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When we think of heroes, we tend to associate them with a cape or a mask. This statement has not remained true in both early and modern times throughout history. Odysseus who was King of Ithaca and a hero in Homer’s poem “The Odyssey” was a prime example of an individual with nobility and strength. Now Gilgamesh did not quite show nobility in the beginning, but eventually showed true heroism and strength following his transition into a better King. An example that may not be as quite similar to the others, would be a fictional character I consider to be a modern hero, and that is Harry Potter. Through Harry’s bravery and intellect, he can overcome many obstacles. He is also able to save the lives of many both close and not as close from the evils in Hogwarts. Odysseus, Gilgamesh, and Harry are three individuals who share many of the same characteristics/traits that mold them into saviors we know as heroes. Three of these traits that the ancient heroes share with my modern hero are bravery, intelligence, and strength.
One trait that modern hero Harry Potter shares with both Gilgamesh and Odysseus is bravery. We define the trait bravery as “courageous behavior or character.” It is also known as an admirable quality of the ability to confront things or people that are frightening. Harry shows his true bravery through obstacles and trials that are thrown his way, especially when trying to save his friends in Hogwarts from Lord Voldemort. This is similar to that of the ancient heroes because their bravery was shown through the deadly obstacles they overcame on their hero journeys. For example, Odysseus was able to defeat the deadly sea monster Charybdis, attempting to save the rest of his crew from being swallowed. There were many instances where Harry Potter would try and sacrifice himself to save his people, especially when walking straight into the deathly hallows. Gilgamesh may have not fought with bravery for a large group of people, but he did to keep Enkidu safe. All of these heroes show their true bravery not only by saving others first but also by their leadership in their communities. The ancient hero Gilgamesh is a King, while Harry and Odysseus are both leaders, showing part of the reasons why bravery is a shared trait between the three.
Another trait that modern hero Harry Potter shares with both ancient heroes is intelligence. We define intelligence as the ability to acquire and apply any knowledge and skills. If it weren’t for intelligence most of these heroes would be running into serious problems when attempting to overcome all of the supernatural forces they come across. Not only is this trait valuable to the hero himself but to his society as well. Odysseus must use intelligence to overcome the supernatural forces of the gods because they are much stronger than him. The only way to end up defeating them would be by using his mind and not just pure strength. For example, when introducing himself to the cyclops Polyphemus he uses the name “Nobody”. His thought process in doing this was so that when he blinded Polyphemus to escape, the other cyclopes would not come running after him. Gilgamesh was granted “the totality of knowledge of all”, which helped him in his thought process throughout his journey of overcoming the supernatural forces he came across. For example, he used his wisdom and knowledge of the demon Humbaba to defeat him by using insults and strength. These examples are similar to that of Harry Potter’s use of intelligence. He must use his intelligence to be able to master the spells that he was taught and use them against superior wizards and supernatural forces, just as both Odysseus and Gilgamesh did. For example, when killing Lord Voldemort Harry was able to figure out how to get Voldemort’s spell to reflect and kill him. This takes real knowledge, especially when making sure that the right spell is used.
The last trait that modern hero Harry Potter shares with both ancient heroes Odysseus and Gilgamesh is strength. Strength is defined as the quality or the state of being physically strong. It could also be described as the capacity one has to withstand great force or pressure, and in this case from supernatural forces. An example of strength that Odysseus shows is the fact that he was able to lift such a large stake to stab through the Cyclop's eye. It was not just any normal stake, it had to of been big enough for the size of the giant, and it was done without any help from his crew. Gilgamesh’s strength was shown through his victories against supernatural demons and creatures. An example of this would be Gilgamesh’s victory against the Bull of Heaven. Although this victory was not one alone, he shows true strength in his fight, especially since the Bull of Heaven was a supernatural creature. In Harry’s case, his strength did not just revolve around physicalness but also in his mind and power. Harry performed lots of potent magic, which is magic with great influence or effect. We realize that this kind of magic wasn’t just pure magic but also had to involve some of his strength and skill. He physically has to show strength to keep the magic ongoing to spread to whatever amount of evil It may have to, and if not then his mission would not be complete.
Although many believe that a hero must wear a cape, it is shown that many heroes such as Modern Harry Potter, and Ancient Odysseus and Gilgamesh fit right into the same category. Ancient heroes may be the earliest sign of power, but modern heroes like Harry Potter share many of the same traits such as bravery, intelligence, and strength. These traits all contribute to their meaning of being a true hero, which is to keep many safe and strive for greatness.
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