Archetypal Hero

A hero is a role model, someone you aspire to be like, someone who helps others and fights for a higher good. By definition a hero is “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities (Dictionary.com, 2015).” There are three main types of heroes archetypal, tragic and anti- hero, each of these heroes has been represented through both modern and ancient literature. These heroes have been shown in the form of characters such as Superman, Hamlet, Atticus finch, Holden Caulfield; but are these characters really heroes? It has been said that “Heroes no longer exist. They have no impact on identity.” This statement could not be any further from true; heroes play a huge part in our lives and impact everyone

A tragic hero is a character who is ultimately set for failure; this is generally due to a fatal flaw or decision. Tragic heroes are certainly not role models however they could be considered more important and relevant than any other form of hero. These heroes are relatable to readers and show that just like these characters we are only human and that we all make mistakes. A tragic hero is a reflection of our own lives and it is the moral of their stories that inspire and shape our identity. The character Hamlet is a classic tragic hero as his need for revenge and indecisiveness was ultimately his demise. Throughout the novel just as any archetypal, hamlet sets out to accomplish a noble task which in this case was to avenge his father’s death; however unlike an archetypal hero, Hamlet allowed his thirst for revenge get the better of him and this subsequently lead to his death. Throughout the play Hamlet struggles to make a decision as to whether he should avenge his father’s death. Although his questioning is understandable it was still his fatal flaw as his indecisiveness was a key factor to his death. The strong messages imbedded in this play are relatable to readers and portray the problems in modern society. Hamlet is certainly not a character for readers to look up to however he is a character that the readers can learn from. Hamlet gives depth to the morel of the novel and portrays the idea revenge is not the answer to all problems and shows the importance of