Characteristics
Larger than Life
The epic hero is smarter,
stronger, and braver than
the other characters.
It is sometimes said that the
epic hero is a descendant
of deities.
Many of the same heroes
show up in different stories
throughout the same
culture.
of the Epic
Hero
Takes a Dangerous Journey
The epic hero must voluntarily participate in a timeconsuming, dangerous, and cyclical journey.
Throughout that journey, he meets tough
adversaries, whom he must defeat in order to
continue on.
Lastly, the epic hero must perform extraordinary
tasks in order to get back home safely.
Exemplifies Values
The epic hero exemplifies the moral or religious values of
the people in his culture. He is the epitome of everything
his culture believes in.
Throughout the cyclical quest he must take, his values are
tried, but because of the strong decisions the hero makes,
those values are strengthened. He
becomes a better and stronger person.
People praise this hero for not
wavering
in those values.