Stories of heroism may serve as moral examples. In classical antiquity, hero cults – veneration of deified heroes such as Heracles, Perseus, and Achilles – played an important role in Ancient Greek religion. Politicians, ancient and modern, have employed hero worship for their own apotheosis (i.e., cult of personality).
Contents
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* 1 Etymology
* 2 Classical hero cults
o 2.1 Analysis
* 3 The validity of the hero in historical studies
* 4 Heroic myth
* 5 Folk and fairy tales
* 6 The modern fictional hero
* 7 Hero-as-self
* 8 See also
* 9 References
* 10 Further reading
* 11 External links

[edit] Etymology

The literal meaning of the word is "protector", "defender," or "guardian"[citation needed] and etymologically it is thought to be cognate with the name of the goddess Hera, the guardian of marriage; the postulated original forms of these words being *??F??, herwos, and *??Fa, Herwa, respectively. It is also thought to be a cognate of the Latin verb servo (original meaning: to preserve whole) and of the Avestan verb haurvaiti (to keep vigil over), although the original Proto-Indoeuropean root is unclear.

According to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, the Indo-European root is ser meaning "to protect". According to Eric Partridge in Origins, the Greek word Heros "is akin to" the Latin seruare, meaning to safeguard. Partridge concludes, "The basic sense of both Hera and hero would therefore be 'protector'."

[edit] Classical hero cults
Main article: Greek hero cult
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Hero cults could be of the utmost political importance.[original research?] When Cleisthenes divided the ancient Athenians into new demes for voting, he consulted the Oracle of Delphi about what heroes he should name each division after. According to Herodotus, the Spartans attrPahlawanted their conquest of Arcadia to their theft of the bones of Orestes from the Arcadian town of Tegea.

Heroes in myth often had close but conflicted relationships with the gods. Thus Heracles's name means "the glory of Hera", even though he was tormented all his life by Hera, the Queen of the Gods. Perhaps the most striking example is the Athenian king Erechtheus, whom Poseidon killed for choosing Athena over him as the city's patron god. When the Athenians worshiped Erechtheus on the Acropolis, they invoked him as Poseidon Erechtheus.

In the Hellenistic Greek East, dynastic leaders such as the Ptolemies or Seleucids were also proclaimed heroes. This was an influence on the later, Roman apotheosis of their emperors.[citation needed]

[edit] Analysis
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The classic hero often came with what Lord Raglan (a descendant of the FitzRoy Somerset, Lord Raglan) termed a "potted biography" made up of some two dozen common traditions that ignored the line between historical fact and mythology.[citation needed] For example, the circumstances of the hero's conception are unusual; an attempt is made by a powerful male at his birth to kill him; he is spirited away; reared by foster-parents in a far country. Routinely the hero meets a mysterious death, often at the top of a hill; his body is not buried; he leaves no successors; he has one or more holy sepulchres.

The first Hero:

Hero (mythical priestess), in Greek mythology, priestess of Aphrodite, goddess of love, at Sestos, a town on the Hellespont (now Dardanelles). Hero was loved by Leander, a youth who lived at Abydos, a town on the Asian side of the channel. They could not marry because Hero was bound by a vow of chastity, and so every night Leander swam from Asia to Europe, guided by a lamp in Hero's tower. One stormy night a high wind extinguished the beacon, and Leander was drowned. His body was washed ashore beneath Hero's tower; in her grief, she threw herself into the sea.

[edit] The validity of the hero in historical studies
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Further information: Philosophy of history and Great man theory

The philosopher Hegel gave a central role to the "hero", personalized by Napoleon, as the incarnation of a particular culture's Volksgeist, and thus of the general Zeitgeist. Thomas Carlyle's 1841 On Heroes and Hero Worship and the Heroic in History also accorded a key function to heroes and great men in history. Carlyle centered history on the biography of a few central individuals such as Oliver Cromwell or Frederick the Great. His heroes were political and military figures, the founders or topplers of states. His history of great men, of geniuses good and evil, sought to organize change in the advent of greatness.

Explicit defenses of Carlyle's position were rare in the second part of the 20th century. Most philosophers of history contend that the motive forces in history can best be described only with a wider lens than the one he used for his portraits. For example, Karl Marx argued that history was determined by the massive social forces at play in "class struggles", not by the individuals by whom these forces are played out. After Marx, Herbert Spencer wrote at the end of the 19th century: "You must admit that the genesis of the great man depends on the long series of complex influences which has produced the race in which he appears, and the social state into which that race has slowly grown....Before he can remake his society, his society must make him."[2]

Thus, as Michel Foucault pointed out in his analysis of societal communication and debate, history was mainly the "science of the sovereign", until its inversion by the "historical and political popular discourse".

The Annales School, led by Lucien Febvre, Marc Bloch and Fernand Braudel, would contest the exaggeration of the role of individual subjects in history. Indeed, Braudel distinguished various time scales, one accorded to the life of an individual, another accorded to the life of a few human generations, and the last one to civilizations, in which geography, economics and demography play a role considerably more decisive than that of individual subjects. Foucault's conception of an "archeology" (not to be confused with the anthropological discipline of archaeology) or Louis Althusser's work were attempts at linking together these various heterogeneous layers composing history.[clarification needed]

[edit] Heroic myth
The four heroes from the Chinese classic Journey to the West

The concept of a story archetype of the standard "hero's quest" or monomyth pervasive across all cultures is somewhat controversial. Expounded mainly by Joseph Campbell, it illustrates several uniting themes of hero stories that despite vastly different peoples and beliefs hold similar ideas of what a hero represents.[citation needed]

Some argue that while there may be many stories that fit the monomyth, the belief in such a truly ubiquitous form may be due in part simply to neglecting those that do not.[who?]

[edit] Folk and fairy tales

Vladimir Propp, in his analysis of the Russian fairy tale, concluded that a fairy tale had only eight dramatis personæ, of which one was the hero,[3]:p. 80 and his analysis has been widely applied to non-Russian folklore. The actions that fall into a such hero's sphere include:

1. Departure on a quest
2. Reacting to the test of a donor
3. Marrying a princess (or similar figure)

He distinguished between seekers and victim-heroes. A villain could initiate the issue by kidnapping the hero or driving him out; these were victim-heroes. On the other hand, a villain could rob the hero, or kidnap someone close to him, or, without the villain's intervention, the hero could realize that he lacked something and set out to find it; these heroes are seekers. Victims may appear in tales with seeker heroes, but the tale does not follow them both.[3]:36

[edit] The modern fictional hero

Hero or heroine is sometimes used to simply describe the protagonist of a story, or the love interest, a usage which can conflict with the superhuman expectations of heroism. William Makepeace Thackeray gave Vanity Fair the subtitle A Novel without a Hero.[4] The larger-than-life hero is a more common feature of fantasy (particularly sword and sorcery and epic fantasy) than more realist works.[5]

In modern movies, the hero is often simply an ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances, who, despite the odds being stacked against him or her, typically prevails in the end. In some movies (especially action movies), a hero may exhibit characteristics such as superhuman strength and endurance that sometimes makes him nearly invincible. Often a hero in these situations has a foil, the villain, typically a charismatic evildoer who represents, leads, or himself embodies the struggle the hero is up against. Post-modern fictional works have fomented the increased popularity of the antihero, who does not follow common conceptions of heroism. [6]

[edit] Hero-as-self
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It has been suggested in an article by Roma Chatterji that the hero or more generally protagonist is first and foremost a symbolic representation of the person who is experiencing the story while reading, listening or watching; thus the relevance of the hero to the individual relies a great deal on how much similarity there is between the two. The idea of "identifying" with the hero takes on a very real meaning, in that the hero/protagonist becomes our only key to becoming part of the story rather than remaining merely an observer, she argues; if the hero is one with whom the observer can't identify very well, the story can seem inaccessible, distant or even insincere. Conversely, insomuch as the reader or viewer relates to and is therefore capable of becoming the hero, she suggests, they can feel pangs of remorse at the hero's defeats, and relish in his or her triumphs.

The most compelling reason for the hero-as-self interpretation of stories and myths is the human inability to view the world from any perspective but a personal one.[citation needed] The almost universal notion of the hero or protagonist and its resulting hero identification allows us to experience stories in the only way we know how: as ourselves.[citation needed]

One potential drawback of the necessity[citation needed] of hero identification means that a hero is often more a combination of symbols than a representation of an actual person.[citation needed] In order to appeal to a wide range of individuals, the author often relegates the hero to a "type" of person which everyone already is or wishes themselves to be: a "good" person; a "brave" person; a "self-sacrificing" person. The most problematic result of this sort of design is the creation of a character so universal that we can all identify with somewhat, but none can identify with completely.[citation needed] In regard to the observer's personal interaction with the story, it can give the feeling of being "mostly involved," but never entirely.

Tips
Who knows — you may just write the "Greatest Poem Ever". Just remember your poem is for the one you love. So make it personal and sensual.
Think about your 'love', how you feel when you are together or apart, what you miss most when you're apart, how you feel when you reunite. Write your thoughts and feelings. Poetry comes from your heart — your thoughts will create a love poem based on your feelings.
There's no need to be intimidated by rhyme schemes. Remember, poetry doesn't have to rhyme. Former Poets Laureate Robert Pinsky, Louise Gluck, Billy Collins and Ted Kooser all write poetry that does not rhyme.
The best writing advice is simple: omit needless words. One strong verb steamrolls any three weak ones.
Poetry and almost all artful prose is about how the words reveal your feelings. Read your writings aloud to yourself to feel what your words are saying. If they stir emotion in you, they will for the person you love.
Make it personal. If your love is named Kim or Vern try to use it. Don't use clichés', find something unique or special in your relationship and write about that. Your poem should be a reflection of the love you both share.
One useful tip for any kind of poem is to "write it twice: first with the heart, then with your brain". Express your feelings without sounding corny.
Read poems for ideas but do not copy them. It will get you nowhere, and your loved one may find out.
It's fine to quote an existing poem. Just include the original author's name and say something like, "I thought of you when I read this."
Some people are more poetic than others when it comes to expressing emotions, don't give yourself a report card, your poem doesn't need to be perfect just yours. A short, simple, romantic phrase or rhyme from your heart can be put in with a small gift to give your loved one. E.G. "I hope this gift will let you see ...how much, my love, you mean to me..."
A poem that can be written in prose isn't a poem, so don't follow the method of writing a huge block of prose, cleaning it up, and then cutting it arbitrarily into lines. Learn to write real poetry in meter--that will show your lover real dedication and effort.
Recognize that this is only ONE way of writing a poem. Google "love poem" for a million others. The issue here is not how good a poem it is, it's how much emotion it evokes in your partner. You don't have to stick to the night you met. Try other powerful moments, for example the evening you two walked together just before the birth of your first child, the time you two got caught in the rain, clutching his/her hand on the roller coaster, etc. etc.
The sonnet may be the best format for a love poem. Don't cheat on the syllable rule either - it will ruin the rhythm. Look to Shakespeare for help.
If you want to rhyme, there are great rhyming dictionaries on the internet. Try to stay away from one syllable words and try making every other line rhyme.
Golden Rule: If you are sincere, your partner will love it. Guaranteed.
If you really like them you don't need a poem, a boy/girl would love you if you just told them how you felt about them. Be honest!!

Before I met my soul mate, David, I did what many women have probably done. Yes, I spent hours after hours reading everything I could find on, "how to find the right guy", "how to get a man to be interested in me", "how to get a man to fall in love with me."

I even visited forums, baring my soul by sharing my disappointment and asking others the possible reasons why I'm still single. I never got anything helpful and many were just mean and made rude remarks about what must be wrong with me. It hurts so badly, especially when I was already feeling like a loser and lonely already. I was getting more and more confused and depressed.

I kept thinking, "What's wrong with me?" Other women around me who seemed pretty average had great guys who adored them. I was envious and wondered what they had that I didn't?

I scoured the internet, purchased and downloaded some relationship books hoping they had the answers I was searching for. I did everything those books said to do but after a while, I realized that I was no longer being myself.

The more I tried the more I became disappointed. It was getting bad. It was wearing me out trying to be someone I wasn't. And all the while, I kept seeing many men falling in love with average women. Again that nagging question, "What do they know that I don't?"

I was ready to give up hope and be single for the rest of my life when I did one more search and found the book, Men Made Easy. I read and re-read Kara's Twelve Simple Secrets because it really spoke to my heart like a sweet angel sent from heaven coming down to rescue me and pull me out of the deep pit I was in.

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Improve your appearance—make sure you are healthy and that you are appealing. Your hair, teeth, nails and skin should be appealing, clean and in good repair. Feel good about yourself and be confident—making sure you are appealing will increase your self-esteem. This will attract the guy—guys like women who are confident in themselves.

Ask your girlfriends what your blind spots are —these are weaknesses you have that you just don’t know about. A good girlfriend will tell you exactly what they are—maybe you have bad breath and don’t know it, maybe your excessive swearing is noticeable, maybe you are a gossip queen or you just have bad manners.

Find out what your weaknesses are and find out how to fix them. Your girlfriend or girlfriends can help so that you can bolster the crucial positive impression you are trying to make on Mr. Right. However, don’t be someone you aren’t either—the true you should still shine through. No one is perfect, and everyone is allowed to have some flaws, don’t be afraid to be who you are, selling yourself as someone you aren’t will only destroy a relationship.

People skills— get your people skills in order. You need to avoid arguments, start off conversations in a friendly manner, talk nicely, be nice and give compliments that are sincere. You should always work to make whomever you are talking to feel important—don’t wave them off or drift out of the conversation—really listen to what they are saying. Remember, this is Mr. Right and you are trying to get him to fall for you. Don’t be afraid to disagree, but don’t put down their fundamental beliefs either—everyone is entitled to their opinion, but that doesn’t mean that theirs is wrong and yours is right.

Small talk is important too— have something nice to say and say it well. Use appropriate emotions when you are talking, know when to not talk and focus more on listening to him than on hearing your own voice.

Let yourself be real to him— lower your guard a bit and admit some of your shortcomings. Tease him tastefully—all in an effort to get him to lower his guard a bit, this way he can learn who you really are.

Let him know all the ‘you’ there is to know —the hottie, the sweetie and the real you. Spend some time highlighting the hottie you—the feminine and sexy qualities that you possess. Let him see your warm, caring and kind you—the sweetie that you are. Also let him see who you are normally—the real you with your strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes and your personality.

Lead him to an emotional moment— when the emotions are high, be your best self. This will impact him in more ways than any subtlety can. These moments are the ones that imprint into his heart and soul that he will remember.

Don’t play too hard to get— those things that are elusive are things men will eventually just give up on. Also, don’t get clingy too fast —you don’t have to call him 50 times a day to let him know you’re thinking of him. Once is fine…give the man some space to be with his thoughts about you without the constant (and nagging) reminder that you are attached to him.

Be attractive and sexy—not overbearing and cheap. Keep your morals and values and don’t overextend yourself—if you are cheap and easy, you won’t make a lasting impression, just a fast one. Something worth keeping requires work on his behalf too.

Have fun and don’t forget to be a friend as well to your Mr. Right. In no time, he will be head over heels in love with the real you.

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