Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Read More on This Topic Hinduism: Narratives of … Hermione Granger from the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. In the epic poem The Odyssey by Homer, the hero of the story is Odysseus. We know what we are going to write and how we are going to write it. A celebrated victor of the Trojan War, Odysseus is faced with a long, difficult journey home to his wife and child. Her new independence inspires us. Hero, in literature, broadly, the main character in a literary work; the term is also used in a specialized sense for any figure celebrated in the ancient legends of a people or in such early heroic epics as Gilgamesh, the Iliad, Beowulf, or La Chanson de Roland. Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. 8  Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens – Sydney becomes a selfless hero who sacrifices himself for love as well as for the cause of revolution. Matilda is one of our favorite heroines because she embodies all of us with her passion for books. 9  Don Carlos from Don Carlos by Friedrich Schiller – The Roman Catholic King Philip II of Spain went to war against all Protestant countries since they were heretics. Often the term “hero” and “main character” or “protagonist” are used interchangeably. Tell us in the comments below! The strong-willed main character of Little Women follows her dream of being a writer and defies stereotypes—often being described as an “early feminist”. In the novel The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, Santiago is the hero of the work. She also starred in the … Continue reading →, If you are an artist, you know how bound you are to Creativity. Most other people in his place couldn’t be a Hamlet, but a maybe a J. Alfred Proofrock. Sydney Carton gives up his life to save that of the husband of the woman he loves. Like other formerly solely gender-specific terms (like actor), hero is often used to refer to any gender, though heroine only refers to female. But he learn to love his new family rebels and lays his life down for them to save theirs. Definition, Examples of Literary Heroes. 2  Jean Valjean from Les Miserables by Victor Hugo – This is the quiet hero who’s great works are unseen and unknown. So here are my favorite Top Ten list of real heroes from literature. Define hero in literature: The hero is a literary work is the main character who is faced with a conflict that he attempts to overcome through the course of the plot. We make discovering books entertaining, informative, and socially engaging. Equality is on a quest to bring light to his dystopian society; however, through this discovery, he comes to realize that the society he is a part of purposely suppresses the growth of intellect. It’s the story about the professional and personal conflicts between an esteemed businessman and a gangster. The action of a story revolves around this character’s conflict; therefore, it is important to include a main character in order to create an interesting piece of literature. Chapter two, boy meets girl. But no one can deny his heroism, fighting monsters and dragons, and living well by the ancient desire to seek fame. So what do you think of the list? Great list! Artists know above all things that Creativity is difficult to keep at a … Continue reading →, We all have people in our lives who support us no matter what we try. Who made your list? This list is for characters in fictional works who exemplify the qualities of an antihero – a … For example, O’Neill’s, Mourning Sings Elektra is based on the Greek set of plays, the Oresteia by Aeschylus. He overcomes all of the obstacles set in his path by the gods angry with him and arrives home to a kingdom overrun by men attempting to marry and take control of his home. 4  Hamlet from Hamlet by William Shakespeare – Hamlet never sought out to be a hero, and he clearly struggled with his responsibilities. Oh, Atticus Finch – No. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. Gandalf from Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Celie becomes a strong woman after being abused and oppressed throughout The Color Purple. Atticus Finch from To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee – Maybe the nicest guy in all of literature. Chapter one, boy sees girl. Post was not sent - check your email addresses! Jo March from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. Glamor or Glamour – What’s the Difference. “Invisible Man” from Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. The original hero type of classical epics did such things for the sake of glory and honor. Post your list in the Comments, or if your post yours online, give me the link in the Comments so that others can see your list, too. I love To Kill a Mockingbird. In the popular Disney movie The Lion King, the hero of the film is Simba. Examples of Literary Heroes In the novel The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, the hero of the story would be the young protagonist Huckleberry Finn. Katniss is a strong young woman who is truly a “hero” when she wins The Hunger Games. WHEN YOU SIGN UP FOR The Myth of Theseus and the Movie Inception. Tolkien. Bram Stroker wrote Abraham van Helsing seeing himself as the brave hero who fights evil monsters. We’ve named our top 20 heroes and heroines from literature. It is not uncommon for modern literature and movies to be based on a classical work. He is a young wizard who, with the help of his friends, is responsible for saving the world of witches and wizards from being taken over by evil forces. In a literary sense, a hero is an archetypal character that has several specific characteristics. 7  Robert Jordan from For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway – We already know that Robert Jordan is heroic in his devotion to his politics and his voluntary work as a demolitionist in the Spanish Civil War working for the loyalists. The Prince from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. I’m glad. Secret Service agent 007 has served for many years as the well-known spy who is always a hero. Even though he comes to points of near personal defeat, Santiago completes his journey and reveals the true importance of following your dreams. He is such a good person. How could this be so hard? Smith is an “everyman” in a society without individual thought. In the Schiller play, Philip’s son Carlos stands up to him and defends the people of Holland whom he would oppress, even though it would cost the prince his life. BOOKSTR’S EMAIL NEWSLETTER. Hero definition: The hero is the main character in a literary work. Merovech Stendhal, a Belgian veteran of World War Two, worked hard all … Continue reading →, All writers, whether you write novels, short stories, Korean haiku, or ransom notes, have an understanding regarding method and message. 3  Beowulf from Beowulf (anon.) Robin Hood from Robin Hood (English folklore). Let me know in the Comment section below. Bloodhound Available on Amazon and Kindle, The Myth of Theseus and the Movie Inception, Top Ten Of My Most Favorite Lines From “Fawlty Towers”, My Top Ten Favorite Plays Made Into Movies, My Ninth Novel, BOSS, Is Available On Amazon. Classical hero: A classical hero is a character who possesses a great talent or ability that separates … We cannot omit the … Continue reading →, From Malachi To Matthew When one reads the Bible, a few differences appear between the Old and New Testaments. Jane Eyre from Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Alice is an adventurer and explorer that reminds us all what it’s like to have such an imagination. Celie becomes a strong woman after being abused and …