There are countless stories of heroes in every society. Heroes are people who, often with divine powers, beneficially affect many lives and, in turn, change that community’s history. Because these heroes come from society, their characteristics and actions are dependent on its unique culture and beliefs. So although it may seem as if the heroes of the Hebrew Bible and of the Iliad would be fundamentally different due to the remarkably contrasting culture and context, they are actually portrayed as the same, as pawns of the gods. This depiction not only brings together the roles of heroes in society, it also sheds light on a common, greater message of humanity’s lack of free will. In both texts, religion is one of the most significant parts
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In the Tanakh, Yahweh chooses David, a young shepherd boy, to be the hero and king of the Israelites (1 Samuel 16:1,7). There is no clear reason why Yahweh chooses this previously irrelevant child but that Yahweh knows all. Nonetheless, this divine appointment becomes the starting point of David’s role as a hero to the society. His first heroic event is at the fight against Goliath (1 Samuel 17:31-51). The Israelites are currently in a war against the Philistinians; but a Philistine giant, Goliath, is scaring away the whole Israelite army from fighting. Then comes in the recently anointed David who through divine gifts kills him with a sling and a single stone, saving the day. In the Iliad, Achilles is divinely chosen as a hero to save the Greeks (Iliad, VIII. 546-550). For him too, there is no written reason why he deserves this role. Although he was the best soldier, it is not known why any other Greek was not chosen to have miraculous strength to become a better soldier and save the nation. Similarly to David, when Achilles reenters the war, the gods shower him with divine gifts of armor and strength (Iliad, XIX. 12-14, 411-413). And through those, Achilles is able to turn the tables and drive back the Trojans, killing many of their soldiers and their glorified leader, Hector. In both stories, the heroes are neither seen asking for their appointments as …show more content…
In the Tanakh, Saul, the first king of Israel, disobeys Yahweh by performing sacrifices without Samuel and by sparing the best of the flock and Agag, an Amalekite king, when he should have killed everyone (1 Samuel 13:9-14, 15:9). These disobediences spell the doom of Saul as the first savior of Israel. Yahweh gives up on using Saul as a hero and even sets him up to fail by leaving him and sending an “evil spirit” (1 Samuel 16:14). Saul eventually dies through a sad, non-heroic suicide. In the Iliad, Achilles disrespects a river god, Xanthus, by initially clogging the river with Trojan bodies then by eventually attacking him (Iliad, XXI. 240-266). Even the blessed and god-like Achilles is no match for a minor god. Immediately, the river god attacks back and almost kills him. Achilles ends up crying to the gods for help and survives only with the help from Hera and Hephaestus. Heroes, even if they may be deemed godlike and powerful by other humans, are powerless compared to the gods. Thus, as any other human, they, too, must obey and respect their
In the Tanakh, Yahweh chooses David, a young shepherd boy, to be the hero and king of the Israelites (1 Samuel 16:1,7). There is no clear reason why Yahweh chooses this previously irrelevant child but that Yahweh knows all. Nonetheless, this divine appointment becomes the starting point of David’s role as a hero to the society. His first heroic event is at the fight against Goliath (1 Samuel 17:31-51). The Israelites are currently in a war against the Philistinians; but a Philistine giant, Goliath, is scaring away the whole Israelite army from fighting. Then comes in the recently anointed David who through divine gifts kills him with a sling and a single stone, saving the day. In the Iliad, Achilles is divinely chosen as a hero to save the Greeks (Iliad, VIII. 546-550). For him too, there is no written reason why he deserves this role. Although he was the best soldier, it is not known why any other Greek was not chosen to have miraculous strength to become a better soldier and save the nation. Similarly to David, when Achilles reenters the war, the gods shower him with divine gifts of armor and strength (Iliad, XIX. 12-14, 411-413). And through those, Achilles is able to turn the tables and drive back the Trojans, killing many of their soldiers and their glorified leader, Hector. In both stories, the heroes are neither seen asking for their appointments as …show more content…
In the Tanakh, Saul, the first king of Israel, disobeys Yahweh by performing sacrifices without Samuel and by sparing the best of the flock and Agag, an Amalekite king, when he should have killed everyone (1 Samuel 13:9-14, 15:9). These disobediences spell the doom of Saul as the first savior of Israel. Yahweh gives up on using Saul as a hero and even sets him up to fail by leaving him and sending an “evil spirit” (1 Samuel 16:14). Saul eventually dies through a sad, non-heroic suicide. In the Iliad, Achilles disrespects a river god, Xanthus, by initially clogging the river with Trojan bodies then by eventually attacking him (Iliad, XXI. 240-266). Even the blessed and god-like Achilles is no match for a minor god. Immediately, the river god attacks back and almost kills him. Achilles ends up crying to the gods for help and survives only with the help from Hera and Hephaestus. Heroes, even if they may be deemed godlike and powerful by other humans, are powerless compared to the gods. Thus, as any other human, they, too, must obey and respect their