Nelson Mandela As A Hero Essay

According to Aristotle “A man doesn 't become a hero until he can see the root of his own downfall." In Aristotle’s terms, a hero must suffer more than he deserves, is noble in nature, but imperfect so that the onlookers can see themselves in him. A Hero must furthermore understand his doom, as well as the fact that his fate was exposed by his own actions - Additionally, a hero should be physically or spiritually wounded by his experiences, often resulting in death. Ultimately, a Hero 's story should arouse both fear and empathy. Specifically looking at figures in the Civil Rights Movements in both South Africa and America, there is no denying that it is generally agreed upon that Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela are considered to be some of the world’s most admired heroes. They have no doubt played a role and influence in the struggle for black human rights. However, on a broader spectrum, one

In source C, we see his role as both a leader in this revolution as well as the aims he hoped to achieve. The source is a 3-hour long speech in which he discusses the nature of his fight, with the conviction of a martyr, to the point that he states, “it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”. The idea being that of “equal political rights”. The iconic line “I am prepared to die” provides an intel into Mandela’s character, and just how far he was willing to go for the equality of his fellow Africans. This infamous speech thus indicates his prominent role in the movement, which is further substantiated by Source B in which other activists and supporters are shown at the Rivonia trial, one of which holds a poster stating, “we are proud of our leaders” referring to that of Mandela and other ANC leaders. Mandela was aware of his own destruction and expressed nobility in his willingness to die, thus according to Aristotle he can be defined as a