The Illiad: Heroism

The definition of heroism is almost universally clear. It is usually the characteristic of a person who triumphs over some type of evil nemesis, or a person who is constantly rescuing people in distress. Nowadays a hero can be looked at as a person who serves his duty to his country by going to war and receiving special honors for doing so. Ancient Greece also viewed a hero by holding these standards. In the epic …

…he fought all the way through, the cause for which he was fighting, and because in his heart he was just more honorable. If a hero is a person who serves his duty to his country by going to war, and killing people, then what really is the definition of a hero? The Iliad, by Homer, leads his readers to ponder that question about heroism, honor and how it affects the people of a culture.