Brave Achilles: A Tragic Hero
All three heroes are the main focus of their stories, and are connected to Gods in some way. For instance, Achilles is a half-god himself, Odysseus fate is associated with how the Gods act towards him, and Roland fights for God and country and is on a holy mission. A central, common thread is that they all face adversity, and because of this ,the greatness of each hero is apparent to the reader. These heros all undertake long-lasting, dangerous journies that test their courage and patience. Similarly, all three of the heros contain virtues that their cultures prize and cherish. Roland martyrs himself against the evil pagans in the name of Christianity. Brave Achilles is concerned about being remembered, and seems to go against culture
in some aspects because he values being an individual almost separate from his culture. Likewise, Odysseus shows, not only bravery, but great intelligence and cunning. These are prized attributes that the Greeks desire of a hero. Finally, it seem that each of these epic heroes have a foe or antagonist. Very often this tension is resolved at the conclusion of the story. It’s interesting because this foe is often shown as evil much like the pagans in The Song of Roland. Hector, from the Illiad was not like this, but at the crucial moment, the Gods leave him to his fate.
in some aspects because he values being an individual almost separate from his culture. Likewise, Odysseus shows, not only bravery, but great intelligence and cunning. These are prized attributes that the Greeks desire of a hero. Finally, it seem that each of these epic heroes have a foe or antagonist. Very often this tension is resolved at the conclusion of the story. It’s interesting because this foe is often shown as evil much like the pagans in The Song of Roland. Hector, from the Illiad was not like this, but at the crucial moment, the Gods leave him to his fate.