Individual Assignment: Mythological and Modern-Day Heroes Paper · Identify a hero from literature or popular culture who embarks upon a mythical quest.
· Write a 700- to 1,050-word paper that includes the following: o A list of the mythological hero’s characteristics o A description of how that character exemplifies a mythological hero o The purpose of the mythical quest in general APA Style!!!

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An epic hero has four distinctive qualities. The first characteristic is that the hero requires a life altering journey, one that can change the way he thinks about someone or something, or that has a substantial impact on him/her physically or emotionally. The next quality is that there must be some form of divine or godly intervention that helps or hinders the hero’s journey. A third quality of the epic hero is a quest, goal or objective that the hero must reach.

Nearly all cultures have produced myths about heroes. Some heroes, such as the Greek Achilles, have one mortal and one divine parent. Others are fully human but are blessed with godlike strength or beauty. Many myths about heroes concern significant phases of the hero's career, such as the circumstances of the hero's birth, a journey or quest, and the return home.

The birth and infancy of a mythological hero is often exceptional or even miraculous. In the ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean world, the births of many heroes followed similar patterns. Many heroes were often left to die at a ver young age but miraculously survived. Other heroes were immediately able to care for themselves. They performed astonishing feats of strength as children.

Most heroes set off on a quest or a journey of some kind. One of the earliest tales of a hero's journey is the Babylonian story known as the Gilgamesh epic, written in cuneiform on 12 clay tablets in about 2000 BC. The hero, Gilgamesh, embarks on a quest for immortality. In Greek and Roman mythology the stories of Jason and of Aeneas likewise describe journeys or quests. Another narrative that may be interpreted as a heroic journey is the biblical story of the Hebrew prophet Moses.

Mythological stories have existed as long as man has existed. As long as there have been mythological stories there have been stories of heroes. Most of us were introduced to the hero's journey through mythology and other heroic tale sources, such as in cinema and literature, have been inspired by mythology. Myths provide the oldest and truest outline for heroic stories. Each culture has its own myths and each of these myths tend to share a common design. Myths often use transcendental events or characters to explain the nature of humanity and the universe. The stories are often narratives about divine or ordinary people that are passed down through the generations intended to inspire and advise the listener or reader. Why should we care about mythological heroic figures? The underlying principles of heroic adventures are reflective of our own journeys and adventures in life. Every challenge or change we face in life is an adventure and we are the heroes in the story.
Every situation which confronts us with something new or which forces us to reevaluate our thinking, behaviour or perspective, is the journey or adventure the mythological hero must also face. By understanding the journey of the hero we may begin to apply the story to our own lives and challenges. The first stage in a hero's adventure is facing the interface the known world, and the unknown world. The known world is familiar and we are accustomed to its layout and rules. The unknown world, however, is the world of unfamiliarity and challenges, which can be confusing. In the unknown world we can get lost. Our adventure to the unfamiliar world may be outward into a physical unknown or inward into a psychological unknown or most likely both. In mythology the hero is often provided with someone or something to advise or help them in the unknown world. In the real world we have these guides as well: a classmate in a new school, a coworker in a new job,.