Heros in Ancient Mythology. Religion & Theology Essay

Name:
Instructor:
Institution:
Date:
HEROES IN ANCIENT MYTHOLOGY
In ancient mythology, the hero stood for any individual who had some extraordinary strength and skills compared to toe rest, which he or she used to save the people from impending danger. The hero often did this through combat or dangerous missions where he or she even risked or sacrificed his life. An example of this is in ancient China, where Hua Mulan, a female warrior, suits up in male combat attire and, in fact, replaces her father in the army (Zhang). She takes up her dad's position in the military as they prepare to go to war.
In ancient Greece, the hero had several definitions or interpretations. A hero was a man who was born of parents whereby one was mortal and the other immortal or divine in some way. The man was then endowed with a lot of abilities or extraordinary strength, which made him perform great acts and be celebrated by mortals. A hero was also someone who was famed for his great courage in the face of adversity, and who performed various acts that saved the people of his society from imminent danger or during war. To an extent, such a person would even have sacrificed his own life for the sake of the people.
The Greek gods were created as part of the human race, and they were very noble and powerful. Additionally, they were god-like, but they were mortals. According to the Heroic Age, there were six generations, and these generations were made up of figures like Odysseus, Perseus, Achilles, Heracles, and Jason. All these were some of the greatest heroes of ancient Greece in the 4th Age. During this period, there was bloodshed and turmoil, and some of these heroes lost their lives in the wars. For example, Odysseus was the most cunning, while the Achilles were skilled warriors (Odyssey). On the other hand, the Heracles was among the strongest men. Although these worries had their different attributes, there was one big difference between the gods and the heroes.
In most cases, most of these heroes were never celebrated during their lifetimes. It was only after they died that they became celebrated as heroes. To this end, therefore, there are various categories of Greek heroes. There is the tragic hero, who’s extraordinary or extremely excellent qualities are what resulted in their ultimate downfall later on. An example of such a hero is...