Myths and heroes
MYTH
1. an ancient story about gods, heroes and magic
2.a. popular belief or tradition embodying (=incarner) the ideals and institutions of a society
b. an unfounded or false notion
3. a theme or character type embodying an idea
HERO
1.a. a mythological or legendary figure often endowed with great strength or ability
b. a person admired for his/her achievments, noble qualities and great courage
2. the main character in a literary or dramatic work, an event, period or movement
3. an object of extreme admiration and devotion: icon/role model
TYPES OF HEROES in literature
Hero : In mythology a mighty warrior who is often the son of a god or king and goes on
an epic quest
Hero (2) : Main character of a story who often displays admirable qualities
Anti-hero : Main character of a story who is flawed in some way and often does not display
admirable qualities
Tragic hero : Main character of a tragedy whose tragic flaw leads to his or her destruction
Byronic hero : Rebellious main character who has a troubled past and indulges in selfdestructive behaviors that threaten to doom him or her
When studying your document, think about which definition(s) it illustrates
Brainstorming
Here is a list of questions you can ask yourself about the notion:
a. What category does the hero(ine) belong to? Is he/she…
a legendary, mythical, medieval, modern, realistic hero(ine) ?
a fictitious hero(ine): literature, cinema,…?
a hero(ine) recognized by society because of his/her actions?
b. What are his/her qualities?
Does he/she embody courage, hope, generosity,…?
c. How are his/her qualities revealed?
d. His/her role
Is he/she a role model?
What belief/ tradition/ ideals does he/she embody?
ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS
