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hero, in literature, broadly, the main character in a literary work; the term is also used in a specialized sense for any figure celebrated in the ancient legends of a people or in such early heroic epics as Gilgamesh, the Iliad, Beowulf, or La Chanson de Roland.
Heroes and heroines in literature aren’t always the paragons of virtue; in fact, they can be the exact opposite – flawed and lost souls who fail many times along their hero journey. Heroic deeds aren’t limited to noble knights, dragon-slayers, soldiers, warriors, prodigies, or fantastical beings.
We’ve named our top 20 heroes and heroines from literature. From the sleuthing Nancy Drew to the unlikely hero in The Little Prince, there’s a long list of both well-known and atypical heroes and heroines.
We can use them when planning a story to create the best character for the narrative and the world. Whatever the stage of your writing, knowing the different types of literary heroes can help you write better protagonists. Let’s dive in and take a look at nine common examples.
Define the types of heroes in literature, and get students excited to identify heroes. Find free activities and examples from literature at StoryboardThat!
6 Common Hero Archetypes in Literature. From Batman to Gandalf, compelling heroes give the reader a character to root for and a pair of eyes through which to follow the story. Yet not all heroes are created equal.
Heroism is a theoretical construct characterized by actions that prioritize the needs of others or a broader cause above one’s own well-being. These actions typically demonstrate exceptional courage, self-sacrifice, and adherence to a strong moral code.
As a literary device, a hero can be defined as the principal character of a literary work. The term hero has been applied, not only in the classical sense, but also in modern literature, as the principal character of a story, play or novel.
Those who exhibit moral courage, such as people who put their own lives or reputations at stake to do or say what is right, rather than what is merely popular, are also called heroes. Heroes can also be those close friends or loved ones whom we admire and treat as role models, calling such a person “my hero.”
Literary heroes are those who appear in forms such as the epic, lyric poetry, short stories, drama, and the novel, each one reflecting their cultural and historical contexts.