Morgan Kinney
Cress
English II Pre-AP
January 21, 2011
Greek Heroes in Edith Hamilton’s Mythology
The Greeks often define a hero as a demigod who undergoes the classic
“Hero’s Journey,” which by definition makes them imperfect. One of the most
chronicled of all Greek heroes is Odysseus. In the midst of his travels, he and his
men stumble upon Circe, “a most beautiful and most dangerous witch. Every
man who approached her she turned into a beast.” (Hamilton 305). Despite
possessing the characteristics of the epitomized “hero,” Odysseus made the
mistake of letting his men fall into her clutches and resultantly be turned into
swine. In support, Sisyphus presents a similar tale. “He drew down on himself
the relentless wrath of Zeus” following his accusation of the God’s kidnapping of
his daughter and was sentenced “to try forever to roll a rock uphill which forever
rolled back upon him.” (Hamilton 439-440) It was folly for the hero to do this,
therefore proving a fault in his being. In fact, perfection is so uncommon in a
Greek hero that in order to be one, imperfection is practically a prerequisite.