June was away, this was a free group session.
The session covered:
A discussion driven by selecting heroes, this covered Beowulf, King Arthur/Lancelot and Robin Hood, and tying up their characteristics with the list provided. It was interesting to see how many different legends had evolved around each one.
It was a short high level session and it was suggested that these heroes could be discussed further in future.
Characteristics of the Mythological Hero – transcribed from June’s notes
1/. The hero generally belongs to the aristocratic warrior society of his time
2/. The hero is superhuman, not like ordinary men. He has superhuman strength, daring, courage, beauty. The hero also has unusual origins that mark him out as special from birth (e.g. mixed god/human parentage).
3/. The hero is not just a macho man. He is cultured as well. He does not always depend on strength and courage alone; he can use cunning and brain power to get himself out of trouble.
4/. The hero is usually courteous, kind and fair in his dealings with anyone who plays fair with him. But whenever he encounters rudeness or unwarranted aggression, or meanness, or cowardice, he will give as good as he gets.
5/. For the hero fairness, honour, reputation, loyalty, are all-important, and must be safeguarded. If a hero loses honour, or his reputation he has lost everything. The hero follows the warrior code of conduct. He fights strictly according to the rules, and respects his opponents, because his own honour and reputations as a warrior depend on doing just that.
6/. The hero has a restless spirit. He is not content to settle for the limitations of human existence. He longs for adventure and goes to find it. He tries to fight against his own mortality, and to do great deeds so that his name at least will live forever.
7/. The hero often dies a tragic and/or untimely death. He espouses the idea of a brief life filled with glory, again so that his name will live on after he is gone.
8/. Through his career, the hero often has help from the gods, but this help is not unconditional. I he offends the gods, they will turn against him.
9/. The hero is very likely to offend the gods, because he has failings. He knows the rules, and the importance of following the rules, but he does not always do it. The hero can be rash, devious, mean-minded, boastful, ungrateful, overbearing, foolish, arrogant. Worst of all perhaps, so far as the gods are concerned, he can get above himself and forget that while he is superhuman, he is not yet as god. When the hero steps out of line, one or more of the gods, or Fate, will intervene to bring him back to earth.
Last Updated on September 17, 2017