"and then a hero comes along...with the strength to carry on"

Hero's are almost always associated with combat. In midevil times heroism was the conquering of land or man in the pursuit of glory. Today, hero's take many forms and continue to bare these virtues of success. Whether it be winning and fighting, or gaining and giving, there are many heros amonst us in everyday society. Many too, whose faces continue to go unrecognized.

The point is, heroism has root and shape throughout history as found in war or conquest which attributes wealth and power. This is evident today, however enlightened or modern thought extends heroism to individuals of many walks of life, from great authors to atheletes, to people battling illness, the idea of the 'fighter' remains, only in its extended context.

In ancient poetry, a 'hero' was regarded to have god-like virtues, a person or being by which exaggerated events are usually associated. Whatever the situation or threat be, the hero will be larger than it...the hero is larger than life. Wherever a drought, the hero is the rain which brings life again...the hero is always associated with greatness- in physique, in mind or in matter, the hero is the solution and the executor.

The concept of 'hero' is the projection of what we as people long to be- that we inherently desire to be good.

The irony that exists with the glorification of the hero (and this is often found in old English literature) is that, in order for the hero to be heroic, the hero most conquer something or someone else, which usually involves trauma in the form of war, violence, or deceit.

Historically, these attributes often go hand in hand (regardless of the idea that the fight for glory is between the good and the bad) the fact remains that these negative acts must happen in order for the man to become the hero, and as literature communicates, in order for the audience to conceptualize the idea of 'heroism'.

Today, the concept of hero takes on many different forms which helps us to make sense of our lives in terms of the choices we execute and pursue. In terms of midevil literature, the exaggeration of the hero lends itself to simple interpretation, which helps us understand the meaning behind heroism and relate it relative to our own lives. Where literature would defend the position of the armor-clad prince who had the strenth of a hundred and would intimidate and conquer all who stood in his way...we can visualize the concept and use a similar, more realistic belief system in which we can rise above hegemony...we can be good to our neighbour... that we can stand up for ourselves and even if the odds are against us, there is hope.

A hero defends his honour.

Heroism is the rose-cloured glass we look through, reaching and striving and giving hope. It is the romanticized version we wish to see in ourselves.