The Differences and Similarities of Hero Myths Across Cultures
Heroes are a central theme to myths all cross the world. The idea of a hero transcends both time and geographical boundaries. Even in modern times, heroes are the subject of innumerable movies, books, and video games. Humanity loves their heroes; they often act as paragons of everything their respective culture idealized. By comparing the similarities and differences of the archetypal hero’s journey of antiquity across culture to culture, we can track the differences in values, and history.
In all cultures, hero myths serve a similar function. Humans everywhere face adversity in one form or another, whether it be against our own friends and families, romantic struggles, the government, …show more content…
After being driven mad by Hera, he is tricked into killing his wife and children. He, “in his deranged mind,” believed he was attacking the family of his enemy (Papadopoulou). He grapples with mortality, similar to the aforementioned Achilles and Gilgamesh. He considers suicide, but decides to live with his suffering instead and atone. He states that “even in my present despair, I have been thinking that I might incur the reputation of cowardice if I kill myself. The man who is unable to sustain adversity could never sustain an opponent’s weapons. I shall have the courage to endure life” (Papadopoulou). This is viewed as a brave act, and it is coming to terms with this vulnerability that adds to his image as a hero. His Twelve Labors were difficult, but living after committing a terrible mistake is as well- “Learning to live with suffering is courage, indeed greater than the courage he had during his labors, since he now experiences this kind of vulnerability for the first time (Papadopoulou). He maintains “endurance in the face of adversity as well as on the power of friendship and solidarity in the face of a seemingly unjust and irrational universe”
Heroes are a central theme to myths all cross the world. The idea of a hero transcends both time and geographical boundaries. Even in modern times, heroes are the subject of innumerable movies, books, and video games. Humanity loves their heroes; they often act as paragons of everything their respective culture idealized. By comparing the similarities and differences of the archetypal hero’s journey of antiquity across culture to culture, we can track the differences in values, and history.
In all cultures, hero myths serve a similar function. Humans everywhere face adversity in one form or another, whether it be against our own friends and families, romantic struggles, the government, …show more content…
After being driven mad by Hera, he is tricked into killing his wife and children. He, “in his deranged mind,” believed he was attacking the family of his enemy (Papadopoulou). He grapples with mortality, similar to the aforementioned Achilles and Gilgamesh. He considers suicide, but decides to live with his suffering instead and atone. He states that “even in my present despair, I have been thinking that I might incur the reputation of cowardice if I kill myself. The man who is unable to sustain adversity could never sustain an opponent’s weapons. I shall have the courage to endure life” (Papadopoulou). This is viewed as a brave act, and it is coming to terms with this vulnerability that adds to his image as a hero. His Twelve Labors were difficult, but living after committing a terrible mistake is as well- “Learning to live with suffering is courage, indeed greater than the courage he had during his labors, since he now experiences this kind of vulnerability for the first time (Papadopoulou). He maintains “endurance in the face of adversity as well as on the power of friendship and solidarity in the face of a seemingly unjust and irrational universe”