To a certain extent, there are traits that are universally considered to be part of the heroic equation. The bedrock trait is probably bravery; it appears in every heroic narrative I've encountered.
Other subtler character traits differ from hero to hero, and these traits can be examined to draw conclusions upon traits that are considered heroic in the wider culture. One example in the Odyssey is the idea of being blessed by the gods. People respect Odysseus (and Telemachus) more when they have evidence that the gods have taken special interest in him. Alcinous hints at this when he talks about the reasons that he treated Odysseus kindly, and the suitors take Telemachus seriously after Athena enhances his appearance. There is never an attitude that ample help from the gods detracts from the characters' heroism.
Contrast this with American heroic values. We don't really consider somebody blessed by a higher power to be heroic; we tend to lump them into the same category as somebody who won the lottery. I think the importance of self-sufficiency in American heroism comes from the historic American emphasis pulling oneself up by the bootstraps. When somebody raised on the American ideal of independent hard work to achieve the American dream encounters Odysseus, who gets tons of help, we almost feel like he cheated. But clearly the ancient Greeks didn't see it this way.
Since heroism has so long been associated with hyper-masculinity (epic battles, physical feats, etc.), it's interesting to see how a culture's hero reflects the culture's ideas about the ideal man. On numerous occasions, Odysseus cries, but his tears never cast him as weak. This Greek acceptance of an emotional male stands in contrast modern Western ideas of masculinity, which favor unattainable emotionlessness.
One trait that both ancient Greek and modern American heroism share is humility. Homer makes a point to punish Odysseus for his hubris. All of his trials could have been avoided if he could have refrained from gloating to Polyphemus. Similarly, during some of our first few discussions in class, we definitely established that bragging detracts from heroic acts and makes a capable person less likable, citing sports stars as examples.
(On a related note: who's ready to watch Richard Sherman put a serious blemish on his heroism tonight?)
In conclusion, heroic narratives, especially widely popular/accepted heroic narratives like the Odyssey, can be instructive into a society's greater values, and comparing heroic narratives is a decent way to compare cultures.
Interesting idea, Katie. I agree that a culture's opinion about what makes a hero can tell us a lot about it's views of the ideal man as well as it's vision of the road to success.
ReplyDeleteI think it's pretty cool how much we can compare our modern culture with those that existed thousands and thousands of years ago. I'd be really interested in seeing the universal heroic traits across all cultures (if there even are any). I remember Campbell saying how all heroic stories ever tended to share a number of common characteristics.
ReplyDeleteIt's cool to see that we have many similarities with cultures that we have very little relation to. The concept of a hero can be seen in every culture as Campbell said, but you don't really get the full extent until you compare two from different cultures and see how similar they are. I think the reason that there are some differences is just because of basic cultural values and the situations people live in and what they think is valueble.
ReplyDeleteYou bring up some interesting points here. The way in which Homer spins his tale does suggest that Odysseus' tear and more emotional side in general is not in any way a short coming on his part. Reading in this context, it didn't bother me that Odysseus shed tears, or accepted divine help because it all seemed perfectly in line with the heroism that Homer was conveying. It is something of a stark contrast to the ultra masculine, stolid, and emotionally dead hero to which we have become accustomed in modern Western society.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right that we in contemporary America tend to view heroism as a more individualistic affair, while the Greeks are more okay with the idea of divine assistance--as you describe it, this represented a sign that the gods approve of the hero, and this is, in itself, a form of special status. But note how often our contemporary American heroes, when asked to comment on their heroism, refer to their religious faith, or the belief that God was watching over them, or even that they were called to some special purpose by God. Athletes do this all the time, so often that we barely even notice it as such (but we *do* notice when they *don't* give all credit to a higher power, as with the great offenses of Richard Sherman). We're maybe not as far from the Greek model as we might believe.
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