There are those in life who conquer the impossible and open the doors that have not yet been open; they go by the name “hero”. Heroes are, to put it simply, people who put others first and their own needs last. They are well-known for working hard, well after everyone has given up hope. Though it may seem like an impossible task at first, anyone can live up to the title of a hero. It is necessary to remember that heroes come in many shapes and sizes and don’t necessarily have to be affluent. However, what they do need is a personality that is able to influence others. Whether these heroes are real or merely just the work of one’s creative mind, living or passed, they somehow manage to make an impact on humanity. Although becoming a hero is …show more content…
Perseus’s determination is visible when he boldly undertakes Polydectes’s quest to save his mother Danae from hostage. Although Perseus knows of the difficulties associated with the quest of killing Medusa, the Gorgon whose stare turns anyone to stone, he still persists. He is not afraid of the female monster and successfully accomplishes the quest thus disproving the majority. Moreover, Perseus displays his determination when he goes out of his will to save the life of Andromeda, the daughter of Queen Cassiopeia and King Cepheus. Perseus is determined to intervene once he notices a young woman chained to a rock awaiting her death at sea. A horrible sea monster sent by Poseidon was about to eat Andromeda due to the fact that her mother boasted of being more beautiful than the sea nymphs. He can’t give up on the beautiful Andromeda and, “After a terrible battle, Perseus destroyed it and released the terrified girl” (Head and McLea 148). This goes to show how Perseus puts his own life at risk to ensure the safety of another’s. Likewise, Odysseus shows determination in the entirety of his journey back home. Odysseus exhibits determination initially at the Land of the Lotus Eaters. The hero is not tempted to eat this seemingly harmless drug, which causes one to lose focus and stay on the island forever. In fact, Odysseus even calls his men to return to the ship, “‘All hands aboard; come, …show more content…
Perseus applies his cleverness on his quest to slay Medusa. He wisely makes use of the advice and gifts that the supernatural forces have to offer him. Following Hermes’s vague words of wisdom, Perseus takes the eye from the “Gray Ones”, who share one tooth and eye amongst the three of them, so that he can receive directions to where the Nymphs live. These Nymphs would then provide him with directions to where Medusa lives. Furthermore, Perseus uses the highly-polished shield given to him by Athena so that he can mirror the face of the Gorgon. Also, he utilizes the helmet gifted to him by the Nymphs, the sea goddesses, so that he can be invisible to the terrifying creature. In addition to this, Perseus, despite already being invisible to the female monster, chooses to cut off her head when she is sleeping. This shows that Perseus is not brash in his actions and plays it safe. Similarly, Odysseus displays his cleverness on his journey back home. When Odysseus and his men are trapped in a cyclops’s cave, he effectively thinks of a strategy to escape. For instance, Odysseus gives the cyclops very potent wine to drink which, in turn, intoxicates the giant. This also sends out a positive message to the cyclops that Odysseus and his men are showing hospitality towards him. Having the cyclops passed out, Odysseus is able to poke the cyclops’s eye out with a stake he already has prepared. After poking out the