The+Reluctant+Hero

 The Reluctant Hero

The reluctant hero is a heroic archetype described by Joseph Campbell in The Hero With a Thousand Faces:

The hero may refuse the adventure or deny the ability to move beyond the status quo. The reluctant hero requires supernatural forces to urge him on, while the willing adventurer gathers magical items which require him to rise to heroism, or as a person with extraordinary abilities to avoid using those abilities for the benefit of others. In either case, the reluctant hero does not initially seek adventure or the opportunity to do good. Their selfishness may draw them into the category of anti-heroes yet they differ from the anti-hero in that the story arc of the former inevitably results in their becoming a true hero.

Marvel Comics super hero Spider-Man is seen as a reluctant hero. On many occasions, he has doubted himself and considered retiring from superheroics. In early stories, especially when faced with those who would become his greatest enemies (such as Doctor Octopus), he would find himself heavily wounded or responsible for innocent happenings. Inevitably, however, he would pull himself together and rally to save the day. Arjuna is one of the major characters and heroes of the famous Hindu epic, the //Mahabharata.// The third of the five Pandava brothers, Arjuna was a master archer who played a pivotal role in the conflict between the Pandavas and their adversaries, the Kauravas. He is most famous for his ethical crisis and subsequent dialogue with Lord Krishna in the Bhagavadgita, where he is counseled concerning the nature of the universe, proper duty, and supreme devotion.

Hisl role in the Mahabharata has marked Arjuna as a central heroic figure in the scriptures, iconography, and mythology of Hinduism. In his dialogue with Krishna in the Bhagavadgita, Arjuna has the qualities of the ideal student. His willingness to accept the word of Krishna, even though it involves raising his weapons against his kinfolk, illustrates his devotion to God. Arjuna also stands as the archetypal reluctant hero, who is called to a task of great import and initially shirks his duty, only to reconsider and perform his task with effectiveness. As such, Arjuna is a hero not only for Hindus but also for the entirety of humanity.

The Odyssey is an epic story that has been a significant piece of literature since it was first composed and will remain so for ages to come. One of the reasons it has been so is because of the hero, Odysseus.

Odysseus is one of the first Greek mythic heroes renowned for his brain as well as his muscle. He is a man with an inquiring mind, and he is also a man with outstanding bravery. It is no wonder why many scholars refer to Odysseus as a powerful mythic hero. Odysseus often hesitates before acting, because he uses his reason and gift to evaluate things. This patience is one of his most important attributes. This has saved him and his men many of times, and it can be easily seen in various instances throughout his travels such as when he disguised himself as a beggar when he finally reached Ithaca, waiting for the right moment to reveal himself.

As great as he was, Odysseus still had some weaknesses that prolonged his voyage back to Ithaca. His most important weakness that he possess is that of his pride. Pride is good to have, but in Odysseus' case he had to much of it. When Odysseus and his men were safe away from the island Odysseus brags about his exploit. Polythemus hears this and hurls giant boulders in the direction of the ship. A couple came very close to sinking the ship. Still that was not enough for Odysseus. Carried away in his pride he unwisely gave away his identity to Polythemus. With that Polythemus called upon his father, Poseidon, to punish the man who had harmed him. That incident hurt Odysseus more than losing a few men, because Poseidon made his travel home ever so longer and arduous.

Yet another weakness of Odysseus is his sensualness. Odysseus enjoys women. He stayed with Circe for one year before his men reminded him of home. He also stayed with Calypso for seven years. Although we must take into thought that there were some other reasons why he stayed with her for so long, like that she was an immortal and he didn't want to have her against him. Nonetheless, Odysseus survived all that happened to him. His courage, wits, and endurance enabled him to come through each and every difficulty and arrive home safely.

The reason you see the archetype Reluctant Hero so often in stories and in myths is the fact that people yearn to be a hero in some way. The unique characteristic about the Reluctant Hero is that he or she have imperfect qualities, or just plain luck. This gives people hope that maybe they can have a miracle happen to them or that with unperfect nature they may strive to be a hero in one way or another. Worksited page