What makes a hero a "real hero"
The way people perceive heroism varies in different ways but a general idea about it seems to be present within these perceptions making them similar in some ways. However, as the world transforms into a more accepting one, slowly, the idea of what heroes are o what heroism is, fades away-- being replaced with a much better understanding about it. The changes in perception may disturb those who are primitive and believes in the superiority of men, but to a lot, these changes are rather long way overdue. This blog will analyze how heroism or being a hero were perceived in the past and in the 21st Century through the movie “Hercules”.
Movies about heroes are
everywhere and even all these years, some things never change. In every hero
movie there is, there are certain stages they face before being proclaimed as
heroes officially. Like in Hercules, it started off with Hercules feeling like
he’s different, trying to fit in and all. Then he tries to find himself, gets a
trainer or a guardian, meets a potential partner, tries to prove himself as a
hero and finally going through the battle and be a hero himself. If the movies
about heroism will be analyzed, these factors are often present especially to
those that falls in the fantasy genre. For example, in Moana, it has
similarities with Hercules. Moana being special, having someone to guide her,
she has a goal, and in the end, she was able to save their village. The only
thing that varies among these are the faces, names, settings, and of course,
the outcomes.
In terms of differences, the one
that seems to be popular is the initial though that comes with the word “hero”
which was often directed to men being that character and women are only there to
be saved. For a long time, that kept running. In Hercules, it is observable how
women were treated by just looking at Meg. Meg was treated as an item, tossed
like a toy, and used like a tool. She was there to be the heroine without fully
acknowledging how she can be more than that. Being a hero means being strong, being
reliable, smart, powerful, and being a man. That idea was etched in children’s
minds and that’s the idea that the past years changed.
It’s clear how the image of a
hero changes over time and it’s nothing but better compared to how it was
perceived by the primitives. As stated previously, a hero was perceived as a
man but in this generation, women are mostly the main characters who saves the village,
the city, or the world. The movies today don’t limit the capabilities of women
anymore but rather boosts them to the fullest. The discussion about gender
equality sure is everywhere but it’s relevance should never be questionable. The
movie “Hercules” served as a lens in making me realize who and what a hero
should be.
I realized that a hero isn’t necessary
to be strong, to be smart, to be gentle, and to be just a man. A real hero is
smart enough to not be prejudiced, to not rely solely on strength, to always
know what to prioritize. A hero has feelings, can be selfish, can be weak, can
be emotional, can be in different genders, and can be just a normal person. It’s
true that most heroes don’t wear capes; some wears lab gowns, some holds chalk
in their hands, some are in the streets keeping stray cats and dogs, and some
are in our homes making our lives easier to live. We can all be heroes; we just
have to learn how to accept, how to give, and how to sacrifice ourselves. What makes
a hero a “real hero” is knowing the significance of freedom, peace, love and life;
and knowing how to be human.
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