What Makes a Hero?
Heroes are a special breed of human being, someone who puts his own life on the line to save others, sometimes even himself. A hero is usually a heroic person, or a central fictional character who, in face of grave danger, combats misfortune through great acts of strength, courage, or ingenuity. Just like other previously only gender-defined words, hero can be used to describe any gender, although hero primarily refers to girls. A more inclusive term, however, would be heroes, which can also be used for boys.
The word “hero” is derived from the Greek term “harpu”, which means “warlike”. It is through this association that we can tell that heroes are brave and battle with evil and danger. The term “hero” got its beginning as a description of heroic behavior in Ancient Greece, and was often applied to legendary persons. Examples of such legendary persons include Alexander the Great ( Macedonians), Achilles ( Greeks), and Nike ( Greeks).
According to tradition, there are seven heroic characters in popular culture: Beethoven, Vincent Van Gogh, Winnie the Pooh, Hector, Odysseus, and Sherlock Holmes. Each of these seven heroes is famous for his or her qualities that made him a true hero. According to popular culture, Beethoven was a genius who wrote symphonies, Van Gogh a great painter, Odysseus a seafarer, and Hector a great soldier. In some ways, these definitions of a hero are often similar to our own definitions.
Beethoven is perhaps best recognized for his opera “Ode to Joy”, but he was also an excellent singer, with many successful compositions, and a very respected musician. He was a devoted vegetarian, and believed that “non-killing is itself a form of heroism”. In his song, he rails against what he sees as the excesses of violence in humanity. Vincent Van Gogh, a famous painter, experienced a life of depression and emotional trauma that lead him to become one of the most famous painters of the last century. He became a leading contributor to the Paris Resistance, and never painted again after suffering an extensive loss of vision due to an accident.
A hero, according to popular use, is any person who acts with distinction in times of emergency or hardship, whether selflessly or selfishly. Heroes are known as virtuous men or women in contrast with the wicked or unheroic, who act only for their own glory, wealth, or power. The word hero comes from the Latin root kerastos which means “one hero”. A hero can have different characteristics from among other heroes.
heroes are portrayed as virtuous, kind, and courageous individuals who struggle against hate and violence. However, a hero’s choices in life are never right or wrong, as the word hero suggests. A hero may have to sacrifice for the good of society or even for himself. No matter how noble a hero is, he or she is just as likely to do something wrong or do something dangerous – but in doing so, they become better people in the process.