Throughout the development of Western civilization, the development
of heroism in human society was evidently illustrated during the Aegean
Civilization. During this period, numerous individuals, depicted through
literary works such as legends, myths, and folklore, have been considered
heroes because of the extraordinary strength and power that they possess.
Indeed, technically defined, heroism is a term appropriated to an
individual who possesses "remarkable physical courage" (Microsoft Encarta
2002). A famous example of heroism in literary works is the legend of Sir
Gawain in the Green Knight, where, through poetic imagery, the courageous
yet humanistic portrayal of Sir Gawain is illustrated as he battles with
the Green Knight ("†if I turned back now/ Forsook this place for fear, and
fledâ€/ I were a caitiff coward; I could not be excused").
However, a hero is defined in a two-fold manner. Where before, the
traditional definition of hero and heroism has to do with physical and
moral courage, Aristotle in Poetics argues that heroes can also be
tragic.' This means that the hero has a tragic flaw in character, called
hamartia, that will mark is downfall and eventual development of moral
courage at the end of the hero's ordeal. The tragic hero is explicitly
illustrated in the works of Sophocles and William Shakespeare, through the
plays Oedipus the King and Hamlet, respectively. Both protagonists,
Oedipus and Hamlet, became heroes after they learn from their downfall as a
result of their pride, obstinacy (Oedipus' weakness) and irresolute
(Hamlet's) characters at the initial part of the story. Combining both the
conventional and Aristotle's definition of a hero, heroism is defined as an
individual who possesses not only physical strength, but also must have
moral strength or courage, which is developed as the hero/heroine faces a
complex ordea...