There
has always been the hero archetype in literature: one who displays courage and is self-sacrificial in the face
of peril for what he or she deems the greater good. The hero usually has
characteristics of nobility—not in terms of royalty, but rather of
integrity—bravery, and resilience. They are usually warriors in some manner.
The word hero, integrated into the
English language in 1387, comes from the Greek "ἥρως," which literally means protector or defender.
Virtue
in action is a phrase that could epitomize heroism, and there’s always a price
for such inherent valor, for the role is an uncomfortable one in society. Many
feel a bitterness toward the heroic and a shame when faced with their own lack
of such inclinations. Few run toward
danger.
In
today’s fiction, though, the term hero
has less of a classic connotation and now denotes the role of the main
character. However, the reader still expects a certain quality of character
from modern fiction’s heroes.
There
is, of course, the physical aspect. In romance novels, I’ve yet to read of a
short, paunchy hero with a hairy back. But even more than that, we have an
assumption of honor, of a personal moral code, and of a stalwartness in our
heroes. If spineless, unscrupulous cruelty is evident, we want—perhaps even
need—an evolution, a redemptive growth into a figure we can admire.
For
fiction is, at heart, a study of the human condition. And in romance, in which
the ending is nigh upon guaranteed to be uplifting, we want to be given
examples of qualities we can hold as standards: the power of love, the resilience of humanity… The
inviolability of the hero and his quest.
