8.

HERO AND HEROISM IN BRITISH-AMERICAN LITERATURE Intro/Thesis senence:

In most instances, heroes exemplify not only what society considers remarkable and impossible feats, but also the ideals of that society. Over time, the definition of a hero has changed concurrently with the values, morals, and challenges of humanity. Considering literary history, one may observe this change through the various kinds of heroes presented in literary works.

Definition of a hero:
Presently, the Websters Dictionary defines a hero as, An illustrious warrior; a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities; and one that shows great courage. Usually a hero is recognized in a work of literature as someone with great courage and strength (although that's not always the case); the hero may risk or sacrifice his or her life for the greater good and overcomes great odds to achieve their ends However, there are different types of heroes: e.g. Hemingway code hero (discussed below) and we may also speak of an antihero (e.g. Willy Loman in Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman, or Christy Mahon, the fake hero in J. M. Singes The Playboy of the Western World) In my presentation on the topic hero and heroism, I would like to demonstrate the most/some significant types of heroes and the idea of heroism through the literary works Beowulf, The Rape of the Lock, and Hemingways writings, respectively.

1) BEOWULF
Intro: The epic poem Beowulf, one of the first works of English literature, presents a hero that suits exactly the criteria defined by the Websters Dictionary. Genre: Heroic/Epic poem: An epic poem is a poem that is (a) a long narrative about a serious subject, (b) told in an elevated style of language, (c) focused on the exploits of a hero or demi-god who represents the cultural values of a nation or a group of people (d) in which the hero's success or failure will determine the fate of that people or nation. Usually, the epic has (e) a vast setting, and covers a wide geographic area, (f) it contains superhuman feats of strength or military prowess, and gods or supernatural beings frequently take part in the action. Epic hero: The hero generally participates in a cyclical journey or quest, faces adversaries that try to defeat him in his journey and returns home significantly transformed by his journey. The epic hero illustrates traits, performs deeds, and exemplifies certain morals that are valued by the society from which the epic originates. Aim of heroic poems: 1. to preserve the memory of leaders and events (oral culture, no written records were kept of historical events)

2. to set an example for both leaders and retainers (retainers: had to be loyal & fight for their leaders in case the tribe was attacked; war leaders and kings: had to reward their retainers with treasure, weapon and horses in return, after the fight, and had to protect them. Beowulf gets such reward from Hrothgar) 3. to entertain the war band (boasting, when the warriors committed themselves to be brave in battle, and gift-giving after the battle took place at great feasts with mead and singing of earlier heroes there are several such occasions described in Beowulf) Germanic attitude: Christian/pagan mentality of the Anglo-Saxons: The Beowulf story has its roots in the pagan Saxon past, but by the time the epic was written down, almost all Anglo-Saxons had converted to Christianity the Beowulf poet is at pains to resolve his Christian beliefs with the often quite un-Christian behaviour of his characters Beowulf, the Anglo-Saxon hero: In Anglo-Saxon culture and literature, to be a hero was to be a warrior. A hero had to be strong, intelligent, and courageous. Warriors had to be willing to face any odds, and fight to the death for their glory and people. The Anglo-Saxon hero was able to be all of these and still be humble and kind. In literature Beowulf is, perhaps, the perfect example of an Anglo-Saxon hero. Although Beowulf is not defined as supernatural, his physical feats and bravery are considered beyond that of a normal man. Beowulf is described as having the strength of "thirty men" in just one of his arms. His strength and courage are unparalleled, and he is much more humble (and honourable) than many of the corrupt warriors around him. Beowulf displays his great strength when he is fighting sea monsters, Grendel and his mother, or the fire-breathing dragon. Beowulf shows that his courage and strength should be an inspiration to all heroes. Strength is clearly an important characteristic of heroes in Anglo-Saxon culture, but strength alone is not enough to define a hero. Beowulf shows that every hero must have courage. In an argument with Unferth, Beowulf says, "Fate often saves an undoomed man when his courage is good". + Beowulf tells Hrothgar and the Danes that he will kill Grendel (which would on its own be a great feat of strength), but he says he will do this without his sword, and this shows his courage and honour. Beowulf also shows that a hero must be humble. When he is exalted by the Danes after his victories against Grendel, and Grendel's mother, he refuses kingship, humbly returns to Hygelac, and gives away all of his hard earned treasures. Beowulf constantly refers to his loyalty to his lord, Hygelac. Beowulf has all the characteristics of a warrior and is still noted as being "The mildest of men and the gentlest, kindest to his people, and most eager for fame". Death for a warrior is honourable, and courage must be shown through deeds, even if it means death. A hero must be willing to die to achieve glory. By fighting the dragon, Beowulf dies a hero's death. Germanic attitude to death: those who fell in battle go to the Valhalla > glory modern concept of a hero: the hero survives in most cases > different societies have different values, and the values of a society do change over time > these differences and changes will affect the concept of heroism.

2) ALEXANDER POPE: THE RAPE OF THE LOCK (1712)

Heroic/Epic poem: narrative verse that is elevated in mood and uses a dignified, dramatic, and formal style to describe the deeds of aristocratic warriors and rulers Mock-heroic poem: In contrast with an epic, a mock epic is a long, heroicomical poem that merely imitates features of the classical epic. In this type of poetry, the poet follows all the rules and convictions of epic writing except the seriousness of the theme: Typically, mock-heroic works insert the heroic world by either putting a fool in the role of the hero or by exaggerating the heroic qualities to such a point that they become absurd. The mock epic focuses frequently on the exploits of an antihero whose activities illustrate the stupidity of the class or group he represents. In a mock-heroic poem, the poet often takes an elevated style of language, but incongruously applies that language to mundane or ridiculous objects and situations. => the poet points out the discrepancy btw the heroic form and the triviality of the subjectmatter Eg. The Rape of the Lock: There are no literal heroes and great deeds in The Rape of the Lock only their parodied versions (lazy upper class people instead of epic warriors) Parallels: In classical epics: Epic heroes Invocation of the Muse 9 muses of the Greek/gods Supernatural machinery: Gods/goddesses Abduction of Helen of Troy Achilles shield Great battles (defeat & victory) Description of soldiers preparing for a battle Single combats (e.g. Beowulf & Grendels mother Weapons: swords & spears Great speeches (eg. Satan in Paradise Lost, Beowulf promising to kill Grendel) Enumeration Account of a great sea voyage Scenes in the Uderworld Beowulfs underwater fight In The Rape of the Lock: Fashionable aristocratic class (Belinda, Baron) John Caryl(l) Sylphs Theft of a lock Belindas petticoat Card games/flirtatious tussles Belinda preparing herself with combs and pins Belinda & the Baron; Clarissa & Sir Plume fans, snuff, hairpin, scissors Bombastic speeches of Ariel/Umbriel List of cards Boat trip up the Thames Cave of Spleen

HEMINGWAYS WRITINGS: The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber (1936)

Hemingway code hero: The works of Ernest Hemingway generally centre around the concept of heroism. Each of his novels contains a "Hemingway hero"--a man of honour and integrity who expresses himself not with words, but with action. The Hemingway hero is not motivated by glory or fortune, however. Hemingway's heroic figures are driven by a need to find inner peace in a modernized world that cannot provide them with the answers they seek. Hemingway's protagonists are usually "Hemingway Code Heroes," i.e., figures who try to follow a hyper-masculine moral code and make sense of the world through those beliefs. Hemingway himself defined the Code Hero as "a man who lives correctly, following the ideals of honor, courage and endurance in a world that is sometimes chaotic, often stressful, and always painful." This code typically involves several traits for the Code Hero: 1. Measuring himself against the difficulties life throws in his way, realizing that we will all lose ultimately because we are mortals, but playing the game honestly and passionately in spite of that knowledge 2. Facing death with dignity, enduring physical and emotional pain in silence 3. Never showing emotions 4. Maintaining free-will and individualism, never weakly allowing commitment to a single woman or social convention to prevent adventure, travel, and acts of bravery 5. Being completely honest, keeping one's word or promise 6. Being courageous and brave, daring to travel and have "beautiful adventures," as Hemingway would phrase it In short: Hemingways hero is a man whose concepts are shaped by his view of death, that in the face of death a man must perform certain acts and these acts often involve enjoying or taking the most he can from life (eating, drinking, sex) > a man should be brave and be able to face danger and death He will not talk about his concepts > expresses himself not in words, but in actions > his actions are based upon a concept of life Robert Wilson: is the code hero in the story: courage and skilfulness (professional hunter), Macombers wife, Margot, sleeps with him Francis Macomber: coward > runs away from the lion > his wife is ashamed and dislikes him

CONCLUSION

Beowulf exemplifies the traits of the perfect hero: embodies the manners and values dictated by the Germanic heroic code, including loyalty, courtesy, and pride. His defeat of Grendel and Grendels mother validates his reputation for bravery and establishes him fully as a hero. In The Rape of the Lock, Pope employs the mock-heroic form not to mock the epic tradition, which underlies Beowulf, but to show the triviality of mean things by contrasting them with the great deeds of a heroic poem. The H. Code hero represents a 3rd type of hero who measures himself by how well he handles the difficult situations that life throws at him. In the end the Code Hero will lose because we are all mortal, but the true measure is how a person faces death. Although the works I have mentioned are only links in a longer chain, they exemplify how the concept of a hero may differ during different eras and under different social circumstances.