The word ‘hero’ comes from a Greek root to mean protect and serve. Often a hero is connected with self-sacrifice, transcending ego. Webster dictionary defines a hero as a person who is admired for great or brave acts or fine qualities, a person who is greatly admired, the chief male character in a story, play, movie, etc. (Webster, 2011). The heroes roll is to incorporate all the separate parts of himself/herself to become a true Self, recognized as part of a whole.
In a literary work, the writer invites the reader to create a nexus with the hero. The readers venerates the hero’s qualities, often secretly wanting to be like him/her. Yet the hero has flaws, weaknesses, whims, and vices which add to the appeal. Then there is/are the inner conflicts and struggles the hero also experiences. With this being considered, it can be difficult to discern whether the esteemed personality is a hero or a zero.
This paper will seek to create an argument whether characters of two literary works are heroes or zeroes. Gilgamesh and Telemachus are my two main Heroes. Gilgamesh was the King of Uruk he was half god and half human. Gilgamesh was strong, brave and wise. Telemachus was a young prince he also was brave, wise and confident. Gilgamesh though he was the King of Uruk he overpowered the people. Gilgamesh also intimidated the people of Uruk with his looks and actions. The people of Uruk felt so mistreated by Gilgamesh the people of Uruk asked the gods to create another man who could be equal to him to come and kill him.
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This is how bad the people of Uruk wanted him dead because no one want a leader they fear. Gilgamesh was not perfect by any means. Gilgamesh had an imperfect side to him. As being the King you would have thought he would have shown compassion towards his people instead he made them fear him. A hero should always think about others and not themselves. A person does some significant things that makes others admire them for their unselfless acts.
A hero should be heroic in every manner not just because you feel they are strong or people fear you them for their hereoism. In Gilgamesh journeys he often showed his bravery and at times some weakness. For example Enkindu and Gilgamesh have this great fight which Gilgamesh defeated Enkindu he was willing to prove himself strong and brave to the people to safe his fame and status to his people. After the battle with Enkidu they became best friends but Gilgamesh had to win that battle. Gilgamesh earned his title as a hero because of his accomplishments as King and from being such a great fighter.
Gilgamesh demonstrated how brave he was also when he had to defeat Humbaba the demon of the Cedar Forrest and the Great Bull of Heaven. Although Enkindu had to encourage Gilgamesh which at this point he showed a sign of weakness helped but with the strength and braveness of Enkindu he won the battle in the Cedar Forest. The defeat of Humbaba in the Cedar forest Gilgamesh cut his head off like a souviner and took it back to the gods to prove to them that he had killed the demon of the forest. Gilgamesh showed he had humanly feelings when Enkindu died Gilgamesh went through a period of morning as humans do when we lose a love one. Telemachus was a heroin in The Odyssey.
Telemachus had many good qualities he was brave young King very wise and confident. Compared to Gilgamesh Telemachus had to fight his battles by himself which I admired a great deal. I feel he was young but very mature and brave. The reason I see Telemachus as brave is because he had to fight the suitors and set out on a mission to travel too Pylos and Sparta to find his father and bring him back home safely to Penelope his mother. Telemachus was still a very young man at this time he was around twenty years old. Telemachus believed in the gods and Athena for help and guidance along his journey.
I think it took confidence and maturity and braveness to be able to travel the journey he had to make. Telemachus although he look to the gods for support to keep him safe on his journey he also looked for the support of the people. Telemachus new the people didn’t really give him the respect as they did his father even though he spoke well he knew he had to prove himself as being a young prince. Which this part of Telemachus reminded me of Gilgamesh and the many battles he had to win he wanted the people to believe in him and also fear him.
Telemachus wanted to make his mother Penelope proud while keeping her say from harm and danger. Telemachus really wanted to impress the people. I feel he was very brave and mature to be able to handle the journey he traveled with only a few herdsmen fighting with him. He was wise because he set out on the journey to find his father and did it without being captured or killed by the suitors. He had to fight many suitors by himself in order to find his father Odyssey. Telemachus compared to Gilgamesh didn’t have the strength as Gilgamesh did but he was very confident in himself.
Gilgamesh at times showed weakness at times especially when Enkindu had to make him believe in himself when they went to fight Humbaba in the Cedar Forest as I mentioned. Telemachus was a young prince as Gilgamesh was part god and part human. Gilgamesh was led by his dreams and the gods, Telemachus was led by Athena which was like a dream or intuition, she helps him prepare to meet Nestor she helps build up his belief and confidence to go up against the suitors. Heroism can have many meanings.
A true hero is always trying to help others that are going through something. Gilgamesh and Telemachus were indeed heroes in their time. Telemachus a young Prince, Gilgamesh part human and part god stronger than anyone ever known. Telemachus a young Prince Gilgamesh big and strong which others probably envy with a passion similar qualities. Telemachus and Gilgamesh were not perfect they had struggles and conflict along their journey they had to travel and the image they had to keep up to the people.
So as I see it any young man that sets out in search of his missing father is a hero. I imagine they wanted to give up the fight when things got rough. Too be a hero you will have ups and downs strengths and weaknesses obstacles and hurdles to cross which makes it difficult to succeed. So neither was a zero in my thoughts they both were heroes just heroes in different time periods. In life we all should strive to be a hero meaning we all could lend a hand to help someone in need. So a hero can be whatever you feel make that person a hero.
