormal in my opinion is an epic hero. So therefore I feel Gilgamesh, Achilles, and Beowulf should all be characterized as an epic hero.

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