An Epic hero is a very hard concept for many people because we are so inundated with stories of heroes and heroines. In fact, most stories that we adore, and have adored throughout history, have fit into the hero or Epic Hero motif. Since we see this motif played out with such frequency, it is hard to show a student that there is a difference between a hero and non-hero. In fact, one student stated that all main characters are heroes. He has a very good point. The film, TV and Broadway writers know that it sells so they’re writing it into everything.
First, get the students to understand what you’re talking about.
Ask the class what a hero is and what traits they have. As you write down their suggestions, ask them to also write these traits down. Be careful to only add traits that will fit into your heroic model. This si also a good time to divert into a moral or theological comment on how we are expected to act, and what makes heroes so significant in our culture today.
Now you will need to connect these traits to someone or something they know. Otherwise, your students will not make these connections themselves.Explain that even today, most stories are about heroes and such. A few heroes and stories you can point out in today’s teenage world are Spiderman, Batman, Constantine, Twilight characters, Pirate of the Caribbean, Harry Potter,Shrek, Zoom, Superman. Once you’ve listed and written these characters on the board, you students are completely engaged and ready to give their opinions. By this point they will no doubt be very loud, and very into the lesson. Then ask them for some examples. This is giving them the opportunity to be engaged and into the lesson.
Second, connect it all together in one simple package.
Explain that the traits that you (both teacher and class) have come up with are all the traits of a hero. In ancient times; however,they created myths and ideas to explain the world. Those myths were about people that were super human and that could do great things, things that would explain why other things in the world happened. These are just like the superheroes that we came up, and they have all the traits that we hold dear. The proper name for these heroes is: “Epic Heroes”. Ask the students to list some of these Epic heroes. Try to steer the class to mention the heroes you know and have information on. (Before doing this lesson, you will need to get a number of heroes, Greek myth is great for this, that you have listed to fit in the list of “epic hero Requirements.
Third, a man must fit into specific stages and requirements to be held at the very high status of “Epic Hero”
After you have a number of mythical people on your board that was just given to you, create few columns of each of them. First ask the students how these people were either born into the world or how they were born into the hero world. Then ask the class to come up to the board and list for each hero how they were prepared to be a hero. Then pick a few students to write down the quest these heroes are on. A superhero is on a quest to stomp out evil (for example). Now we move onto the next step, yet the students do not realize this. They are, no doubt, noticing the pattern, and that’s what you want. Now ask them to describe the superhuman ability they have. This usually creates a pretty lively question to all.
The next steps are a little harder, so you have to explain this a little more. Don’t you hate when you’re watching a movie and the hero is beat up and it doesn’t look like he’s getting up? This is the worse part of the movies, and you know he’s dead or going to die. Ask your students if they know of any of these plots. The answers will flood you. Then ask them if they have any examples for the heroes on the board. These answers will not be hard to pull out. Then for these next step, explain how they over came or rose above those things. You and you class have produced 3-4 hero table with the stages of the Epic hero under them.
Next to each of the rows of the table, write down the stages of the Epic hero on the side: Significant Birth, Prepared for battle and their quest, Go on a quest, descend into the underworld, and rise into immortality. Explain that this is the template for every hero that has every been written or created. Then write down each of the steps and their definitions like this and explain that the students are expected to copy down the steps as well as the table.:
Significant birth
They were born to someone with great significance to the story, or to the world.
Many heroes were born to a god, a king, or the greatest person/being of the area
Prepared for battle and greatness
In some way shape or form they were shown to be trained, prepared in some way, or taught in some way to be ready for great things.
Be it trials they had to go through, the teacher they had, the learning they had, or they were naturally the greatest.
Departure on Quest
Most great stories and depictions of a hero shows that they went on a great quest to be great. They usually aren’t great just hanging out at home. Sometimes they are called to this quest by some higher order (a god), or the trials of their life are seen as a quest.
These quests are lessons to teach, or steps to becoming the great hero they will become.
Great strength/superhuman
In some way these people are superhuman. They can do things that no other person can. They are faster/stronger/smarter/better than everyone around. Most of the time this is what makes them stand out, and this is what pushes them farther than what anyone could do.
At some point on the quest the hero has to descend into either the real underworld(hell) or a symbol of the underworld.
They have to do battle, kill, or be able to come out of the underworld unscathed.
Usually in the underworld; they have to use more than their superhuman powers. It’s usually something very natural/good/ or magical that helps them out of this.
Rebirth into immortality
They come out of the underworld unscathed – a rebirth.
They either truly become immortal, or they are remembered forever taking the idea of immortality.
In many cases they themselves become a god.
Depending on how far you want to carry this, you can add music artists and tv stars.
Assessment: Ask the students to write a very short story of an epic hero, a poem of an epic hero, or explain a hero that they know of and how they fit into this format.
