Modern Hero in Classical Mythology - Essay Example

MODERN HERO AND ICAL MYTHOLOGY The modern world may not be influenced by ical mythology, but it certainly shows a keen interest in lives ofcharacters from ancient period. Who were those characters Did they really exist If not, then why are we are still intrigued by their power and their larger than life existence. These are questions that a modern reader should ask himself. It is interesting that modern writers as well as those from the Middle Ages have all been inspired by myths that came down from the classical times. Larkin (1983) however maintains that any allusion to myths shows a serious lack of original thinking. He writes: "As a guiding principle I believe that every poem must be its own sole freshly created universe, and therefore have no belief in 'tradition' or a common myth-kitty... To me the whole of the ancient world, the whole of classical and biblical mythology, means very little, and I think that using them today not only fills poems full of dead spots but dodges the poet's duty to be original." (Larkin 1983:69) Larkin has a right to his view but from what we have witnessed, literature from Renaissance till today is in awe of Greek and Roman mythological characters. And when we discuss mythology, we simply cannot ignore the role played by Homer in reinforcing myths. And one of his key epics dealing with images of classical mythology was Iliad. In this paper, we shall focus on the role of heroism in ancient world with reference to Iliad and how a modern hero borrows from ancient definition of a hero. Homer's Iliad presents the oldest yet most enduring picture of hero and heroism. Who is a hero and what constitutes heroism are questions that Iliad answers but in a manner which may not appeal to modern sensibilities. For us today, hero is a man of who is sensitive, courageous and responsible with compassion for the community. However apart from courage, no other attribute mattered for construction of a heroic figure in Greek epics of ancient times. Homer follows tradition when he creates heroes and develops a heroic code in his work Iliad but there are occasions where the poet tried to deviate from conventional picture of a hero and from these deviations emerge a new and more reformed image of heroism. A modern day hero borrows from ancient picture of a hero in terms of enduring courage. However a serious distinction must be made here. When we talk about modern hero in this paper, we are only referring to modern mythical heroes like superman and Spiderman and not necessarily heroes in ordinary literature. This distinction is made because while in the ancient plays, heroes were people with extraordinary courage and strength, in modern literature, a protagonist is called a hero and he can be as weak or flawed as any ordinary person. Fishwick explains this difference in these words: "Different ages and cultures vary the heroic personality, but all heroes are true to their age. Whatever their situation, the motives they urge are elementary, the morality they advocate is obvious. History is not very effective without people, and people are ineffective without leaders. The search for heroes is inherent in human nature. Pre-literate societies allow men, heroes, and gods to stand on a footing of tolerable equality. In remote areas of the world men are still deified in their own lifetime. The idea of aloofness in super-human power comes late in history." (Fishwicck, 1954: 3) Homer's ideal hero may have many shades but he is invariably a traditional image of ruthless ambition and unbridled courage at least for most of the epic: "Everywhere can be found, reshaped according to shifting cultural standards, the ideal hero, chevalier sans pear et sans reproached, the crafty hero, the boaster, the grim and aging warrior, the slightly buffoonish hero, the aged king, the warrior virgin, the wise counselor, or the young reckless fighter." (Cedric H. Whitman: p. 26) Homer's heroes most notably, Achilles and Agamemnon were products of a society that weighed a man's worth in terms of public honor. Honor was to be won at any cost even if that meant overriding others' rights and suppressing their feelings. "The Iliad deals with existence totally conditioned by, and refracted through, a long grinding war. Peace--the world of farming and trade, weddings and lawsuits, domesticity and stability--is only glimpsed in a series of vivid extended similes, to remind protagonists and listeners alike of what is missing from the claustrophobic circle of slaughter, disease and arrogant pride. Heroism is rooted in an archaic code of formal honor. Only at rare moments, most notably in the angry outburst of that quintessential rabble-rousing underdog Thersites, are there hints of coming change."(Green, 1997) Achilles is the perfect example of this kind of hero and Hector represents the human side of a heroic ideal. He is the mirror that must help Achilles see his own mortality and humanity. This is what sets Homer's heroic code apart from traditional images of heroism in Greek epics. The heroic soul-searching is what makes Iliad a valuable study of true heroism, which was widely obscured by traditional heroic attributes of honor, immortality, ruthlessness and courage. Iliad's heroes may appear ordinary by many standards since their search for grandeur obscures what is considered essentially heroic today yet homer's originality lies in his ability to build Iliad "into a study of heroic self-searching and the dark night of the soul", which "was creativity in the highest sense, and a far cry from those glimpses of an old Achaean rough- and-tumble which occasionally peer through the texture of Homer's work. Homer's genius is like a shuttle drawing the warp of profound self-consciousness across the woof of old, half primitive material, from the time when heroism meant chiefly physical prowess, murderous dexterity, colossal self-assertion. Yet it is also perhaps part of essential human equipment that the germs of a corrective to this self-assertion are not wholly lacking among the original types themselves. The hero who retires out of wounded honor, though he may not achieve the stature of Achilles, must nevertheless be in some degree a man of complex sensibility." (Whitman: 26-27) A modern day hero like Spiderman and Superman borrow from various pictures of classical mythological hero. He deviates from the ancient hero in some attributes but has the same amount of courage, honor and ambition. However modern definition of ambition differs from the one we see in Iliad. In ancient plays, a hero was supposed to be someone who could instill fear in people and command their respect. In modern world, a hero is just as courageous and strong but he commands respect by working for people. His ambitions are not selfish. Interestingly all super heroes we have today came from the comic book genre. Their mythological strength and super human powers are attributes that were borrowed from ancient picture of a hero. Classical mythology contributes in the formation of a hero. The ultimate testing ground of a hero's strength remains the battlefield. "The tall tales of America and the miracle tales of the Middle Ages have marked similarities. Comic books utilize situations as old as Homer or Beowulf. The favorite setting for heroes remains the battlefield, which provides the clearest test of strength and decision; but the testing ground may just as well be a country store, a lumber camp or the Yankee Stadium. Lincoln's walking miles to return a penny, Paul Bunyan's straightening out a river, and Babe Ruth's pointing to the bleachers where he intended to knock a home run are so many ways in which Americans have fulfilled their heroic roles." (Fishwick: 7-8) The Iliad opens with introduction of Achilles who is Homer's real protagonist and the opening lines quickly divert our attention to the defining characteristic of Achilles' personality. The phrase 'the anger of Peleus' son, Achilleus,' (1.1) makes it absolutely clear that Achilles is a traditional hero with little compassion or remorse. The epic closes with "burial of Hektor, breaker of horses" (24.804)-another important heroic quality but one that lacks conventional mediocrity. This hero is a breaker of horses-who gives a human face to heroism. The fact that the epic opens with Achilles and closes with Hector is no coincidence. It was a deliberate action that helps us establish a link between two important heroic figures in Iliad and regardless of how different their characters and lives may be, they both complement each other and have a profound impact of each other's lives. The image of a hero changes from time to time but some attributes remain the same. He is regarded as someone who could change the world with his actions or thinking. And every hero mirrors his time and age. In Iliad, heroism is carefully defined with the help of contrasting lives and characters of these two heroes. Homer it appears was not too satisfied with the ordinary depiction of heroism that was found in poetic collections of his times. Therefore in this epic, he constructed a different image that originates from a vision far removed from the ancient sensibilities. This vision is incorporated in the character of Hector and thus Homer proceeds with depiction of two parallel lives, each with a unique heroic make-up. Hector and Achilles are both influenced by their own visions of heroism. As their lives progress, they wrestle to achieve the pinnacle pf heroism yet both suffer from their shortcoming and succumb to temptations occasionally. Despite their best effort to fulfill their destinies as heroes, Achilles and Hector are occasionally lured away by other priorities including familial ties and false gods. But they eventually attain what they are destined to and in the process redefine heroism. This grand epic helps us look at heroism from a distance. The redefinition of heroism occurs as a process that involves reflection on things such as death and courage on the battlefield after the war is over. The conflict between mortality and immortality emerges as the hero reflects on his own values and retreats from active life of a warrior. Like some other grand epics, Iliad also introduces an evolutionary definition of heroism as they "view heroism not from the perspective of the battle itself, as if the battle were now taking place, but from outside or after the battle, from a time after the war. For not only do they recall the inevitable death in battle of the courageous warrior but, even more, they reflect upon the poor fit between the values of power and war and those of the present moment, and they explore the inevitable conflict that the new circumstances call forth. These circumstances may be the requirement that one return to a peaceful occupation and pursue a normal life or that one submit to the discipline of the state and become a warrior or king and leader in its service. Thus, for the individual who chooses to remain a traditional hero, the epic is often a meditation upon and an exploration of the inevitable conflict between, on the one hand, the forces represented by the absolute commitment of the powerful and heroic male to energy and battle and, on the other, the forces that represent some newly emerging situations and value systems." (Abusch, 2001) Another important of distinction arises. A modern hero is influenced by classical mythology in terms of courage and honor, but interestingly God plays a small almost negligible role in his achievement. While gods were an integral part of heroes' lives in classical mythology, the same cannot be considered true for a modern hero. "Virgil and Homer might compliment their heroes by inter-weaving the actions of deities with their achievements; but for a Christian author to write in the pagan creed...would be downright puerility, and unpardonable in a poet that is past sixteen." (Addison, The Spectator, no. 523, 30 October 1712) Iliad doesn't draw static picture of a hero. In this epic, Hector represents a humane version of heroic ideal. He doesn't believe in a god-like immortality and is more in tune with his own mortality. On the other hand, Achilles grapples with his visions of immortality while mortality stares him right in the face in the form of Hector. He is seen using speech that smells of arrogance: "no mortal man could have made them./ therefore now I shall arm myself in them" (19.22-23). Hector embodies all characteristics of a human hero while Achilles is aiming for a more divine version of heroism and this is his tragic flaw. His desire to be superhuman turns him into an inhumane hero who lacks compassion and doesn't understand the importance of self-sacrifice. It is important to bear in mind the significance of self-sacrifice in depiction of heroism. A hero's death should always be for the greater good of humanity and that is what can earn him immortality. This attribute of self-sacrifice is however missing in Achilles whose only real purpose in dying young is achieving immortality of a divine nature. He is simply not interested in the greater good, and self-sacrifice has no place in his life. He goes on a rampage and becomes "inhuman" (20.490). Achilles saw himself as "something more than mortal" (21.18). His disregard for human life is evident from his motto "Die on, all" (21.128) during this period. His arrogance and the ambition to attain some form of divinity emerge from various episodes in the poem and more markedly when he boasts to Apollo: "I would punish you, if only the strength were in me" (22.20). Death is an integral part of Homer's definition of heroism. In Iliad, we see that attaining an early death is equated with heroism as Jean-Pierre Vernant argues in his "A 'Beautiful Death' and the Disfigured Corpse in Homeric Epic": [Homeric heroes in Iliad] "devote themselves completely and single-mindedly to war, adventure, glory, and death" (53). Death symbolizes opposition and the only way to overcome it is to embrace it and that is why early death is closely woven in Homer's heroic code. ". . . real death lies in amnesia, silence, demeaning obscurity, the absence of fame. By contrast, real existence-for the living or the dead-comes from being recognized, valued, and honored. Above all, it comes from being glorified as the central figure in a song of praise, a story that endlessly tells and retells a destiny admired by all." (57). "In the Iliad, Achilles himself says that he will have no klos if he leaves Troy and goes home to live on into old age (bk. 9, Il. 414-16)-but that he will indeed have a klos that is phthiton "unfailing" (bk. 9, 1. 413) if he stays to fight at Troy and dies young." (Nagy: 1979, p. 112) In short, Achilles is a misguided hero who followed a deformed heroic code. But Homer gives us a new vision for heroism when he shows that despite his best efforts, Achilles was after all a mere mortal. His couldn't deny his humanity especially when it stared him in face in the form of Hector's death. Even though Achilles wouldn't accept his defeat easily as he tried to defile Hector's dead body and "thought of shameful treatment for glorious Hektor" (22.395). But as he hands over the body to Priam, he finally accepts his mortality "Achilleus himself lifted him and laid him on a litter" (24.589). Hector's death and funeral represented the surrender of Achilles' deformed visions of heroism. His finally gave up his quest for divinity and came to terms with his own humanness engaging in normal activities such as sex and food. A modern hero doesn't possess godlike attributes. His powers are definitely mightier than ordinary people and that is what makes him a hero but he is not god-like in other matters. He is allowed to have a social life. Spiderman's better half Mary Jane is an important part of his life. One interesting similarity is seen in their invincibility. Heroes from classical mythology were so strong that they were almost invincible. The same stays true for modern "heroes like Superman and eventually to heroes like Batman who, human in form, are vulnerable, though of course never conquered." (Fishwick: 21) Classical mythology thus plays an important in our construction of modern day heroes. The heroes from real life who are etched in our memories are the ones who exhibited super human strength or skills. But definition of heroes is also influenced by the cultures and societies in which they take birth. For an ancient hero, superhuman strength and skills were justified with the presence of gods, for a present-day hero, God plays a more laid back role. In a modern hero's life, God is present but is not as often discussed or talked about as in an ancient hero's life. In Homer's epic for example, role and interference of gods couldn't be ignored. They made or broke the heroes. The same element of supernatural is missing from modern-hero's life. The source of superhuman powers he has gained remains a mystery. He knows he is chosen for some higher purpose but unlike an ancient mythological hero, he doesn't disclose the 'one' behind the purpose. Classical mythology is still a highly intriguing branch of study for most historians, students and writers. And its influence on our lives cannot be denied. REFERENCES 1) Abusch, Tz. The development and meaning of the Epic of Gilgamesh: an interpretive essay. The Journal of the American Oriental Society; 10/1/2001; 2) Cedric H. Whitman, Homeric Character and the Tradition, Homer and the Heroic Tradition. 1958 by the President and Fellows of Harvard College. Harvard University Press: From : Harold Bloom: Homer's the Iliad. Chelsea House. New York. 1987 3) Gregory Nagy, Poetic Visions of Immortality for the Hero The Best of the Achaeans: Concepts of the Hero in Archaic Greek Poetry . 1979 Johns Hopkins University Press. Harold Bloom: Homer's the Iliad. Chelsea House. New York. 1987 4) Homer, Iliad, Translated by Richard Lattimore (Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 1951). 5) Jean-Pierre Vernant, "A 'Beautiful Death' and the Disfigured Corpse in Homeric Epic," in Mortals and Immortals: Collected Essays (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1991). 6) Peter Green, Reading, translating, and speaking Homer. The New Republic; 2/24/1997; 7) Marshall W. Fishwick. American Heroes, Myth and Reality. Public Affairs Press. Washington, DC. 1954 8) Joseph Addison quoted in Classical Mythology in English Literature: A Critical Anthology. Geoffrey Miles - edition. Routledge. London. 1999. Read More