Could a coward be a hero and a hero a coward? Are heroes always the noble figures we encounter in literature? Everyone dreams of becoming a hero; of ascending above the masses of sheep and making a difference, yet in reality these ambitions are rooted in desire and egocentrism. The definition of hero is “a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements or noble qualities, yet history has shown that heroes are not always the noble figures we hear about in stories, nor does a coward die a thousand deaths. There should not be such clear a distinction between what defines a hero and what defines a coward. Heroes and cowards alike all die, once and once only.
It is astounding the number of people who hold the belief that running …show more content…
Contrary to popular belief, heroes can be narcissistic, egocentric bastards. They do it all for the fame and glory. Think about Napoleon Bonaparte; to many of us, he was an arrogant and boastful tyrant. He rose to power through a rigged plebiscite vote and ruled France with an iron fist. His arrogance and belief in his own power lead to the defeat of the Grande Armée and the downfall of his empire. Yet Napoleon was worshipped by his trooped as a great military leader and hero, despite his inconsideration and cruelty towards them. In his Siberian campaign, soldiers were left eating raw frozen hunks of horse meat while Napoleon feasted on three course meals. All of his actions were based on personal greed and desire, and did nothing for the good of his country or people. Napoleon died in a sickly state in exile. He did not face death with dignity, heroism or valour. He did not die in a great battle, with a weapon at his side; he died a “coward’s …show more content…
It was believed to be the greatest honour; the true mark of heroism. Those who perished outside of combat would spend eternity in Helheim, the equivalent to Hell in Christian belief. Spending eternity in such a place could be considered ‘dying a thousand deaths’ from a different point of view. When you think about it, these tales were told to inspire warriors in battle, and to give men tales to tell their Viking wives. In a modern context, it is forthrightly a stupid belief. Why would you simply throw your life away in order to pass into an afterlife where there is no way of knowing if it exists or
It is astounding the number of people who hold the belief that running …show more content…
Contrary to popular belief, heroes can be narcissistic, egocentric bastards. They do it all for the fame and glory. Think about Napoleon Bonaparte; to many of us, he was an arrogant and boastful tyrant. He rose to power through a rigged plebiscite vote and ruled France with an iron fist. His arrogance and belief in his own power lead to the defeat of the Grande Armée and the downfall of his empire. Yet Napoleon was worshipped by his trooped as a great military leader and hero, despite his inconsideration and cruelty towards them. In his Siberian campaign, soldiers were left eating raw frozen hunks of horse meat while Napoleon feasted on three course meals. All of his actions were based on personal greed and desire, and did nothing for the good of his country or people. Napoleon died in a sickly state in exile. He did not face death with dignity, heroism or valour. He did not die in a great battle, with a weapon at his side; he died a “coward’s …show more content…
It was believed to be the greatest honour; the true mark of heroism. Those who perished outside of combat would spend eternity in Helheim, the equivalent to Hell in Christian belief. Spending eternity in such a place could be considered ‘dying a thousand deaths’ from a different point of view. When you think about it, these tales were told to inspire warriors in battle, and to give men tales to tell their Viking wives. In a modern context, it is forthrightly a stupid belief. Why would you simply throw your life away in order to pass into an afterlife where there is no way of knowing if it exists or