Epic Hero Essay
For this essay, you will be analyzing whether one of the characters from the Iliad is an epic hero.
An epic hero is “a larger-than-life figure of high social status who embodies the ideals of his or
her people”(193). This concept has three important aspects – the character must be a larger-thanlife figure, must be of high social status, and must embody the ideals of his or her people.
In your essay, you will explore whether Agamemnon, Achilles, or Hector is an epic hero by
explaining and citing examples of how he demonstrates the characteristics of an epic hero, and/or
how he violates the expectations of an epic hero.
This is a formal essay, and must be typed and formatted as such.
Size 12 Times New Roman font
Double spaced
One-and-a-half to two pages of typed essay (not including your name, class, date, etc)
Must include properly cited, direct quotations from textbook (Iliad 1.103)
(Iliad Book #.line[s] from poem)
I would recommend, but do not require, structuring the essay in the following manner
I Introduction
A Attention getter
B Transitional information
C Thesis statement
II Body
A Explanation of how character meets social status requirements
1. Examples from text to support answer
B Explanation of how character is larger-than-life (does things beyond the possibility of
most normal men)
1. Examples from text to support answer
C Explanation of how character embodies ideals of his or her people
1. Examples from text – refer to the chart of heroic ideals
*You do not necessarily need to explore every heroic ideal, but should
address multiple (at least 3) to make a strong, convincing argument
III Conclusion
A Summarize main ideas
B Decisively re-state whether character fits criteria of an epic hero (do not end with vague
or indecisive statements such as “He kind of is an epic hero, but kind of is not, too”)